Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 005 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division 01 - Division of Fiscal and Administrative Services
Rule 005.01.10-001 - Governing the Arkansas College and Career Readiness Planning Program

1.01 These regulations are enacted pursuant to the authority contained in Ark. Code Ann. §§ 6-11-105 and 6-15-441.

2.01 The purpose of these rules is to establish guidelines for the implementation of the Arkansas College and Career Readiness Planning Program.

3.01 "College readiness assessment" means a test of student educational development that measures student readiness for future learning that is used by institutions of higher education as part of their admissions, placement, and scholarship processes and/or high schools to improve college and workforce readiness.

3.02 "College and career readiness" means that a student is academically ready to succeed in college-level courses or in the workforce without the need to enroll in remedial courses during the student's first year.

3.03 "EXPLORE" means the pre-ACT assessment designed to help students in grade eight (8) explore a broad range of options for their future and focus not only on high school coursework but also on post-high school choices as well.

3.04 "PLAN" means the pre-ACT assessment for students in grade ten (10) used to help a student focus attention on improved academic achievement, career preparation, and planning for post-high school years.

3.05 "PSAT" means the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test that provides practice for the SAT Reasoning Test and gives students feedback on individual strengths and weaknesses on college readiness skills.

4.01 Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, each public school that serves students in grade eight (8) shall administer EXPLORE to each student enrolled in grade eight (8) at the public school.

4.02 Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, each public school that serves students in grade ten (10) shall administer PLAN or the PSAT to each student enrolled in grade ten (10) at the public school.

4.03 Funding for the college readiness assessments listed in Sections 4.01 and 4.02 of these Rules may be provided by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) using at-risk funding.

4.04 Each public school district administering the college readiness assessments under this section shall use the college readiness assessments to assist students with college and workforce readiness skills, course selection in high school, and improved academic achievement.

4.05 By the 2011-2012 school year, each public school shall fully incorporate the results from the college readiness assessments into the college and career planning process for each student.

5.01 Data collection shall be maintained by the ADE for the purpose of:

5.02 The ADE shall report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education no later than September 30 of each year on the implementation and effectiveness of the College and Career Readiness Planning Program.

5.03 School guidance counselors serving students in Grades 8-12 shall provide career guidance utilizing the results of college readiness assessments in the college and career planning process. The ADE shall monitor the utilization of these assessments through the Student Services Annual Reports and the Public School Student Services Plan to ensure public school compliance.