The State Board of Education, at the August meeting repealed the rules and regulations for mandatory Summer School for Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 (K-3 Summer School). However, the bill to repeal the Summer School legislation was merely amended and became Act 855 of 1999. As amended, the Act requires students in K-3 performing below grade level during the regular school year to participate in a Department of Education approved intervention/remediation program and/or a summer school intervention/remediation program to be eligible for promotion to the next grade. School districts have the option to provide a point-in-time intervention/remediation program during the regular school year and/or summer school intervention/remediation program approved by the ADE. The provision of intervention/remediation for students performing below grade level was further reinforced in the legislation to amend the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program or Act 999.
Enclosed is a Declaration of Intent form to indicate the district's plan regarding intervention/remediation of K-4 students. The Intent form will illustrate how each elementary school serving K-4 students will provide point-in-time intervention/remediation and/or summer school intervention/remediation for students identified as performing below grade level. The strategies identified by the district on the Declaration of Intent form shall be used in the development of each school's comprehensive improvement plan. Please complete and return the enclosed form on or before October 1, 1999, to:
Dr. Dave Westmoreland
Arkansas Department of Education
#4 Capitol Mall, Room 301B
Little Rock, AR 72201
Telephone inquiries may be directed to either Dr. Westmoreland at 501-682-5834 or to Mary K. McKinney or Krista Underwood at 501-682-5615. Faxes will not be accepted.