The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) has developed course coding clarification for special education students for the 2005-2006 school year. If a course is taught in a special education class, by a highly qualified teacher in the specified subject area and meets the appropriate Arkansas Curriculum Framework for the grade level and the course work, the course code number will be the same as the regular class number. For example, the course code number for ninth grade English would be 410000. Students will receive credit for the course.
Additionally, the school, for scheduling purposes, may use the last digit of the course code number, and the school may use any number or letter the school chooses. The ADE will only consider the first five digits when course information is monitored.
If the course is taught in the special education classroom to special education students and the course does not meet the content rigor of the Arkansas Curriculum Framework for the grade level, and the course work, but does satisfy the requirements for the Individual Education Program (IEP) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the course shall be coded, as special education. For example, the course code number for special education would be 971500. The ADE shall apply appropriate monitoring procedures for the class. Only students with the special education status shall be scheduled in the course.