(a) The purpose of the Arkansas Council for Military Children is to assist state and local education agencies, in collaboration with local military commands, in the promotion of the provisions of this chapter and the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, § 6-4-301 et seq., in order to eliminate barriers to educational success faced by children of military families.
(b) The duties of the council are to:(1) Assist state and local education agencies in the promotion, communication, delivery, and assessment of the provisions of this chapter to inform state education authorities, public school district officials, military commanders, and uniformed services families by:(A) Assisting in the development, publication, and distribution through schools and military commands of a digital family guidebook that provides information on the provisions of this chapter;(B) At least biennially publicly surveying uniformed services families to assess awareness of this chapter, provisions of the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act, § 6-18-227, provisions of the Public School Choice Act of 2015, § 6-18-1901 et seq., available military family resources, and unmet uniformed services family needs; and(C) Developing and promulgating student arrival and departure surveys of uniformed services families to provide an assessment of the effectiveness of this chapter and other related programs;(2) Assist state and local education agencies with the orientation and training of district military family education coordinators and school military family education facilitators on provisions of this chapter;(3) Develop and promote the Purple Star School Program as required by § 6-28-302;(4) Assist in the development and delivery of programs that inform current and former uniformed services families, including Gold Star families, to self-identify to assure:(A) They are recognized for their service; and(B) That the student is accounted for in all applicable programs for which the student qualifies; and(5) Assist in the development and administration of programs recognizing education agencies, public schools, and leaders who have established or contributed to programs facilitating successful school transitions of children of uniformed services families.
(1) Assist state and local education agencies in the promotion, communication, delivery, and assessment of the provisions of this chapter to inform state education authorities, public school district officials, military commanders, and uniformed services families by:(A) Assisting in the development, publication, and distribution through schools and military commands of a digital family guidebook that provides information on the provisions of this chapter;(B) At least biennially publicly surveying uniformed services families to assess awareness of this chapter, provisions of the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act, § 6-18-227, provisions of the Public School Choice Act of 2015, § 6-18-1901 et seq., available military family resources, and unmet uniformed services family needs; and(C) Developing and promulgating student arrival and departure surveys of uniformed services families to provide an assessment of the effectiveness of this chapter and other related programs;
(A) Assisting in the development, publication, and distribution through schools and military commands of a digital family guidebook that provides information on the provisions of this chapter;
(B) At least biennially publicly surveying uniformed services families to assess awareness of this chapter, provisions of the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act, § 6-18-227, provisions of the Public School Choice Act of 2015, § 6-18-1901 et seq., available military family resources, and unmet uniformed services family needs; and
(C) Developing and promulgating student arrival and departure surveys of uniformed services families to provide an assessment of the effectiveness of this chapter and other related programs;
(2) Assist state and local education agencies with the orientation and training of district military family education coordinators and school military family education facilitators on provisions of this chapter;
(3) Develop and promote the Purple Star School Program as required by § 6-28-302;
(4) Assist in the development and delivery of programs that inform current and former uniformed services families, including Gold Star families, to self-identify to assure:(A) They are recognized for their service; and(B) That the student is accounted for in all applicable programs for which the student qualifies; and
(A) They are recognized for their service; and
(B) That the student is accounted for in all applicable programs for which the student qualifies; and
(5) Assist in the development and administration of programs recognizing education agencies, public schools, and leaders who have established or contributed to programs facilitating successful school transitions of children of uniformed services families.
(c) (1) The council shall meet at least quarterly or more frequently as decided upon by a majority of its members.(2) The Chair of the Arkansas Council for Military Children may call special meetings.
(1) The council shall meet at least quarterly or more frequently as decided upon by a majority of its members.
(2) The Chair of the Arkansas Council for Military Children may call special meetings.
(d) The council may:(1) Form committees to carry out its purpose; and(2) Enlist volunteer participation by knowledgeable individuals and organizations to assist in development and execution of programs.
