This bill mandates the Arkansas Department of Education to establish a new accountability system for public schools, aligning with the educational priorities set forth by the LEARNS Act. It introduces a temporary pause on assigning new school ratings for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years under the existing rating system. This pause is intended to allow for the collection of necessary data to ensure that the new accountability system meets the needs of Arkansas students and provides accurate information for parents regarding their children's education.

Under the new system, the Department of Education will issue letter grades to public schools, including open-enrollment public charter schools, for the 2024-2025 school year based on the revised accountability criteria. If a school does not improve or maintain its letter grade, it can request a review from the Division of Public School Accountability, which will assess the relevant data and determine the school's rating. The provisions of this bill are set to expire on June 30, 2026.