The bill amends the Arkansas Code regarding the Course Choice Program, which allows eligible students to enroll in courses offered by various providers. Key changes include the definition of "course provider," which now explicitly excludes public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools, unless they meet specific criteria related to performance ratings. Additionally, the bill clarifies that eligible students are those in grades six through twelve who either attend a school that does not offer a desired course or are enrolled in a school with a low performance rating. The bill also establishes that course providers must comply with state regulations and undergo evaluations to ensure educational quality.

Further amendments include changes to the funding structure for course providers, specifying that they will receive a per-course amount based on the standard market rate, which is capped at eight percent of the per-pupil funding amount. The bill also outlines the payment process for course providers, ensuring they cannot charge students beyond the established per-course amount. Additionally, it mandates that credits earned through these courses count towards graduation requirements and that the aggregate test scores of participating students will be included in the annual performance reports of their enrolled public schools.

Statutes affected:
SB 604: 6-16-1702, 6-15-2105, 6-15-2106, 6-16-1703, 6-15-2101, 6-16-1704(a), 6-16-1704(d)
Act 730: 6-16-1702, 6-15-2105, 6-15-2106, 6-16-1703, 6-15-2101, 6-16-1704(a), 6-16-1704(d)