Superintendents
Co-op Directors
Elementary Principals
Middle School Principals
High School Principals
other: Co-Op Coordinators

Regulatory Authority:
Acts 172, 311, 312, 313, 710, 823, 833, 867, and 1410 of 2007

Phone Number:
501-683-4095

E-mail:
Beverly.Williams@arkansas.gov

Please review the following Acts that impact public schools pursuant to the Regular Session of the 86th General Assembly of the State of Arkansas. The Acts of the 86th General Assembly can be found at http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ and can be viewed in PDF format or printed for review.

Act 172 – to clarify the law regarding entitlement to a scholarship for the children and spouse of certain public service employees, if the public service results in death or permanent and total disability en route to or returning from a location where a hazardous situation existed.

Act 311 – concerning teacher records and reports. No teacher shall be entitled to the last month’s pay under a contract with a public school district until the teacher has provided to the school district all records and reports required by the school district.

Act 312 – concerning public school district grievance procedures. The employee shall be provided no less than ninety (90) minutes to present the grievance, unless a shorter period is agreed to by the employee; and both parties shall have the opportunity to present and question witnesses.

Act 313 – concerning health certificates of public school employees. A newly hired employee who has had the required screening performed in the United States within six (6) months prior to employment will not be required to have it repeated, provided that the employee presents documentation to the hiring school district in accordance with rules established by the State Board of Health.

Act 710 – to remove the requirement for filing a public school teacher’s contract with the County Clerk. Section 1 concerns filing of teacher contracts and requirements of destroying same. Section 2 addresses receiving compensation as a teacher in a public school in Arkansas. Section 3 is repealed. Section 4 concerns the liability for all warrants in payment of teachers’ salaries. Section 5 is repealed. Section 6 deals with the destruction of records.

Act 823 – concerns criminal background checks for noncertified public school personnel. The law concerning criminal records check as a condition for initial, re-employment or continued employment of noncertified public school personnel includes substitute teachers.

Act 833 – provides teachers credit on the salary schedule for teaching at a juvenile detention facility. For purposes of salary schedules, the teacher’s experience is the total years experience as a teacher with a valid Arkansas teaching license and teaching at any facility operated by the Division of Youth Services or any facility contracting with the Division of Youth Services to provide care for juveniles committed to the Division of Youth Services.

Act 867 – concerns the proper administration of school districts by requiring the use of personal leave or absent on school business when administrators or school employees are absent from campus. Each school district and education service cooperative shall establish in the personnel policy guidelines requiring an administrator or a public school employee to use personal leave or leave without pay when away from school premises for reasons other than attendance at school functions that occur away from the school premises.

Act 1410 – revises the definition of “years of service” for purposes of the minimum teachers salary schedule. Years of service means (a) performing the full-time duties of a teacher for a full school year with a valid Arkansas Teaching License; (b) Years of employment with an Arkansas Public School in a full-time position that requires the teacher have an Arkansas Teaching License; or (c) years of employment in an educational capacity with an institution of higher education within the State of Arkansas accredited by a nationally recognized higher education institution accrediting association with a valid Arkansas teaching license.

Please review these acts as public school districts must act in accordance with the laws of the State of Arkansas.

Please contact Beverly Williams, Assistant Commissioner of Human Resources/Licensure with any questions. Ms. Williams may be reached at 501-683-4095 or Beverly.Williams@arkansas.gov