AR
Arkansas Senate Bill SB167

Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SB167 Compare Versions

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11 Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2-Act 563 of the Regular Session
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5-State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S2/27/25 H3/12/25 1
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3+State of Arkansas 1
64 95th General Assembly A Bill 2
75 Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 167 3
86 4
97 By: Senator A. Clark 5
10-By: Representative Brooks 6
8+ 6
119 7
1210 For An Act To Be Entitled 8
1311 AN ACT TO AMEND THE DATES BY WHICH APPLICATIONS FOR A 9
1412 TRANSFER UNDER THE ARKANSAS OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC SCHOOL 10
1513 CHOICE ACT AND PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE ACT OF 2015 SHALL 11
1614 BE SUBMITTED; TO AMEND THE DATE BY WHICH A FOSTER 12
1715 CHILD SHALL SUBMIT A REQUEST TO TRANSFER SCHOOLS; AND 13
1816 FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 14
1917 15
2018 16
2119 Subtitle 17
2220 TO AMEND THE DATES BY WHICH CERTAIN 18
2321 REQUESTS TO TRANSFER PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR 19
2422 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL BE 20
2523 SUBMITTED. 21
2624 22
2725 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
2826 24
2927 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-227(b)(1), concerning a request for a 25
3028 student to transfer from his or her resident district or public school to 26
3129 another school district or public school under the Arkansas Opportunity 27
3230 Public School Choice Act, is amended to read as follows: 28
3331 (b)(1) Upon the request of a parent, guardian, or student , if the 29
3432 student is eighteen (18) years of age or older, a student may transfer from 30
3533 his or her resident district or public school to another a nonresident school 31
3634 district or another public school under this section if, at the time of the 32
3735 request under this subdivision (b)(1): 33
3836 (A) Either: 34
3937 (i) The resident public school district has been 35
40-classified by the state board as a public school district in need of Level 5 36 As Engrossed: S2/27/25 H3/12/25 SB167
38+classified by the state board as a public school district in need of Level 5 36 SB167
4139
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44-
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4541 — Intensive support under § 6 -15-2913 or § 6-15-2915; or 1
4642 (ii) The resident public school has a rating of “F” 2
4743 under §§ 6-15-2105 and 6-15-2106 and state board rules, as allowed in 3
4844 subdivision (b)(3)(B)(i)(b) of this section; and 4
4945 (B) Except as provided in subsection (n) of this section, 5
5046 the parent, guardian, or student, if the student is eighteen (18) years of 6
5147 age or older, has notified both the resident and nonresident school districts 7
5248 of the request for a transfer no earlier than January 1 and no later than May 8
53-1 June 1 of the school year before the school year in which the student 9
49+1 June 30 of the school year before the school year in which the student 9
5450 intends to transfer. 10
5551 11
5652 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-227(b)(3)(A), concerning notification 12
5753 of public school transfers options to students enrolled in or assigned to 13
5854 certain public school districts under the Arkansas Opportunity Public School 14
5955 Choice Act, is amended to read as follows: 15
6056 (3)(A) For each student enrolled in or assigned to a public 16
6157 school district that is classified by the state board as a public school 17
6258 district in need of Level 5 — Intensive support under § 6 -15-2913 or § 6-15-18
6359 2915 or a public school that has a rating of “F” under §§ 6 -15-2105 and 6-15-19
6460 2106 and state board rules, a school district shall: 20
6561 (i) Timely notify the parent, guardian, or student 21
6662 if the student is eighteen (18) years of age or older, as soon as practicable 22
6763 after the designation is made, of all options available under this section; 23
6864 and 24
6965 (ii)(a) Offer the parent, guardian, or student if 25
7066 the student is eighteen (18) years of age or older , an opportunity to submit 26
71-an application no earlier than January 1 and no later than May 1 June 1 to 27
67+an application no earlier than January 1 and no later than May 1 June 30 to 27
7268 enroll the student in the upcoming school year in any public school district 28
7369 that is not classified by the state board as a public school district in need 29
7470 of Level 5 — Intensive support under §§ 6-15-2913 and 6-15-2915 § 6-15-2913 30
7571 or § 6-15-2915 or a public school within the resident district that does not 31
7672 have a rating of “F” under §§ 6 -15-2105 and 6-15-2106 and state board rules. 32
7773 (b) The opportunity to continue attending the 33
7874 public school or school district that the student transfers to under this 34
7975 section remains in effect until the student graduates from high school. 35
80- 36 As Engrossed: S2/27/25 H3/12/25 SB167
76+ 36 SB167
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8579 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-227(d)(2)(C) and (D), concerning 1
8680 notification to a student of his or her transfer into a nonresident district 2
8781 under the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act, are amended to read 3
