Under the provisions of the No Child Left Behind revisions to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, any local school district that receives funding under the Act must certify in writing to the Arkansas Department of Education that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance. Such guidance was described in a letter from U.S. Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, to all school administrators, dated February 7, 2003. Also, It is referenced at the following web site:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
To be in compliance for the 2004-2005 school year, each school district must complete the attached assurance form and return it to the Arkansas Department of Education. To meet the timeline established by the U.S. Department of Education, the submission deadline is September 15, 2004. In subsequent years, this statement will become part of the assurances signed as part of the application process.