Act 721 of 2025 Reporting Requirements for Arkansas Public Education Entities

Act 721 of 2025 (Arkansas Code § 6-16-2101 et seq.) became effective on August 5, 2025. The Act prohibits racial discrimination and harassment in public education, including conduct motivated by antisemitism. Public school districts, open-enrollment public charter schools, and public institutions of higher education are required to review and update their policies and practices to ensure compliance with Act 721.

Under this Act, Arkansas public school districts, charter schools, colleges, and universities must report to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) any incidents or complaints of Title VI discrimination or harassment that are received, observed, or addressed at the local or institutional level. This includes, without limitation, incidents involving discrimination or harassment motivated by antisemitism.

Reporting Investigations

As public school districts, open-enrollment public charter schools, and public institutions of higher education identify incidents or complaints of possible racial discrimination or harassment, all required information should be submitted to ADE. The information should be submitted through the digital AR Act 721: Data Collection Form (link) by an authorized representative of the local education agency (LEA) or institution of higher education (IHE).

Reporting Incidents for Investigation

Any stakeholder may submit an incident or complaint of racial discrimination to ADE for investigation. The submission form can be found here.

Included for Reference

Act 721 of 2025 General Guidance

Act 721 of 2025 General Guidance FAQ

Attachments