This bill amends the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Act to allow the governing bodies of open-enrollment public charter schools to submit applicants for consideration alongside traditional school districts. Specifically, it modifies the application process to enable both school district boards and charter school governing bodies to submit a single applicant for the Arkansas Teacher of the Year. The bill also clarifies that if an applicant from either type of school is selected, they will be placed on paid administrative leave for the following school year, and the respective school will be responsible for providing a replacement teacher during this time.

Additionally, the bill outlines the reimbursement process for school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools that have a teacher on paid administrative leave. It ensures that these institutions will receive reimbursement for the teacher's salary and benefits, as well as any incidental expenses incurred during their participation in the Arkansas Teacher of the Year Program. The amendments aim to create a more inclusive process for recognizing outstanding educators across different types of schools in Arkansas.

Statutes affected:
HB 1477: 6-17-2503(b), 6-17-2503(f), 6-17-2504, 6-17-2505(a)