The Arkansas ACCESS Act seeks to enhance educational leadership and access to accelerated learning opportunities by amending various provisions of the Arkansas Code. Key changes include restructuring the School Leadership Coordinating Council, reducing its membership from seventeen to five core members, and modifying the quorum requirement for conducting business. The bill also repeals the existing Subchapter 11 concerning the Council on Postsecondary Education and Career Readiness, replacing it with a focus on "accelerated learning" aimed at preparing students for high-wage careers and increasing graduation rates. Additionally, the bill replaces references to "advanced placement" with "accelerated learning" throughout various sections, emphasizing the importance of professional development for teachers involved in these courses.

Furthermore, the bill introduces the ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship Program, which replaces the Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship Program, allowing eligible high school students to receive scholarships for concurrent credit courses. The scholarship amount is set at $65 per credit hour, with a maximum of fifteen hours per semester. The bill also outlines new eligibility criteria for students with disabilities, allowing them to qualify for scholarships without needing to meet previous ACT score requirements. Overall, the Arkansas ACCESS Act aims to modernize educational governance, improve access to accelerated learning, and streamline scholarship processes to better support students in Arkansas.

Statutes affected:
Old version SB246 V2 - 3-6-2025 07:19 PM: 6-1-404(a), 6-1-404(d), 6-13-629(a), 6-13-808, 6-16-1204, 03-06-2025, 6-15-202(f), 6-15-214, 6-15-215, 6-15-901, 6-15-902, 6-15-1004(b), 6-15-1301(b), 6-15-1303(d), 6-15-2108, 6-16-140(a), 6-16-148(a), 6-16-1202, 6-16-1204(b), 6-16-1203, 6-16-1203(b), 6-20-2305, 6-51-301, 6-17-309, 6-17-709(d), 6-18-1104(b), 6-18-2004(b), 6-18-2004(c), 6-20-2203(a), 6-20-2204(a), 6-20-2204(b), 6-20-2207(b), 6-21-113(a), 6-21-817(b), 6-28-112(b), 6-41-610(b), 6-51-602, 6-51-603, 6-61-301(a), 6-51-605, 25-16-901, 25-16-903, 6-51-606(g), 6-51-606, 25-15-217, 6-51-607(a), 6-51-609(k), 6-51-610(a), 6-51-616, 6-51-617(a), 6-51-621, 6-61-301, 6-51-622(d), 6-53-203(a), 6-60-1504, 6-61-201(a), 6-61-202(a), 6-61-231(b), 6-61-231(c), 6-61-231(d), 6-61-234, 6-61-1010, 6-61-1402, 6-61-231, 6-61-1403, 6-61-1406, 6-63-104, 6-80-105, 6-85-201, 6-81-604(6), 6-81-605, 6-81-607(3), 6-81-608, 6-81-609, 6-82-108(e), 6-82-302, 6-82-306, 6-82-310, 6-82-601(i), 6-82-1802(c), 6-82-1803(a), 6-82-1804(a), 6-82-2205(b), 6-82-2206(a), 6-85-207, 6-85-206, 6-85-212(d), 6-85-302, 6-85-304(a), 6-85-305, 6-85-304, 6-85-302(2), 6-85-302(1), 6-85-502(b), 20-7-133(b), 21-5-703(c), 21-5-705(a), 23-115-801(b), 23-115-801(c), 23-115-802(c)
