Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 005 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division 15 - Division of Learning Services
Rule 005.15.05-003 - Rules for Advanced Placement & International Baccalaureate Diploma Incentive Program and Rules Governing Advanced Placement Courses in the Four Core Areas in Arkansas High Schools

1.01 These Rules shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Education Rules Governing the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Diploma Incentive Program and Rules Governing the Availability of Advanced Placement Courses in the Four (4) Core Areas of English, Math, Science and Social Studies and to Outline Teacher Training Requirements.

1.02 The State Board of Education enacted these Rules pursuant to its authority under Ark. Code Ann. § 6-11-105, § 6-16-201, § 6-16-801, Act 102 of the Second Extraordinary Session of 2003 and Act 2152 of 2005 of the 85th Arkansas General Assembly.

2.01 The purpose of these Rules is to establish, organize, and administer a program designed to improve the course offerings available to middle school, junior high school and high school students throughout the state. The program established under this act will provide advanced educational courses that are easily accessible and will prepare students for admission to and success in a postsecondary educational environment.

2.02 To ensure that each school district provides high school students with the opportunity to enroll in at least one (1) College Board Advanced Placement course in the four (4) core areas of English, math, science, and social studies, and to outline teacher training requirements.

3.01 "Additional Training Plan" (ATP) requires Advanced Placement (AP) and Pre-AP teachers to attend appropriate College Board training. Teachers in the plan have up to three (3) years to complete this requirement

3.02 "Advanced Placement Course" means a high school preparatory course for a College Board Advanced Placement test that incorporates all topics specified by the College Board and the Educational Testing Service on its standard syllabus for a given subject area and is approved by the College Board and Educational Testing Service.

3.03 "College Board Advanced Placement Test" means the Advanced Placement test administered by the College Board and Educational Testing Service.

3.04 "College Board" means the College Board and Educational Testing Service.

3.05 "Concurrent Enrollment" course means a college level course or courses offered by an institution of higher education, which upon completion would qualify for academic credit in both the institution of higher education and a public high school.

3.06 "Department" means the Arkansas Department of Education, General Education.

3.07 "International Baccalaureate Diploma Program" (IB) means an international education program offered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).

3.08 "Pre-Advanced Placement" course means a middle school, junior high school, or high school level course that specifically prepares students to enroll and to participate in an Advanced Placement course.

3.09 "Program" means the Arkansas Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Diploma Incentive Program.

3.10 "State-Level Advanced Placement Committee" means a committee, constituted by the Director of General Education, Arkansas Department of Education, to administer funding of the program.

3.11 "Vertical Team" means a group of educators from different grade levels in a given discipline who work cooperatively to develop and implement a vertically aligned program aimed at helping students from diverse backgrounds acquire the academic skills necessary for success in the Advanced Placement Program and other challenging courses.

3.12 "Weighted Credit" means additional quality points for designated AP and IB courses that will be contingent upon the teacher having obtained or is currently participating within the ATP program as required by Section 4.01 and 4.02 of this rule and as defined in the Uniform Grading Scale Rule 4.03, and 4.05 for IB teachers. Students desiring weighted credit must also take the applicable AP and/or IB examination after having completed the entire compatible AP and/or IB course.

4.01 A teacher of an AP course must meet Arkansas Teacher Licensure requirements and must attend a College Board Advanced Placement Summer Institute. Teachers must attend no less than once every five (5) years to stay current on curriculum and program developments.

4.02 A teacher of an AP course who has not obtained the required training as stated in 4.01, will complete an Additional Training Plan (ATP) for Advanced Placement. The teacher will have three (3) years to complete the required training. Students enrolled in classes of teachers on an ATP earn the weighted credit contingent upon taking the appropriate AP exam (3.12).

4.03 A teacher of a Pre-AP course must meet Arkansas Teacher Licensure requirements and must attend a College Board sponsored or endorsed training institute or workshop in the teacher's content area. Pre-AP teachers must attend a College Board sponsored or endorsed training institute, or workshop in the teacher's content area no less than once every five (5) years to stay current on curriculum and program developments.

4.04 A teacher of a Pre-AP course who has not obtained the required training as stated in 4.03 will complete an Additional Training Plan (ATP) for Pre-Advanced Placement. The teacher will have three (3) years to complete the required training.

4.05 The teacher of the course offered under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program meets Arkansas Teacher Licensure requirements and attends the training required by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).

4.06 Weighted Credit for designated AP and IB courses will be contingent upon the AP teacher obtaining training as outlined in 4.01 and 4.02 and the IB teacher obtaining training as outlined in 4.05; the student taking the entire AP or the entire IB course offered in a particular subject; the student completing the applicable test offered by the College Board for AP courses at the end of the AP course or the applicable test offered by the IBO at the time prescribed by the IBO.

