This memo is to offer continued guidance and serve as a reminder for districts that are planning to use Section 9.03.4.12 of the Standards for Accreditation to comply with the requirement that a course be taught.
Pursuant to Act 219 of 2007, Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-213, if a course required to be taught by a district under the State Board of Education's Standards for Accreditation has an enrollment of one (1) or more students and all students enrolled in the course leave the school district after the course has commenced but before the completion of the course in each school year or school semester the course is to be taught, and no other students eligible to take the course enroll to attend the school campus where the course is required to be taught, the course may be considered as taught by the district in compliance with the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts in certain instances.
Section 9.03.4.12.5 of the Standard requires the district to petition the State Board of Education at the end of the school semester for a waiver from the Standards for that school semester. Section 9.03.4.12.1 requires the superintendent to submit a certification letter. Section 9.03.4.12.2 requires the course be on the master course schedule. Section 9.03.4.12.3 requires a properly licensed teacher be available. Section 9.03.4.12.7 requires that the superintendent and the school board president appear before the State Board of Education to present the request.
Refer to Section 9.03.4.12 of Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts for details.