Old version SB246 V3 - 3-12-2025 02:09 PM: 6-1-404(a), 6-1-404(d), 6-13-629(a), 6-13-808, 6-16-1204, 03-12-2025, 6-15-202(f), 6-15-214, 6-15-215, 6-15-901, 6-15-902, 6-15-1004(b), 6-15-1301(b), 6-15-1303(d), 6-15-2108, 6-16-140(a), 6-16-148(a), 6-16-1202, 6-16-1204(b), 6-16-1203, 6-16-1203(b), 6-20-2305, 6-51-301, 6-17-309, 6-17-709(d), 6-18-1104(b), 6-18-2004(b), 6-18-2004(c), 6-20-2203(a), 6-20-2204(a), 6-20-2204(b), 6-20-2207(b), 6-21-113(a), 6-21-817(b), 6-28-112(b), 6-41-610(b), 6-51-602, 6-51-603, 6-61-301(a), 6-51-605, 25-16-901, 25-16-903, 6-51-606(g), 6-51-606, 25-15-217, 6-51-607(a), 6-51-609(k), 6-51-610(a), 6-51-616, 6-51-617(a), 6-51-621, 6-61-301, 6-51-622(d), 6-53-203(a), 6-60-1504, 6-61-201(a), 6-61-202(a), 6-61-231(b), 6-61-231(c), 6-61-231(d), 6-61-234, 6-61-1010, 6-61-1402, 6-61-231, 6-61-1403, 6-61-1406, 6-63-104, 6-80-105, 6-85-201, 6-81-604(6), 6-81-605, 6-81-607(3), 6-81-608, 6-81-609, 6-82-108(e), 6-82-302, 6-82-306, 6-82-310, 6-82-601(i), 6-82-1802(c), 6-82-1803(a), 6-82-1804(a), 6-82-2205(b), 6-82-2206(a), 6-85-207, 6-85-206, 6-85-212(d), 6-85-302, 6-85-304(a), 6-85-305, 6-85-304, 6-85-302(2), 6-85-302(1), 6-85-502(b), 20-7-133(b), 21-5-703(c), 21-5-705(a), 23-115-801(b), 23-115-801(c), 23-115-802(c)
Old version SB246 Original - 2-17-2025 05:11 PM: 6-1-404(a), 6-1-404(d), 6-13-629(a), 6-13-808, 6-16-1204, 6-15-202, 6-13-1401, 6-10-111(d), 6-11-129(a), 6-13-109, 6-13-620, 6-13-801, 6-15-202(b), 6-15-2901, 6-15-502, 6-15-902, 6-15-1004, 6-15-1101(b), 6-15-1402, 6-15-1603, 6-15-1701, 6-16-102, 6-16-103, 6-16-124, 6-16-126, 6-16-130, 6-16-132, 6-16-1201, 6-5-1201, 6-17-102, 6-17-201, 6-17-309, 6-17-401, 6-17-2301, 6-17-2403, 6-18-101, 6-18-201, 6-18-202, 6-18-207, 6-18-213, 6-18-223, 6-18-501, 6-48-101, 6-48-103, 6-18-701, 6-18-2003, 6-19-101, 6-20-2202, 6-21-106, 6-21-112, 6-25-101, 6-41-101, 6-42-101, 6-17-2803(7), 6-17-2801, 6-17-410, 6-15-214, 6-15-215, 6-15-901, 6-15-1004(b), 6-15-1301(b), 6-15-1303(d), 6-15-2108, 6-16-140(a), 6-16-148(a), 6-16-1202, 6-16-1204(b), 6-16-1203, 6-16-1203(b), 6-20-2305, 6-51-301, 6-17-709(d), 6-18-1104(b), 6-18-2004(b), 6-18-2004(c), 6-20-2203(a), 6-20-2204(a), 6-20-2204(b), 6-20-2207(b), 6-21-113(a), 6-21-817(b), 6-28-112(b), 6-41-610(b), 6-51-602, 6-51-603, 6-61-301(a), 6-51-605, 25-16-901, 25-16-903, 6-51-606(g), 6-51-606, 25-15-217, 6-51-607(a), 6-51-609(k), 6-51-610(a), 6-51-616, 6-51-617(a), 6-51-621, 6-61-301, 6-51-622(d), 6-53-203(a), 6-60-1504, 6-61-201(a), 6-61-202(a), 6-61-231(b), 6-61-231(c), 6-61-231(d), 6-61-234, 6-61-1010, 6-61-1402, 6-61-231, 6-61-1403, 6-61-1406, 6-63-104, 6-80-105, 6-85-201, 6-81-604(6), 6-81-605, 6-81-607(3), 6-81-608, 6-81-609, 6-82-108(e), 6-82-302, 6-82-306, 6-82-310, 6-82-601(i), 6-82-1802(c), 6-82-1803(a), 6-82-1804(a), 6-82-2205(b), 6-82-2206(a), 6-85-207, 6-85-206, 6-85-212(d), 6-85-302, 6-85-304(a), 6-85-305, 6-85-304, 6-85-401, 6-85-402, 6-15-501, 6-85-403, 6-51-305, 6-85-404, 6-85-301, 23-115-802, 6-85-405, 6-16-1204(e), 6-85-406, 6-85-502(b), 20-7-133(b), 21-5-703(c), 21-5-705(a), 23-115-801(b), 23-115-801(c), 23-115-802(c)
