Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 6 - EDUCATION (§§ 6-1-101 — 6-87-104) › Subtitle 2 - ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION GENERALLY (§§ 6-10-101 — 6-28-206) › Chapter 15 - EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS AND QUALITY GENERALLY (§§ 6-15-101 — 6-15-3204) › Subchapter 32 - SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION CONTRACTS (§§ 6-15-3201 — 6-15-3204) › Section 6-15-3202 - Contract for school transformation

(a)
A school district board of directors or the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education acting as a school district board of directors, with approval from the State Board of Education, may enter into a contract for school transformation if:
(1)
The entity with which it intends to contract has been approved by the state board under §
6-15-3201
and is determined to be in good standing;
(2)
The charter of the open-enrollment public charter school has not previously been revoked in the State of Arkansas;
(3)
For the three (3) school years preceding the school year of the proposed school transformation, the open-enrollment public charter school has:
(A)
An overall performance rating of "C" or higher according to the school rating system under §
6-15-2101
et seq., or an equivalent performance rating in the accountability system of the state in which it currently operates; and
(B)
Had no significant findings on the prior year annual financial audit; or
(4)
The entity considered for a charter has not previously operated an open-enrollment public charter school in which the charter expired or was revoked or surrendered.
(b)
A contract entered into by a school district board of directors with the governing body of an open-enrollment public charter school shall include without limitation a provision addressing student eligibility for enrollment.
(c)
A contract for a public school transformation campus that is entered into under subsection (a) of this section shall:
(1)
Provide that any student residing in the public school zone as it existed before the operation of the public school zone under the contract shall be admitted for enrollment at the public school transformation campus; and
(2)
Establish the following enrollment preference order for students who do not reside in the public school zone:
(A)
Other students who reside in the public school district in which the public school transformation campus is located; and
(B)
Students who reside outside the public school district in which the public school transformation campus is located.
(d)
(1)
A public school district proposing to enter into a contract under this section shall notify the commissioner of the public school district's intent to enter into the contract.
(2)
The state board shall establish by rule the procedures for a public school district to notify the commissioner as required under subdivision (d)(1) of this section, including without limitation:
(A)
The time period within which the notification is required before the school year in which the proposed contract would take effect; and
(B)
If necessary, the entity to which a public school district shall submit information as required under subdivision (d)(1) of this section.
(e)
(1)
The state public charter authorizer, as designated under §
6-23-701
, shall decide whether to authorize a charter to the proposed charter entity if a charter is requested by a public school district, subject to review by the state board.
(2)
The commissioner shall notify a public school district whether the proposed contract is approved not later than sixty (60) days after the date the state board and the commissioner received notice of the proposed contract and all information required by the commissioner to be submitted has been received.
(f)
This section does not prohibit a contract between a public school district and another entity for the provision of services for a public school campus within the public school district, including without limitation a contract for food services.
Added by Act 2023, No. 237,§ 14, eff. 3/8/2023.