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 the restructuring of the School Leadership Coordinating Council to allow for a more flexible membership that includes additional stakeholders, as well as modifying quorum requirements to a simple majority. The bill also repeals the existing Council on Postsecondary Education and Career Readiness, replacing it with a new framework focused on accelerated learning aimed at supporting high-wage careers and increasing higher education graduation rates. Additionally, the act replaces references to "advanced placement" with "accelerated learning" across educational contexts, aiming to improve professional development for teachers and increase student enrollment in relevant courses.

Furthermore, the bill introduces several scholarship programs, including the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship Act, which provides educational benefits to dependents of individuals who have served in critical roles, such as law enforcement and emergency services. It establishes the Governor's Higher Education Transition Scholarship Program for students with disabilities and replaces the Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship Program with the ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship Program, which offers funding for concurrent credit courses. The bill also updates various operational guidelines for educational committees and programs, ensuring that they align with current educational practices and workforce needs. Overall, these amendments aim to improve educational outcomes and accessibility in Arkansas.

Statutes affected:
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)
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)
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)