Policy Guidance:

Everything that is new in the policies is underlined in red. The portions that are to be removed from the policies are struck through and are inblue.

Policies Changed or added:

1.2—BOARD ORGANIZATION and VACANCIES – The vacancies section of the policy was majorly revised to account for Acts 379,843, and 846.

1.6—BOARD MEMBER VOTING – This policy was updated to include optional language from Act 836 permitting the board to adopt a policy allowing board members to attend meetings remotely. The language on a quorum being physically present for a board to enter executive session is also from Act 836but is not optional.

1.6.1—ATTENDING MEETINGS REMOTELY – This is an optional policy resulting from Act 836 permitting the board to adopt a policy to allow board members to attend meetings remotely.

1.9—POLICY FORMULATION – This policy was updated to include Act 835’s ninety (90) day window of opportunity for a policy to be adopted after June 30 to go into effect immediately without voting by the staff when the policy change is to bring the policy into alignment with a change in law or regulation.

1.17—NEPOTISM – Act 846 increased the contract amount to trigger commissioner approval from $5,000 to $10,000.

1.19—BOARD MEMBER LENGTH OF TERM and HOLDOVERS – This policy was updated to include language from Act 379 stating that a hold over results when an elected individual fails to receive the oath of office within the statutory window. A.C.A. § 6-13-617 was added to the list of legal references.

3.2—LICENSED PERSONNEL EVALUATIONS–Act 1091 amended TESS tohave teachers have a summative evaluation every four years instead of every three.

3.6—LICENSED PERSONNEL EMPLOYEE TRAINING – This policy was updated to account for Actss 44, 1090, 1115, and 1268.

3.8—LICENSED PERSONNEL SICK LEAVE - OPTION A - This policy was updated to include the changes from Act 1180, which requires transferred sick leave from previous public school employment be used first and included in sick leave paid upon retirementif the district pays sick leave on retirement.

3.8—LICENSED PERSONNEL SICK LEAVE - OPTION B- This policy was updated to include the changes from Act 1180, which requires transferred sick leave from previous public school employment be used first and included in sick leave paid upon retirement if the district pays sick leave on retirement.

3.19—LICENSED PERSONNEL EMPLOYMENT–Act 1089 has a waiver for a person to get their license automatically count as a waiver for employment and footnote 1 was updated to indicate that.Act 1090 createda prohibition for an individual with a currently suspended or revoked license to work for a district in any capacity.

3.31—DRUG FREE WORKPLACE - LICENSED PERSONNEL – This policy was updated to include the requirement from Act 411 of 2015 that certain substance abuses be reported to licensing authorities and to law enforcement.

3.34—LICENSED PERSONNEL CELL PHONE USE – The title in the Cross References for Policy 4.47 did not match the current title. This change does not require board or PPC action.

3.48—LICENSED PERSONNEL WEAPONS ON CAMPUS - This policy was updated to include the change from Act 1078 permitting a concealed carry licensee to leave a handgun in a locked vehicle in school parking lots. Added language from A.C.A. § 6-5-502 permitting a Civil War reenactor to bring a Civil War era weapon onto campus with the prior permission of the principal.

3.54—VOLUNTARY TEACHING DURING PLANNING PERIOD OR OF MORE THAN THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER DAY – This is a new policy required by Act 993 to cover an agreement between the district and a volunteer 7-12 teacher to teach for the semester instead of a planning period or more than the maximum number of students.

4.5—SCHOOL CHOICE – This policy was updated to incorporate the changes made to the Standard School Choice from Act 560. Due to the substantial amount of changes required, the policy is being released as if it were a new policy. This is the same version of the policy that was released on April 3.

4.5F—SCHOOL CHOICE CAPACITY RESOLUTION - Act 560 changed the application and final approval dates for school choice. The policy was updated to match the new dates. This is the same version of the policy that was released on April 3.

4.5F3—SCHOOL CHOICE ACCEPTANCE LETTER–Act 560 of 2013 removed the requirement for students attending through school choice to submit any type of intention to continue attending the non-resident district. The form letter has been updated to remove that information. This is the same version of the policy that was released on April 3.

