The bill amends Arkansas Code 6-10-127(b)(1) to reduce the number of student attendance days that the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education can grant for the use of alternative methods of instruction from ten (10) to five (5) days. This change is intended for public school districts that have an approved alternative instruction plan, allowing them to utilize these days during closures caused by exceptional or emergency circumstances, such as contagious disease outbreaks or inclement weather.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that the student attendance days approved by the commissioner for alternative methods of instruction will count towards the required number of on-site, in-person instruction days that public school districts must fulfill. This ensures that the use of alternative instruction does not diminish the overall instructional time mandated by law or the rules set by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Statutes affected:
HB 1781: 6-10-127(b)