005.28.19 Ark. Code R. § 020 Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Home Schools

• Library: Arkansas Administrative Code
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, December, 2023
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 005.28.19 Ark. Code R. § 020

1.00 REGULATORY AUTHORITY

1.01 These regulations shall be known as Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Rules Governing Home Schools.

1.02 These regulations are enacted pursuant to the State Board of Education's authority under Ark. Code Ann. §§ 6-11-105, 6-15-501 et seq., 6-18-232, 25-15-201 et seq., Act 429 and Act 430 of 2019.

2.00 PURPOSE

It is the purpose of these rules to set reasonable guidelines for the operation of Home Schools.

3.00 DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of these rules:

3.01 "Athletic activity" means a varsity sport or another competitive sports-related contest, game, event, or exhibition that involves an individual student or teams of students either among schools within the resident school district or between schools outside of the resident school district.

3.02 "Current school year" means the official period of time for student attendance pursuant to the school district academic calendar in accordance with the requirements of Ark. Code Ann. § 6-10-106.

3.03 "Endorsed concurrent enrollment course" means a college level course offered by an institution of higher education in this state, that upon completion would qualify for academic credit in both the institution of higher education and a public high school that 3.03.1 Is one of the four core areas of math English, science, and social studies; 3.03.2 Meets the requirements of Ark. Code Ann. § 6-16-1204(b); and 3.03.3 Is listed in the Arkansas Course Transfer System of the Division of Higher Education.

3.04 "Home School" means a school provided by a parent or legal guardian for his or her own child.

3.05 "Home-schooled student" means a student legally enrolled in an Arkansas home school.

3.06 "Interscholastic activity" means an activity between schools subject to regulations of the Arkansas Activities Association that is:3.06.1 Outside the regular curriculum of a school district, including without limitation an athletic activity, a fine arts program, or a special interest club or group and 3.06.2 Taught by an individual with a minimum of a high school diploma;

3.07 "Public school" means a school operated by a public school district or an open-enrollment public charter school.

3.08 "Resident school" is the school to which the student would be assigned by the resident school district.

3.09 "Resident school district" means the school district in which the home-schooled student's parents reside as determined under Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-202.

4.00 GENERAL

4.01 A parent or legal guardian who intends to home school a child in accordance with Ark. Code Ann._§ 6-18-201, shall provide written notice to the superintendent of the resident school district and agree that the parent or guardian is responsible for the education of his or her child during the time the child is home-schooled. This written notice shall be provided at the beginning of each school year but no later than August 15 or, subject to the provisions of Sections 4.03 and 4.04, fourteen (14) calendar days prior to withdrawing the child from the resident district, as well as at the beginning of each school year thereafter. The superintendent or school board of the resident district may waive the fourteen (14) day waiting period.

4.02 No public school student shall be eligible for enrollment in a home school if the student is currently under disciplinary action for violation of any written school policy including, but not limited to, excessive unexcused absences. Exceptions to this requirement are outlined in Section 4.03.

4.03 Public school students who are under disciplinary action by a school district shall be eligible for enrollment in a home school if 4.03.1 The superintendent or school board of the resident school district chooses to allow the child to enroll in a home school; 4.03.2 The disciplinary action against the student has been completed or the school semester has ended whichever occurs first; or 4.03.3 The student has been expelled.

4.04 Home school students who enroll in a public, private or parochial school during the time they are home schooling cannot re-enter home schooling until a new Notice of Intent is completed and submitted to the resident school district or completed through the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education's online process.

4.05 Books, curricula or materials used in homeschooling are not required to be furnished by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, resident school district, or education service cooperative. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to furnish all books, curricula, or materials.

5.00 NOTICE OF INTENT

5.01 Parents or legal guardians who intend to home school must file a Notice of Intent with the superintendent of the resident school district and agree that the parent or guardian is responsible for the education of his or her child during the time the child is home-schooled. The Notice of Intent may be completed through the submitting Division of Elementary and Secondary Education's online process, or by a written Notice of Intent to the superintendent of the student's resident school district.

5.02 A current Notice of Intent form shall be made available from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education's Home School webpage for each Arkansas School District and for parents or legal guardians who intend to home school.

5.03 The Notice of Intent may be submitted to the resident school district superintendent 5.03.1 Electronically, Including without limitation:5.03.1.1 Through the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education's online process, which is located on the...