The bill amends the Arkansas Code to establish a standardized flexible school calendar system for public schools, effective from the 2026-2027 school year. It requires public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools to start the school year on or after July 1 and end by June 30, ensuring a minimum of 178 school days and 1,068 instructional hours, along with an additional 30 make-up hours for emergencies. The bill also introduces new definitions and requirements regarding school days, recess, and emergency closures, while repealing the previous section that allowed for a twelve-month school year, thereby promoting a more structured academic calendar.

Additionally, the bill proposes the repeal of several sections related to school funding and scheduling, particularly those that permitted a four-day school week and outlined the authority of superintendents to adjust school schedules during emergencies. It removes provisions for state foundation funding based on a twelve-month operation and updates the citation for compliance statements from 6-16-102 to 6-10-106. Overall, the bill aims to streamline regulations surrounding school operations and funding while eliminating outdated provisions that do not align with current educational practices.

Statutes affected:
Old version HB1864 V2 - 4-3-2025 11:11 AM: 6-10-106, 04-03-2025, 6-17-2402(1), 6-18-213(b), 6-15-2101, 6-10-108, 6-10-117, 6-10-126, 6-10-127, 6-15-202(f), 6-16-102, 6-10-106(g), 6-16-132, 6-17-2403(c), 6-18-2503(6)
Old version HB1864 Original - 3-19-2025 05:21 PM: 6-10-106, 6-17-2402(1), 6-18-213(b), 6-10-108, 6-10-117, 6-10-126, 6-10-127, 6-15-202(f)
HB 1864: 6-10-106, 6-17-2402(1), 6-18-213(b), 6-10-108, 6-10-117, 6-10-126, 6-10-127, 6-15-202(f)