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 22 - ARKANSAS REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM ACT (§§ 6-22-101 — 6-22-108) › Section 6-22-105 - Registered volunteers - Requirements

(a)
The superintendent of any school district that develops a registered volunteers program under this chapter shall require all potential registered volunteers to meet the following qualifications before the volunteers have any significant unsupervised contact with students:
(1)
To authorize release of the results of a statewide and nationwide criminal records check by the Identification Bureau of the Division of Arkansas State Police that conforms to the applicable federal standards, which includes the taking of the potential volunteer's fingerprints, and which is dated not more than ninety (90) days before the date of its presentation; and
(2)
To complete a minimum of six (6) hours of training conducted under the direction of the school district for nonathletic extracurricular or nonathletic interscholastic activities and a minimum of twelve (12) hours of training conducted under the direction of the school district for athletic extracurricular activities or under the direction of the Arkansas Activities Association for athletic interscholastic activities.
(b)
Volunteers and registered volunteers shall be at least twenty-two (22) years of age.
(c)
(1)
A volunteer or registered volunteer may not be a member of the board of directors of the school district or the spouse of a member of the board of directors of the school district in which he or she seeks to volunteer unless approved by the board of directors of the school district.
(2)
The approval granted under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall be valid for a period of one (1) calendar year.
(d)
A volunteer or a registered volunteer shall not receive payment for services rendered under this chapter.
(e)
If a registered volunteer is in the process of obtaining a coaching certificate or will be working with students in an athletic coaching capacity, the board of directors of an educational entity, as a condition for the registered volunteer's unsupervised contact with students, shall require the completion of a criminal records check that is equivalent to that required for nonlicensed personnel under §
6-17-414
.
(f)
The superintendent or director of an educational entity or a third-party vendor shall report to the state board the name of any person working as a registered volunteer in an athletic coaching capacity who:
(1)
Has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or has been found guilty of any felony or misdemeanor listed in §
6-17-410(c)
;
(2)
Has been arrested or charged with any felony or misdemeanor listed in §
6-17-410(c)
;
(3)
Has intentionally compromised the validity or security of any student test or testing program administered or required by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education;
(4)
Has knowingly submitted falsified information or failed to submit information requested or required by law to the division, the State Board of Education, or Arkansas Legislative Audit; or
(5)
Has a true report in the Child Maltreatment Central Registry.
(g)
The failure of a superintendent or director of an educational entity to report information as required by this section may result in sanctions imposed by the state board.
(h)
(1)
If an arrest or charge is reported in accordance with subdivision (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this section, the division shall indicate in the Arkansas Educator Licensure System that the person's employment eligibility is pending or under review.
(2)
Once the criminal case is resolved, the person's eligibility status will be updated in accordance with division rules.
Amended by Act 2023, No. 237,§ 46, eff. 3/8/2023.
Amended by Act 2017, No. 428,§ 1, eff. 3/9/2017.
Amended by Act 2015, No. 788,§ 2, eff. 7/22/2015.
Amended by Act 2013, No. 231,§ 2, eff. 8/16/2013.
Acts 1997, No. 1012, § 5.