5.01 Teachers of Advanced Placement Courses, Pre-Advanced Placement Courses, or International Baccalaureate Diploma courses, must meet Arkansas Teacher Licensure requirements and participate in training program(s) outlined in 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04 and 4.05 of these Rules.

5.02 A teacher designated by a local school district as an instructor of an Advanced Placement course, Pre-Advanced Placement Course, or an International Baccalaureate Diploma course, may apply to the Department for a grant to cover cost of tuition, expenses and materials of approved training programs, not to exceed six hundred fifty dollars ($650) per teacher contingent upon appropriated funding.

Priority for training will be given to teachers who have not been previously trained. When a district offers a Pre-Advanced Placement program, the courses must follow a clearly recognizable sequence, i.e., 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th grade Pre-Advanced Placement English, 11th grade AP English Language and Composition, and 12th grade English Literature and Composition.

5.03 A teacher who is assigned to teach more than one Advanced Placement, Pre-Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate course (i.e., biology, chemistry, etc.) may apply for more than one teacher training stipend, contingent upon appropriated funding.

6.01 Contingent upon appropriated funding, the Arkansas Department of Education may annually set aside funds from which schools providing Advanced Placement courses or International Baccalaureate Diploma courses may apply for one-time equipment and materials grant.

6.02 Equipment and materials grants will be administered by the Department of Education. The Arkansas Department of Education will establish a request for proposal form and disseminate it to each local school district on or before April 1 each year that funds are available.

6.03 A school may apply for a one-time equipment grant for each Advanced Placement course or International Baccalaureate course. (Two sections of a course such as Advanced Placement American History would be considered as one course.)

6.04 School districts with more than one high school providing Advanced Placement courses or International Baccalaureate courses may apply for the one-time equipment grants for each high school.

7.01 Contingent upon legislative appropriation and the availability of funding, the state may pay exam fees in full, or on a pro-rata basis the cost of the Advanced Placement Exam fee or the equivalent test fee under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, or both.

7.02 Each school requesting fee payment of students taking Advanced Placement Exams and/or International Baccalaureate exams must submit to the Department a copy of the invoice as generated and submitted to either the College Board or the International Baccalaureate Organization upon completion of the exams. The Department will contract with the College Board and Educational Testing Services for payment of AP exams contingent upon legislative approval and the availability of funds.

8.01 Depending on the availability of funds, schools may be awarded up to fifty dollars ($50.00) for each score of a three (3) or better earned by a student on any Advanced Placement test or the equivalent on any International Baccalaureate Program Exam.

8.02 Schools must utilize the funds awarded from students' scores on the Advanced Placement test in the schools' Advanced Placement program and funds awarded from students scores on the International Baccalaureate tests in the schools International Baccalaureate program.

8.03 An annual report with detailed expenditures of funds awarded to schools from students' scores on the Advanced Placement exam(s) and International Baccalaureate tests will be submitted to the Office of Gifted and Talented, Arkansas Department of Education by July 1 of each school year.

9.01 Beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, it is required that districts begin phasing in, over the next four (4) school years, AP courses with a minimum of one course per year in the four (4) core courses to have fully implemented the required four (4) core courses in English, math, science, and social studies by the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year.

9.02 AP teachers should begin attending AP summer institutes when available in order to be ready for the 2008-2009 course implementation deadline.

9.03 In order to prepare students for the rigor inherent in AP courses, it is recommended to begin with the 2004-2005 school year by offering Pre-AP courses to prepare students for the demands of AP coursework. Aligned with the four (4) required AP courses, the Pre-AP courses will be fully operational by the 2008-2009 school year.

10.01 There will be a panel known as the "Concurrent Enrollment Course Approval Panel" that will consist of six (6) members, each knowledgeable regarding AP coursework or Concurrent Enrollment coursework and a resident of the State of Arkansas at the time of appointment and throughout the term.

10.02 The six-member panel shall consist of three (3) persons appointed by the Director of the ADE and three (3) persons appointed by the Director of the Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Members shall serve at the pleasure of the director making the appointment.

10.03 If a vacancy occurs in an appointed position for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the director of the department that made the original appointment.

10.04 The Directors of the ADE and the ADHE shall alternate each year naming a person to serve as chairperson of the panel.

10.05 The Directors of the ADE and the ADHE shall draw lots to determine which director shall first appoint a chairperson.

10.06 The panel shall meet at times and places the chairperson deems necessary, but no meetings shall be held outside of the State of Arkansas.

10.07 The majority of the members of the panel shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting business.

10.08 All action of the panel shall be by a majority of the full membership of the panel.

10.09 For the purpose of access and equity, the panel shall make recommendations to the ADE and the ADHE regarding the rules for offering of AP courses, or Concurrent Enrollment courses, or both.

10.10 The ADHE shall provide staff and office space for the panel.

10.11 Members of the panel shall serve without pay, but may receive expense reimbursement in accordance with Arkansas Code § 25-16-902; to be paid by the ADHE to the extent money is available.