8882 as follows: 4
8983 (C) Except as provided in subdivision (b)(1)(B)(ii) of 5
90-this section, by July 1 of the school year in which the student seeks to 6
91-enroll in a nonresident district, the nonresident district shall notify the 7
92-parent or guardian of the student and the resident district in writing as to 8
93-whether the student's application has been accepted or rejected. 9
94- (D) If the parent or guardian of the student has applied 10
95-to attend a school within the student's resident district, the resident 11
96-district shall notify the parent or guardian of the student in writing as to 12
97-whether the student's application has been accepted or rejected by July 1. 13
98- 14
99- SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-227(m)(2)(D), concerning a Changing 15
100-Schools/Athletic Participation form required under the Arkansas Opportunity 16
101-Public School Choice Act, is amended to read as follows: 17
102- (D) A Changing Schools/Athletic Participation form shall 18
103-be used only for eligibility determination of a student who transfers to 19
104-another public school or nonresident school district under this section and 20
105-is enrolled in the receiving school district by July 1 before the student 21
106-enters grades seven through twelve (7 -12). 22
107- 23
108- SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-233(d), concerning the deadline by 24
109-which a request by a foster child to transfer to another public school or 25
110-public school district shall be submitted, is amended to read as follows: 26
111- (d)(1) A request to transfer under subsection (c) of this section 27
112-shall be: 28
113- (A) Made on a form approved by the division; and 29
114- (B) Postmarked no later than May 1 June 1 of the year in 30
115-which the student seeks to begin the fall semester at the public school 31
116-district. 32
117- (2)(A) By July 1 of the school year in which the student seeks 33
118-to transfer under this section, the superintendent of the public school 34
119-district shall notify the foster parent or the foster child, if the foster 35
120-child is over eighteen (18) years of age, in writing as to whether the foster 36 As Engrossed: S2/27/25 H3/12/25 SB167
84+this section, by July 1 By July 30 of the school year in which the student 6
85+seeks to enroll in a nonresident district, the nonresident district shall 7
86+notify the parent or guardian of the student and the resident district in 8
87+writing as to whether the student's application has been accepted or 9
88+rejected. 10
89+ (D) If the parent or guardian of the student has applied 11
90+to attend a school within the student's resident district, the resident 12
91+district shall notify the parent or guardian of the student in writing as to 13
92+whether the student's application has been accepted or rejected by July 1 30. 14
93+ 15
94+ SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-227(m)(2)(D), concerning a Changing 16
95+Schools/Athletic Participation form required under the Arkansas Opportunity 17
96+Public School Choice Act, is amended to read as follows: 18
97+ (D) A Changing Schools/Athletic Participation form shall 19
98+be used only for eligibility determination of a student who transfers to 20
99+another public school or nonresident school district under this section and 21
100+is enrolled in the receiving school district by July 1 30 before the student 22
101+enters grades seven through twelve (7 -12). 23
102+ 24
103+ SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-233(d), concerning the deadline by 25
104+which a request by a foster child to transfer to another public school or 26
105+public school district shall be submitted, is amended to read as follows: 27
106+ (d)(1) A request to transfer under subsection (c) of this section 28
107+shall be: 29
108+ (A) Made on a form approved by the division; and 30
109+ (B) Postmarked no later than May 1 June 30 of the year in 31
110+which the student seeks to begin the fall semester at the public school 32
111+district. 33
112+ (2)(A) By July 1 July 30 of the school year in which the student 34
113+seeks to transfer under this section, the superintendent of the public school 35
114+district shall notify the foster parent or the foster child, if the foster 36 SB167
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117+child is over eighteen (18) years of age, in writing as to whether the foster 1
118+child's application has been accepted or rejected. 2
119+ (B)(i) If the application is rejected, the superintendent 3
120+of the public school district shall state in the notification letter the 4
121+reason for rejection. 5
122+ (ii) If the application is accepted, the 6
123+superintendent of the public school district shall state in the notification 7
124+letter a reasonable deadline by which the foster child shall enroll in the 8
125+public school district and after which the acceptance notification is null. 9
126+ 10
127+ SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1904(f)(2)(D), concerning a Changing 11
128+Schools/Athletic Participation form under the Public School Choice Act of 12
129+2015, is amended to read as follows: 13
130+ (D) A Changing Schools/Athletic Participation form shall 14
131+be used only for eligibility determination of a student who transfers to 15
132+another public school or nonresident school district under this subchapter 16
133+and is enrolled in the receiving school district by July 1 30 before the 17
