Memo Text
Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-202 directs the State Board of Education to
include in the Standards for Accreditation a provision regarding the attainment
of unitary status for school districts that have not been released from court
supervision over desegregation obligations.
The
district’s responsibilities regarding its desegregation obligations are
outlined in Standard 3-A.10 of the Standards for Accreditation:
3-A.10
Each public school district which has not obtained full and complete unitary
status and has not been released from court supervised desegregation
obligations shall seek to obtain a declaration of full and complete unitary
status and release from all court supervision from the federal courts.
3-A.10.1
Beginning September 15 of each year, any public school district identified in
Section 3-A.10 shall submit written quarterly reports to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education detailing
the district’s outstanding desegregation obligations and the district’s efforts
towards obtaining full unitary status and release from court supervision. The
detailed plan shall include the district’s progress towards meeting its
obligations and timelines for reaching a determination of full unitary status
and release from court supervision.
3-A.10.2
If the Division is unable to verify the public school district’s efforts to
comply with the submitted detailed plan required by these Rules, the Division
shall recommend to the State Board of Education whether the public school
district should be placed on Accredited – Probation status in accordance with
these Rules.
All
districts that have not been declared unitary as outlined in section 3-A.10
above, shall submit the required reports to the Division of Elementary and
Secondary Education.
Reports
must be submitted by email to legal@ade.arkansas.gov.
The first
quarterly report of the year must be received by September 15, 2023. Failure to
comply may result in the district being placed on probationary status in
accordance with Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-202.