Annual Public Meetings Required by the Standards for Accreditation for Arkansas Public Schools

According to the Arkansas Standards for Accreditation, each school district and each school board in the state is required to publish a report and hold a public meeting, prior to November 15 of each school year, for the purpose of "detailing progress toward accomplishing program goals, accreditation standards, and proposals to correct deficiencies."  This would be a good opportunity for a group of parents to ask questions that relate to how well the district is meeting arts education requirements.

Here are the pertinent passages from the Standards for Accreditation and Title 6-16-130.

Arkansas Standards for Accreditation

7.02  SCHOOL DISTRICT GOALS

7.02.1  Each school district in Arkansas shall be required to develop, with appropriate staff and community participation, a comprehensive plan. School district goals shall be compatible with state and national educational goals and shall address local needs. The plan shall be filed with and reviewed by the Department annually.

7.02.2  Each school district shall provide and publish, in a newspaper with general circulation in the district before November 15 of each school year, a report to the public detailing progress toward accomplishing program goals, accreditation standards, and proposals to correct deficiencies. If there is no paper media with general circulation, notification shall be mailed to parents.

7.02.3  Each school shall systematically and, at least annually, explain its policies, programs, and goals to the community in a public meeting that provides opportunities for parents and other members of the community to ask questions and make suggestions concerning the school program.

7.03  SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

7.03.3 SCHOOL BOARDS

7.03.3.1  Each school board, prior to November 15 of each year, shall hold a public meeting, at a time and place convenient for a majority of the school patrons and employees, to review and discuss its annual report detailing progress toward accomplishing its district's program objectives, accreditation standards, and proposals to correct deficiencies.

7.03.3.2  All accreditation and evaluation studies and reports shall be reported and discussed in a public meeting at a time and place convenient for a majority of the school patrons and employees.

CITATIONS:

24.03  A school district will be placed in cited status for failing to hold the Annual Report to the Public School Board meeting prior to November 15. Such status will extend to October 15 of the next school year. At the conclusion of the cited term, if the same violation exists, the school district shall be assigned probationary status.

There are also specific regulations governing curriculum and class size for Kindergarten through Grade 12.  Those are:

9.03 CURRICULUM

9.03.2  GRADES K-4 Reading, writing, and mathematics shall be incorporated into all curriculum areas. All students shall receive instruction in each content area annually.

9.03.2.6  Fine Arts Visual arts instruction, appreciation, and application Performing arts instruction, appreciation, and application

9.03.3  GRADES 5-8 Reading, writing, and mathematics shall be incorporated into all curriculum areas. All students shall receive instruction in each content area annually.

9.03.3.6  Fine Arts Visual arts instruction, appreciation, and application Performing arts instruction, appreciation, and application

9.03.4  GRADES 9-12 Reading, writing, and mathematics shall be incorporated into all curriculum areas. The following courses shall be taught annually for a total of 38 units.

9.03.4.5  Fine Arts 3½ Units

1 unit art
1 unit instrumental music
1 unit vocal music
½ unit survey of fine arts or an advanced art or an advanced music course

10.0  STANDARD V     INSTRUCTION

10.02  CLASS SIZE AND TEACHING LOAD

10.02.1  Early childhood education programs shall be no more than ten (10) students to one (1) teacher in a classroom or no more than twenty (20) students to one (1) teacher and a qualified adult aide.

10.02.2  Kindergarten shall be no more than twenty (20) students to one (1) teacher in a classroom. However, kindergarten class maximum may be no more than twenty-two (22) with a one-half time instructional aide being employed for those classes.

10.02.3  The average student/teacher ratio for grades one through three in a school district shall be no more than twenty-three (23) students per teacher in a classroom. There shall be no more than twenty-five (25) students per teacher in any classroom.

10.02.4  The average student/teacher ratio for grades four through six in a school district shall be no more than twenty-five (25) students per teacher in a classroom. There shall be no more than twenty-eight (28) students per teacher in any classroom.

10.02.5  In grades seven through twelve, a teacher shall not be assigned more than one hundred fifty (150) students; an individual academic class shall not exceed thirty (30) students, provided that, in exceptional cases or for courses that lend themselves to large group instruction, these ratios may be increased.

10.03  INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

School districts shall adopt instructional materials which provide complete coverage of a subject as described in that subject's curriculum frameworks and which fit the achievement levels of the students assigned to each teacher.

NOTE:  The previous reference to "exceptional cases or for courses that lend themselves to large group instruction, these ratios may be increased," refers ONLY to grades 7 - 12.

6-16-130. Visual art or music.

  (a)  (1)  By no later than June 1, 2002, every public elementary school in the state shall provide instruction in visual art or music based on the state visual art and music frameworks for a period of not less than forty (40) minutes each calendar week of the school year.

(2)  (A)  Every student in grades one through six (1-6) shall be allowed to participate in the visual art or music class required in this subsection.

        (B)  Children with disabilities or other special needs shall be included in the visual art and music programs.

(3)  Prior to June 1, 2005, the instruction required by this subsection may be provided by a volunteer or by a certified teacher.

(4)  The Department of Education shall provide a stipend of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) per class to each school for the purchase of necessary supplies or equipment for the classes required by this subsection.

  (b)  (1)  By no later than June 1, 2005, every public elementary school in the state shall provide instruction for no less than forty (40) minutes in visual art and no less than forty (40) minutes in music based on the state visual art and music frameworks each calendar week of the school year or an equivalent amount of time in each school year.

(2)  (A)  Every student in grades one through six (1-6) shall participate in the visual art and music class required in this subsection.

      (B)  Children with disabilities or other special needs shall be included in the visual art and music programs.

(3)  The instruction required by subdivision (b)(1) of this section shall be provided by a licensed teacher certified to teach art or music, as applicable.

(4)  (A)  The department shall provide a stipend of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) per class to each school for the purchase of necessary supplies or equipment for the classes required by this subsection.

       (B)  Subdivision (b)(4)(A) of this section shall be contingent on the appropriation and availability of funding for that purpose.

History. Acts 2001, No. 1506, § 1; 2005, No. 245, § 1.