134+student enters grades seven through twelve (7 -12). 18
135+ 19
136+ SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1905(a)(1), concerning an application 20
137+to transfer under the Public School Choice Act of 2015, is amended to read as 21
138+follows: 22
139+ (a)(1) An application under this section shall be accepted no earlier 23
140+than January 1 and no later than May 1 June 30 each year. 24
141+ 25
142+ SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1905(a)(3), concerning the date by 26
143+which a student shall submit an application to transfer under the Public 27
144+School Choice Act of 2015, is amended to read as follows: 28
145+ (3) If a student seeks to attend a school in a nonresident 29
146+district, the student's parent or guardian, or a student who is eighteen (18) 30
147+years of age or older, shall submit an application: 31
148+ (A) To the nonresident district and to the student's 32
149+resident district; 33
150+ (B) On a form approved by the Division of Elementary and 34
151+Secondary Education; and 35
152+ (C) Postmarked or delivered no later than May 1 June 30 of 36 SB167
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124-
125-child's application has been accepted or rejected. 1
126- (B)(i) If the application is rejected, the superintendent 2
127-of the public school district shall state in the notification letter the 3
128-reason for rejection. 4
129- (ii) If the application is accepted, the 5
130-superintendent of the public school district shall state in the notification 6
131-letter a reasonable deadline by which the foster child shall enroll in the 7
132-public school district and after which the acceptance notification is null. 8
133- 9
134- SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1904(f)(2)(D), concerning a Changing 10
135-Schools/Athletic Participation form under the Public School Choice Act of 11
136-2015, is amended to read as follows: 12
137- (D) A Changing Schools/Athletic Participation form shall 13
138-be used only for eligibility determination of a student who transfers to 14
139-another public school or nonresident school district under this subchapter 15
140-and is enrolled in the receiving school district by July 1 before the student 16
141-enters grades seven through twelve (7 -12). 17
142- 18
143- SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1905(a)(1), concerning an application 19
144-to transfer under the Public School Choice Act of 2015, is amended to read as 20
145-follows: 21
146- (a)(1) An application under this section shall be accepted no earlier 22
147-than January 1 and no later than May 1 June 1 each year. 23
148- 24
149- SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1905(a)(3), concerning the date by 25
150-which a student shall submit an application to transfer under the Public 26
151-School Choice Act of 2015, is amended to read as follows: 27
152- (3) If a student seeks to attend a school in a nonresident 28
153-district, the student's parent or guardian, or a student who is eighteen (18) 29
154-years of age or older, shall submit an application: 30
155- (A) To the nonresident district and to the student's 31
156-resident district; 32
157- (B) On a form approved by the Division of Elementary and 33
158-Secondary Education; and 34
159- (C) Postmarked or delivered no later than May 1 June 1 of 35
160-the year in which the student seeks to begin the fall semester at the 36 As Engrossed: S2/27/25 H3/12/25 SB167
161-
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164-
165-nonresident district, except as otherwise provided for dependents of 1
166-uniformed service members and uniformed service veterans under this 2
167-subchapter. 3
168- 4
169- SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1905(e)(1), concerning the date by 5
170-which a nonresident district shall notify a student of his or her transfer 6
171-application's acceptance or rejection under the Public School Choice Act of 7
172-2015, is amended to read as follows: 8
173- (e)(1) By July 1 of the school year in which a student seeks to enroll 9
174-in a nonresident district under this subchapter, the superintendent of the 10
175-nonresident district shall notify the student's parent or guardian and the 11
176-resident district in writing as to whether the student's application has been 12
177-accepted or rejected. 13
178- 14
179-/s/A. Clark 15
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155+the year in which the student seeks to begin the fall semester at the 1
156+nonresident district, except as otherwise provided for dependents of 2
157+uniformed service members and uniformed service veterans under this 3
158+subchapter. 4
159+ 5
160+ SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 6 -18-1905(e)(1), concerning the date by 6
161+which a nonresident district shall notify a student of his or her transfer 7
162+application's acceptance or rejection under the Public School Choice Act of 8
163+2015, is amended to read as follows: 9
164+ (e)(1) By July 1 30 of the school year in which a student seeks to 10
165+enroll in a nonresident district under this subchapter, the superintendent of 11
166+the nonresident district shall notify the student's parent or guardian and 12
167+the resident district in writing as to whether the student's application has 13
168+been accepted or rejected. 14
169+ 15
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182-APPROVED: 4/14/25 18
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