Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
1.01 The
purpose of these rules is to improve education in Arkansas and to set forth the
process and procedures necessary to administer the Schools of Innovation
Program.
2.01 The
Arkansas State Board of Education's authority for promulgating these rules is
pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. §§
6-11-105,
6-15-2801 et seq., and
25-15-201 et seq.
3.01 "District of innovation" means a public
school district with one or more schools of innovation that has:
3.01.1 Developed a school of innovation plan
in compliance with Ark. Code Ann. §
6-15-2801 et seq. and these
rules;
3.01.2 Obtained necessary
exemptions from laws, rules, and local policies to improve the educational
performance of students from the Commissioner of Education in accordance with
Sections 8.00 and 10.00 of these rules; and
3.01.3 Been approved as a district of
innovation by the Commissioner of Education.
3.02 "Eligible employees" means the full-time
employees who are employed at a school that is considering being designated as
a school of innovation;
3.03
"Innovation" means a new or creative alternative to the existing instructional
and administrative practices that is intended to improve academic performance
and learning for all students;
3.04
"School council of innovation" means a body of individuals from a current or
aspiring school of innovation composed of teachers, classified employees, the
building-level principal or his or her administrative designee, parents,
community members, a minimum of two (2) students from the school of innovation,
and other interested parties selected by the council to participate, as
referred to in Section 4.00 of these rules.
3.04.1 The teacher representatives shall be
elected by a majority vote of the school's licensed eligible
employees.
3.04.2 The classified
representatives shall be elected by a majority vote of the school's classified
eligible employees.
3.04.3 The
parent representatives shall be selected by a majority vote of the attendees at
a meeting called for the purpose of selecting the school's parent
representatives and shall have a child in the school to be eligible to serve on
the council.
3.04.3.1 Schools with a ten
percent (10%) or greater minority student population shall have minority
representation on the council.
3.05 "School of innovation" means a public
school that participates in a district of innovation to transform and improve
teaching and learning.
4.00
COUNCIL OF INNOVATION
4.01 Each school or district applying to be a
school of innovation must establish a Council of Innovation. The school Council
of Innovation shall:
4.01.1 Generate
innovative ideas and proposals of its own;
4.01.2 Determine a method for requesting
innovative ideas and proposals from school employees, community members, and
other stakeholders to be submitted to the council;
4.01.3 Receive innovative ideas and proposals
from school employees, community members, and other stakeholders;
4.01.4 Consider all innovative ideas and
proposals submitted by community members and other stakeholders; and
4.01.5 Determine the content and format of
the school of innovation application that will be voted on by eligible
employees.
4.02 The
council may create subcommittees, which may include non-council members, to
work on developing portions of the school of innovation application;
and
4.03 A school of innovation
application is subject to approval by the Commissioner of Education.
5.00
APPROVAL, DESIGNATION AND
REVOCATION
5.01 The
Commissioner of Education may approve a public school's application to become a
school of innovation for the purpose of transforming and improving teaching and
learning.
5.01.1 The Commissioner must notify
the applicant in writing whether the school of innovation application is
approved or denied.
5.01.2 The
public school must demonstrate substantial progress towards meeting the goals
outlined in the approved school of innovation application with the purpose of
transforming and improving teaching and learning within two (2) years of
approval of the application.
5.01.2.1 The
Division shall provide support and monitoring of approved school of innovation
application sites.
5.01.2.2 The
public school must request an on-site designation review within the two (2)
year period to demonstrate substantial progress.
5.01.2.3 Any school that does not demonstrate
substantial progress towards meeting the goals outlined in the approved
application, or fails to request an on-site designation review within the two
(2) year period will not be designated as a school of innovation.
5.01.2.4 If a school is not designated as a
school of innovation within two (2) years of approval of the application, it
must submit a new application to the Commissioner, and all waivers approved as
part of the application shall be revoked.
5.02 The Division may designate a public
school as a school of innovation under Ark. Code Ann. §
6-15-2802(a), if
the public school has met the objectives outlined in the public school's
application to become a school of innovation within the time period established
in the public school's application.
5.02.1 A
school of innovation shall be approved and designated for a period of four (4)
years.
5.02.2 A school of
innovation may be renewed for four-year periods thereafter, at the
Commissioner's discretion.
5.02.2.1 The review
of renewal applications is based on the school of innovation's statement of
goals and performance targets as required by Section 7.02 of these
rules.
5.03
The Commissioner may revoke a public school's school of innovation designation
at any time if the public school fails to:
5.03.1 Substantially fulfill the school of
innovation plan as established in the public school's school of innovation
application;
5.03.2 Meet goals and
performance targets; or
5.03.3
Comply with applicable laws or rules.
5.03.4 The Commissioner will notify the
district or school of innovation in writing of the revocation and include the
reasons for the revocation.
5.04 The Commissioner's decision to approve
or deny an application, or to revoke a school's designation shall be a final
decision and cannot be appealed.