4.12—STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS/EQUAL ACCESS – Act 1264 required the automatic expulsion of a student who is convicted of hazing.

4.35—STUDENT MEDICATIONS–Act 833 added diabetes medication and instruments to those students are allowed to carry and self-administer. It also allows parents to opt in to permit their diabetic student to receive insulin from a trained volunteer in an emergency.

4.35F3—GLUCAGON AND/OR INSULIN ADMINISTRATION CONSENT FORM – This form was updated to include the ability for parents to select glucagon, insulin, or both for a trained volunteer to administer in an emergency to a student with diabetes. This is required by Act 833.

4.37—EMERGENCY DRILLS – Policy updated to include the Panic Button Alert System and other requirements from Act 950 – School Safety Act of 2015.

4.52—STUDENTS WHO ARE FOSTER CHILDREN – The policy was updated to include a couple of technical corrections from Act 1094.

4.55—STUDENT PROMOTION AND RETENTION – This policy was updated to account for the change to“state assessment” from “Benchmark” and the removal of individual in academic improvement plan from Acts 846 and 1217.

6.4—VOLUNTEERS – Act 788 added new requirements for volunteers. The policy was also updated to include some of the requirements that were not previously included from the State and Local Government Volunteers Act.

7.13—MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF DISTRICT PROPERTY - Act 394 added incorporated town to the list of entities real property could be donated to. The policy was updated to include the right of first refusal for charter schools to purchase surplus real property and added A.C.A. § 6-23-501 to the list of legal references.

8.5—CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES SICK LEAVE - Option A – This policy was updated to match the changes to Policy 3.8 due to Act 1180 that requires transferred sick leave from previous public school employment be used first and included in sick leave paid upon retirement if the district pays sick leave on retirement.

8.5—CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES SICK LEAVE - Option B - This policy was updated to match the changes to Policy 3.8 due to Act 1180 of 2015 that requires transferred sick leave from previous public school employment be used first and included in sick leave paid upon retirement if the district pays sick leave on retirement.

8.11—OVERTIME, COMPTIME, and COMPLYING WITH FLSA – The policy was updated to include the changes from Act 1104 that a covered employee who works thirty-five (35) hours a week may get a duty free lunch or two paid breaks but not both.

8.13—CLASSIFIED EMPLOYMENT–Act 1089 makes most expunged offenses older than 10 years no longer make the individual ineligible and a new footnote was added to explain the circumstances.Act 1090 created a prohibition for an individual with a currently suspended or revoked license to work for a district in any capacity.

8.25—CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL CELL PHONE USE - The title in the Cross References for Policy 4.47 did not match the current title. This change does not require PPC or board action.

8.28— DRUG FREE WORKPLACE - CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL – The policy was updated to include the reporting requirements of Act 411.

8.40—CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL WEAPONS ON CAMPUS – This policy was updated to include the change from Act 1078 permitting a concealed carry licensee to leave a handgun in a locked vehicle in school parking lots. Added language from A.C.A. § 6-5-502 permitting a Civil War reenactor to bring a Civil War era weapon onto campus with the prior permission of the principal.

Policy updates NOT included:

7.16—INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY – We have received several calls and emails that Legislative Audit has found this policy to be inadequate to fully cover the current security needs. Our understanding is that ADE is currently working on creating new guidelines for district IT Security policies. Once ADE releases the new requirements, we will release an updated version of this policy based on the new requirements.

7.23—HEALTH CARE COVERAGE AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT – This policy is being updated to include changes due to Acts 995 and 1135. In addition, due to the change in Federal regulations on the IRS reporting on employee health care making it impossible for EBD to complete the reports, the policy is being updated to reinstate the reporting requirement for districts. The policy is not being released at this time due to some pending rule changes covering the continuation of health insurance over the summer months.

7.24—ADVERTIZING ON DISTRICT BUSES – This will be a new optional policy resulting from Act 941 allowing the selling of advertizing space on district school buses. ADE rules are currently in the process of being drafted. Due to the complexity of the amount of research on this issue, the policy will most likely not be released before June 30.