Under the provisions of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) revisions to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), any local school district that receives funding must certify in writing to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance. 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 2008-2009 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 (USDOE), the submission deadline is October 15, 2008.