6.00
APPLICATION SUBMISSION
GUIDELINES
6.01 To apply to
become a school of innovation, schools must submit a school of innovation
application following the instructions for submission provided by the Division
of Elementary and Secondary Education.
6.01.1
Guidelines for submission of proposed amendments to the school of innovation
application shall be released by Commissioner's Memo.
6.02 Original school of innovation
applications must be submitted online by March 1 of each year.
6.03 Specific timelines for revisions prior
to approval and amendments, including any ongoing evaluations of a school of
innovation, shall be posted on the Division's website.
6.03.1 The deadline to submit final revisions
is May 1.
6.04 Reporting
requirements and oversight responsibility of the school of innovation and the
Division shall be published on the Division's website.
7.00
SCHOOL OF INNOVATION
APPLICATION
7.01 A school
district shall submit its school of innovation application, approved by the
school district board of directors, to the Commissioner of Education for
approval to become a school of innovation.
7.02 A school of innovation application shall
address without limitation:
7.02.1 The goals
and performance targets for the school of innovation, which may include,
without limitation:
7.02.1.1 Reducing the
achievement gap among one (1) or more groups of students by accelerating
learning experiences for academically low- achieving students while increasing
all student learning through the implementation of highly rigorous standards
for student performance;
7.02.1.2
Increasing student participation in curriculum options;
7.02.1.3 Exploring new avenues for expanding
students' college and career readiness;
7.02.1.4 Motivating students by exploring
innovative teaching and learning choices; and
7.02.1.5 Transforming a school's culture and
climate in a manner that will lead to trans formative teaching and
learning;
7.02.2 Changes
needed in the school that will lead to students who are better prepared for
success in life and career; and
7.02.3 Innovative practices to be used in the
school of innovation.
7.03 The school of innovation application
shall include appropriate documentation of:
7.03.1 Parental, school employee, and
community engagement;
7.03.2 The
capacity for the changes proposed by the school of innovation;
7.03.3 The rationale for law, rule, and local
policy exception requests;
7.03.4
Goals and performance targets;
7.03.5 Approval of eligible employees of a
school of innovation, as required in Section 9.00 of these rules;
7.03.6 Teacher collaboration and shared
leadership responsibility within each school seeking to become a school of
innovation;
7.03.7 A detailed
budget and related financial information;
7.03.8 References for research-based
practices; and
7.03.9 Other
information, if requested by the Commissioner.
8.00
MANDATORY COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING
LAW
8.01 An approved school
of innovation shall:
8.01.1 Ensure that the
same health, safety, civil rights, and disability rights requirements are in
place as those that apply to all other public schools;
8.01.2 Ensure that the high school curriculum
offered meets or exceeds the minimum high school graduation requirements
adopted by the State Board of Education;
8.01.3 Adhere to financial audits, audit
procedures, and audit requirements adopted by the State Board for public school
districts;
8.01.4 Require criminal
background checks for school employees and volunteers as required by law for
public school districts;
8.01.5
Comply with open records and open meeting requirements;
8.01.6 Comply with purchasing limitations and
requirements;
8.01.7 Provide
instructional time that meets or exceeds the instructional time requirement
adopted by the State Board unless granted an exception by the Commissioner of
Education;
8.01.7.1 Instructional time may
include on-site instruction, distance,
digital, or virtual learning, and work-based learning on
nontraditional school days or hours.
8.01.8 Provide data requested by the
Department of Education to generate reports;
8.01.9 Adhere to the Teacher Fair Dismissal
Act, §
6-17-1501 et seq.;
8.01.10 Comply with state law and rule
regarding the education of gifted and talented students ; and
8.01.11 Demonstrate and document
research-based implementation of professional learning communities throughout
the school that address the needs of the students and professionals.
9.00
ELECTION BY ELIGIBLE
EMPLOYEES
9.01 Before a
public school district submits a school of innovation application to the
Commissioner, the eligible employees of each proposed school of innovation
shall vote on whether the school shall be designated a school of innovation.
9.01.1 At least sixty percent (60%) of
eligible employees must vote in support of the school's application to become a
school of innovation before the school of innovation application may be
submitted to the school board of directors for approval.
9.01.2 The school Council of Innovation shall
be responsible for conducting the vote required under subdivision 9.01.1 of
these rules.
10.01 A school
of innovation application may request waivers from local policies and specific
laws and rules during the application process.
10.02 After a school is designated a school
of innovation, it may request a waiver from specific laws and rules in writing
to the Commissioner of Education.
10.02.1 All
requests for waivers must be tied to a specific goal of the school of
innovation and the request must contain an explanation of why the waiver is
necessary to achieve the stated goal.
10.02 No exemptions will be granted from the
Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, Ark. Code Ann. §
6-17-1501 et seq., or of any
provision described in Section 8.00 of these rules.
11.00
NEGOTIATED EMPLOYMENT
CONTRACTS
11.01 A public
school district with a negotiated employment contract in place shall follow the
procedure set forth within the contract that allows the implementation of a
school of innovation.