(1) Form committees to carry out its purpose; and
(2) Enlist volunteer participation by knowledgeable individuals and organizations to assist in development and execution of programs.
(e) (1) A majority of all council members shall constitute a quorum at council meetings.(2) The absence of the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education or the Chair of the House Committee on Education or designees from each of the committees shall not count against a quorum.
(1) A majority of all council members shall constitute a quorum at council meetings.
(2) The absence of the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education or the Chair of the House Committee on Education or designees from each of the committees shall not count against a quorum.
(f) At least annually, the council shall hold a virtual or in-person public forum in a military community to receive feedback from Arkansas uniformed services families regarding the effectiveness of the provisions of this chapter.
(g) The council may provide recommendations to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding without limitation suggested:(1) Legislative initiatives amending this chapter; and(2) Rules applicable to the division and public school districts under this chapter.
(1) Legislative initiatives amending this chapter; and
(2) Rules applicable to the division and public school districts under this chapter.
(h) The council shall provide annually a report to the Governor, the State Board of Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the House Committee on Education that includes without limitation the following:(1) Information regarding the achievements of the council and public school districts regarding the support provided to uniformed services families under this chapter;(2) Details of the reports provided to the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission;(3) The number of children of military families in each public school district transferring to or from another state or federal education agency in the previous year;(4) (A) Summaries of cases elevated to the chair for counsel and assistance in resolving cases involving:(i) The transition of children of military families that were elevated by military families;(ii) United States Department of Defense officials; or(iii) Public school districts.(B) Information provided under subdivision (h)(4)(A) of this section shall be provided in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, as it existed on January 1, 2021, and state student privacy laws;(5) Information regarding training that is provided to public school district personnel with respect to this chapter;(6) Details regarding plans for future engagement efforts with uniformed services families under this chapter; and(7) Any other information deemed relevant by the council.
(1) Information regarding the achievements of the council and public school districts regarding the support provided to uniformed services families under this chapter;
(2) Details of the reports provided to the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission;
(3) The number of children of military families in each public school district transferring to or from another state or federal education agency in the previous year;
(4) (A) Summaries of cases elevated to the chair for counsel and assistance in resolving cases involving:(i) The transition of children of military families that were elevated by military families;(ii) United States Department of Defense officials; or(iii) Public school districts.(B) Information provided under subdivision (h)(4)(A) of this section shall be provided in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, as it existed on January 1, 2021, and state student privacy laws;
(A) Summaries of cases elevated to the chair for counsel and assistance in resolving cases involving:(i) The transition of children of military families that were elevated by military families;(ii) United States Department of Defense officials; or(iii) Public school districts.
(i) The transition of children of military families that were elevated by military families;
(ii) United States Department of Defense officials; or
(iii) Public school districts.
(B) Information provided under subdivision (h)(4)(A) of this section shall be provided in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, as it existed on January 1, 2021, and state student privacy laws;
(5) Information regarding training that is provided to public school district personnel with respect to this chapter;
(6) Details regarding plans for future engagement efforts with uniformed services families under this chapter; and
(7) Any other information deemed relevant by the council.
(i) The council shall post on its website or post by utilizing another form of public notice, including without limitation social media, information for uniformed services families, including without limitation information regarding:(1) The purpose, duties, membership composition, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes of the council;(2) Resources to assist uniformed services families with making decisions concerning school choice and educational freedom accounts;(3) Guidance for advance enrollment;(4) Contact information for military family education coordinators; and(5) Purple Star School Program highlights and contact information for military family education facilitators.
(1) The purpose, duties, membership composition, meeting agendas, and meeting minutes of the council;
(2) Resources to assist uniformed services families with making decisions concerning school choice and educational freedom accounts;
(3) Guidance for advance enrollment;
(4) Contact information for military family education coordinators; and
(5) Purple Star School Program highlights and contact information for military family education facilitators.
(j) The division shall provide administrative staff support to the Chair of the Arkansas Council for Military Children to assist with the achievement of the purpose and the administration of duties of the council.