The Academic Facilities Master Plan Program Guidelines referenced in Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner’s Memo COM-06-037 allow school districts to amend Master Plans anytime during the ten year cycle. Amendments may be submitted out of the regular even year cycle if the district has encountered one of the following circumstances:
A) Major Enrollment Change
B) Major Curriculum Change
C) Major Disaster
D) Unforeseen occurrence
An amended Master Plan, as it relates to the 2006 Master Plan only, may include new academic facility projects for which consideration in the Partnership Program is requested if the project falls within the remaining immediate needs (2 years) of the original Master Plan and may be included even if the project was not included on the most current, approved Master Plan. During this cycle,and only this cycle, school districts will be permitted to submit Partnership Program application forms for projects not on the current approved Master Plan, but for which consideration is requested during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 years. Partnership Program applicants will use the format referenced in COM-07-035, but will include a detailed explanation about the circumstances that caused this project to be moved into the immediate years along with a detailed explanation and justification for the project. The Partnership Program applications must be received by the Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation no later than November 1, 2006.
Amended Master Plans must be forwarded to the Division at any time after November 1, 2006, but not later than February 1, 2007. The Master Plan amendment will include all of the aspects as noted above including the detailed explanation as to why the Master Plan needs to be amended. Districts are reminded to consult the Master Plan Guidelines for format and stipulated requirements that must be submitted.
Partnership Program projects submitted for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 which were not included in the most recently approved Master Plan will be reviewed by the Division and held in suspense pending receipt and approval of the amended Master Plan.
It must be made clear that this cycle submission is a one time event. In future Master Plan submittals, each even year, proposed Partnership Projects will only be received at the time of Master Plan submission for the next biennium. Out of cycle project submissions, at times other than February of the even year, will not be accepted nor processed under the Partnership Program.