(b) Instruction in all public schools shall be based on the Arkansas academic standards to prepare students to demonstrate the skills and competencies necessary for:

1. (1) Successful academic growth; and
2. (2) High school graduation.

(c) The division shall establish a schedule for periodic review and revision of the Arkansas academic standards to ensure that the standards:

1. (1) Are rigorous; and

2. (2) Prepare students for:

   1. (A) College;
   2. (B) Career; and
   3. (C) Community engagement.

(d) The division shall include, at a minimum, the following elements in the periodic review and revision of the Arkansas academic standards:

1. (1) Review and input by Arkansas educators from elementary, secondary, and higher education;
2. (2) Review and input from Arkansas community members with professional experience related to the academic content area;
3. (3) Study and consideration of academic standards at the national and international level, as appropriate;
4. (4) Study and consideration of an evaluation of the academic standards from national groups or organizations, as appropriate; and
5. (5) Public dissemination of revised academic standards by posting on the division’s website.

(f)

1. (1) The division shall include in the academic standards a means by which a public school student may substitute comparable elective coursework pertaining to career and technical education for core academic classes that are required for graduation under the Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts, 6 CAR pt. 61.
2. (2) When establishing the means required under this subsection, the division shall create an approval process whereby comparable elective coursework pertaining to career and technical education may be substituted for core academic classes.

3. (3) The Career and Technical Education with Embedded Academics Certification Committee shall:

   1. (A) Consult with the division in order to establish the approval process required by subdivision (f)(2) of this section;
   2. (B) Include one (1) member from each of the education service cooperatives, who shall be appointed by the director of each education service cooperative;
   3. (C) Review academic standards and analyze the comparable career and technical education standards for embedded academic content that are or will be offered in the upcoming school year; and
   4. (D)

(i) Produce a crosswalk document that shows the alignment of relevant core academic standards to the career and technical education standards.

1. (ii) Each alignment described by subdivision (f)(3)(D)(i) of this section shall offer the rationale as to why a lesson concerning academic content may be substituted.

   1. (iii) The crosswalk document required under subdivision (f)(3)(D)(i) of this section shall be provided to the division by December 15 of each year.

      1. (iv) The division shall certify the alignments proposed in the crosswalk document required under subdivision (f)(3)(D)(i) of this section as eligible to be substituted for comparable elective coursework under this section each year by February 1.