1. (a) The State Board of Education shall establish tentative boundaries for the system of education service cooperatives authorized by The Education Service Cooperative Act of 1985, Arkansas Code § 6-13-1001 et seq.

2. (b) These education service cooperatives shall be established so that:

   1. (1) They include at least three (3) but no more than nine (9) counties;
   2. (2) They include at least ten (10) but no more than thirty-five (35) school districts;
   3. (3) They include at least twenty thousand (20,000) pupils in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) average daily membership;
   4. (4) They include at least one (1) postsecondary education institution; and
   5. (5) There is no more than fifty (50) miles’ distance or approximately one (1) hour’s driving time to the area's main offices for ninety percent (90%) of the school districts.

3. (c)

   1. (1) The state board may make adjustments in the boundaries when criteria such as minimum average daily membership and maximum driving distances conflict.
   2. (2) However, no more than four (4) of the areas formed may contain fewer than twenty thousand (20,000) students.
   3. (3) In no case shall any education service cooperative be established with fewer than twelve thousand (12,000) pupils.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules contained the following at the end of the section: "Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-1003".