The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Standards Assurance Unit (SAU) reviews data
submitted as part of the Cycle 2 reporting requirements to determine the initial
accreditation of each district office and each school. The initial accreditation report for the
2009-2010 school year based on data submitted by the district as part of the Cycle 2
reporting including current information in the Arkansas Professional Licensure System, will
be mailed under separate cover to each school district office. In addition to including a
listing of violations/citations for the 2009-2010 school year, the report reflects the
accreditation history for the previous two school years. An explanation of
violation/citation numbers is attached to this memo.
Please review all initial violations listed for 2009-2010 and confirm that all citations are
correct or submit written correction(s) to the assigned Standards Assurance specialist by
April 23, 2010. If corrections are sent by e-mail, SAU specialists will respond to confirm
receipt of e-mail; if there is no response to information submitted by the district, contact
the assigned SAU specialist. The assigned specialist is listed as “supervisor” on the upper
right corner of the report’s first page. If no supervisor is listed, send to
Rickey.Jackson@arkansas.gov or Kay.Gardner@arkansas.gov. Documentation of corrections
may be sent by mail, e-mail or fax and should include the LEA number, building name and
any of the following, as applicable:
1) Name and ADE Teacher’s License Number of staff member
2) Job code or course code change
3) Grade level change
4) Class size change (APSCN_01 Class Count All Year)
5) Total students change (Master schedule matrix marking period 3 or second semester)
6) FTE change; and/or
7) Student enrollment change to address FTE violation
For all individuals teaching for more than thirty (30) consecutive days in a grade level or
subject area not included on the teaching license, the following documents are required to
be on file at the ADE:
~~Additional Licensure Plan (ALP)
~~ADE approved waiver letter, refer to “Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of
Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts” (July 2009) Sections 24.01 and 24.18.
Classes listed under “2400 Secondary Courses” are required classes for which no course
code was submitted. To provide confirmation of teaching required courses listed in the
“2400 Secondary Courses” violation, please submit applicable pages of the current (grades
7-12) APSCN new master schedule (APSCN_01 State Report MS Check). If staff changes
have occurred since the Cycle 2 report was submitted, send a copy of contracts for
additional staff to correct class size violations and send a copy of contracts for changes in
staff to correct licensure violations.
Please note that the specific course code must be used to prevent a citation; grade level
entries must be appropriate for the course code. For example, if the course code is
355810 Physical Education Grade 5 with students in grades 5-6 included, there will be a
citation.
The assigned SAU specialist will enter acceptable changes requested in writing by the
district. The final accreditation status for each school will be based on remaining
violations/citations; refer to ADE “Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas
Public Schools and School Districts” (July 2009). As mandated by the Omnibus Quality
Education Act (Act 1467 of 2003/Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-203), final accreditation status
will be determined by May 15, 2010.
Right Of Appeal (after May 15, 2010)
In the event a district believes the ADE has improperly determined that any school or
school district has failed to meet Standards for Accreditation, the school district shall have
a right to file its written appeal with the office of the Commissioner of the Department of
Education.
Any such appeal shall be held in an open hearing and the decision of the State Board of
Education (SBE) shall be in open session. The appeal must be filed not later than May 30
following the May 15 written notification; the SBE hearing must be held prior to August 15
of the same calendar year.
The SBE may confirm the accreditation status of a school as determined and
recommended by the ADE or it may sustain the appeal of the district.
Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-203(b)(5), an appeal of the ruling of the SBE may be
made by a school district to the Pulaski County Circuit Court provided such appeal is made
pursuant to the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-15-201 et.
seq.
Standards Assurance Unit Specialists
Tim Barnes ~~~~~~~Timothy.Barnes@arkansas.gov
Roy Causbie ~~~~~~Roy.Causbie@arkansas.gov
Luverda Clay ~~~~~ Luverda.Clay@arkansas.gov
Derryl Evans ~~~~~ Derryl.Evans@arkansas.gov
Kay Gardner ~~~~~~ Kay.Gardner@arkansas.gov
Shade Gilbert ~~~~~ Shade.Gilbert@arkansas.gov
Randall Lawrence ~~ Randall.Lawrence@arkansas.gov
Melody Morgan ~~~ Melody.Morgan@arkansas.gov
Nath Tumlison ~~~~ David.Tumlison@arkansas.gov
Johnie Walters ~~~~ Johnie.Walters@arkansas.gov
Standards Assurance Unit fax: 501-682-4618
Arkansas Department of Education
Standards Assurance Unit
Four Capitol Mall, Room 202 B
Little Rock, AR 72201
Attachments: Explanation of violations/citations