SB 246: 6-1-404(a), 6-1-404(d), 6-13-629(a), 6-13-808, 6-16-1204, 6-15-202, 6-13-1401, 6-10-111(d), 6-11-129(a), 6-13-109, 6-13-620, 6-13-801, 6-15-202(b), 6-15-2901, 6-15-502, 6-15-902, 6-15-1004, 6-15-1101(b), 6-15-1402, 6-15-1603, 6-15-1701, 6-16-102, 6-16-103, 6-16-124, 6-16-126, 6-16-130, 6-16-132, 6-16-1201, 6-5-1201, 6-17-102, 6-17-201, 6-17-309, 6-17-401, 6-17-2301, 6-17-2403, 6-18-101, 6-18-201, 6-18-202, 6-18-207, 6-18-213, 6-18-223, 6-18-501, 6-48-101, 6-48-103, 6-18-701, 6-18-2003, 6-19-101, 6-20-2202, 6-21-106, 6-21-112, 6-25-101, 6-41-101, 6-42-101, 6-17-2803(7), 6-17-2801, 6-17-410, 6-15-214, 6-15-215, 6-15-901, 6-15-1004(b), 6-15-1301(b), 6-15-1303(d), 6-15-2108, 6-16-140(a), 6-16-148(a), 6-16-1202, 6-16-1204(b), 6-16-1203, 6-16-1203(b), 6-20-2305, 6-51-301, 6-17-709(d), 6-18-1104(b), 6-18-2004(b), 6-18-2004(c), 6-20-2203(a), 6-20-2204(a), 6-20-2204(b), 6-20-2207(b), 6-21-113(a), 6-21-817(b), 6-28-112(b), 6-41-610(b), 6-51-602, 6-51-603, 6-61-301(a), 6-51-605, 25-16-901, 25-16-903, 6-51-606(g), 6-51-606, 25-15-217, 6-51-607(a), 6-51-609(k), 6-51-610(a), 6-51-616, 6-51-617(a), 6-51-621, 6-61-301, 6-51-622(d), 6-53-203(a), 6-60-1504, 6-61-201(a), 6-61-202(a), 6-61-231(b), 6-61-231(c), 6-61-231(d), 6-61-234, 6-61-1010, 6-61-1402, 6-61-231, 6-61-1403, 6-61-1406, 6-63-104, 6-80-105, 6-85-201, 6-81-604(6), 6-81-605, 6-81-607(3), 6-81-608, 6-81-609, 6-82-108(e), 6-82-302, 6-82-306, 6-82-310, 6-82-601(i), 6-82-1802(c), 6-82-1803(a), 6-82-1804(a), 6-82-2205(b), 6-82-2206(a), 6-85-207, 6-85-206, 6-85-212(d), 6-85-302, 6-85-304(a), 6-85-305, 6-85-304, 6-85-401, 6-85-402, 6-15-501, 6-85-403, 6-51-305, 6-85-404, 6-85-301, 23-115-802, 6-85-405, 6-16-1204(e), 6-85-406, 6-85-502(b), 20-7-133(b), 21-5-703(c), 21-5-705(a), 23-115-801(b), 23-115-801(c), 23-115-802(c)
Act 340: 6-1-404(a), 6-1-404(d), 6-13-629(a), 6-13-808, 6-16-1204, 03-12-2025, 6-15-202(f), 6-15-214, 6-15-215, 6-15-901, 6-15-902, 6-15-1004(b), 6-15-1301(b), 6-15-1303(d), 6-15-2108, 6-16-140(a), 6-16-148(a), 6-16-1202, 6-16-1204(b), 6-16-1203, 6-16-1203(b), 6-20-2305, 6-51-301, 6-17-309, 6-17-709(d), 6-18-1104(b), 6-18-2004(b), 6-18-2004(c), 6-20-2203(a), 6-20-2204(a), 6-20-2204(b), 6-20-2207(b), 6-21-113(a), 6-21-817(b), 6-28-112(b), 6-41-610(b), 6-51-602, 6-51-603, 6-61-301(a), 6-51-605, 25-16-901, 25-16-903, 6-51-606(g), 6-51-606, 25-15-217, 6-51-607(a), 6-51-609(k), 6-51-610(a), 6-51-616, 6-51-617(a), 6-51-621, 6-61-301, 6-51-622(d), 6-53-203(a), 6-60-1504, 6-61-201(a), 6-61-202(a), 6-61-231(b), 6-61-231(c), 6-61-231(d), 6-61-234, 6-61-1010, 6-61-1402, 6-61-231, 6-61-1403, 6-61-1406, 6-63-104, 6-80-105, 6-85-201, 6-81-604(6), 6-81-605, 6-81-607(3), 6-81-608, 6-81-609, 6-82-108(e), 6-82-302, 6-82-306, 6-82-310, 6-82-601(i), 6-82-1802(c), 6-82-1803(a), 6-82-1804(a), 6-82-2205(b), 6-82-2206(a), 6-85-207, 6-85-206, 6-85-212(d), 6-85-302, 6-85-304(a), 6-85-305, 6-85-304, 6-85-302(2), 6-85-302(1), 6-85-502(b), 20-7-133(b), 21-5-703(c), 21-5-705(a), 23-115-801(b), 23-115-801(c), 23-115-802(c)