(a)

1. (1) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall provide differentiated levels of support to all Arkansas public school districts.

2. (2) The levels of support are cumulative and include:

   1. (A) Level 1 – General support;
   2. (B) Level 2 – Collaborative support;
   3. (C) Level 3 – Coordinated support;
   4. (D) Level 4 – Directed support;
   5. (E) Level 5 – Intensive support;

(b)

1. (1) The division will determine the level of support the division will provide to a public school district through a process of communication and consultation with the district to identify areas where support is requested or required for school improvement.

2. (2) Annually, the division shall review data for all students and defined subgroup populations to determine the level of support the division will recommend to address the district’s needs, including without limitation:

   1. (A) Public schools identified as in need of targeted or comprehensive support as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Pub. L. No. 89-10, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-95;
   2. (B) Fidelity of district implementation of:

(i) School-level improvement plans; and

1. (ii) District support plans;

   1. (C) Public school and district data obtained from the division’s comprehensive information systems; and
   2. (D) Fidelity of district implementation of directives from the division or State Board of Education.
2. (3) After a review of data, the division in consultation with the superintendent, school board member or members, or appropriate school district personnel shall identify the level of support appropriate to meet the needs of the district.
3. (4) At any time, a district may request specific support from the division in addition to the current level of support being provided.

4. (5)

   1. (A) The Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education may, after an initial determination is made, request division staff to evaluate a district to determine if evidence exists that additional support is needed.

   2. (B) The division may recommend additional support as identified from the evaluation.

      1. (c) The division shall provide Level 3 – Coordinated support in collaboration with the public school district’s educational service cooperative to a public school district in which forty percent (40%) or more of the public school district’s students score “in need of support” on the state’s prior year summative assessment for reading.
      2. (d) The division shall provide Level 4 – Directed support to a public school district in which fifty percent (50%) or more of its students score “in need of support” on the state’s prior year summative assessment for reading.

(e)

1. (1)

   1. (A) Annually, a public school shall engage stakeholders to develop or revise the school-level improvement plan.
   2. (B) Annually by May 1, a public school shall submit to its public school district a school-level improvement plan for approval by the public school district and public school district board of directors for implementation in the following school year.

2. (2) School-level improvement plans shall follow a continuous cycle of inquiry and at a minimum:

   1. (A) Establish goals or anticipated outcomes based on an analysis of students’ needs;
   2. (B) Identify student supports and evidence-based interventions and practices to be implemented;
   3. (C) Describe the professional learning necessary for adults to deliver the supports or interventions;
   4. (D) Describe the implementation timeline for monitoring of the interventions and practices for effectiveness;
   5. (E) Describe the timeline and procedures for evaluation of the interventions and practices for effectiveness; and

   6. (F) Include a literacy plan that includes, without limitation, a curriculum program and a professional development program that are:

      1. (i) Aligned with the literacy needs of the public school district; and
      2. (ii) Based on the science of reading as defined by Arkansas Code § 6-17-429(k)(1).
3. (3) School-level improvement plans shall be posted on the public school district’s website, under State-Required Information, by August 1 of each year.

4. (4)

   1. (A) The public school and public school district shall continuously monitor school-level improvement plans for implementation fidelity and progress throughout the year of implementation.
   2. (B) Documentation of the monitoring shall be made available to the public school district board of directors.

5. (5)

   1. (A) School-level improvement plans shall be analyzed, evaluated, and revised at least annually by the public school, including stakeholder engagement and feedback.
   2. (B) Documentation of the annual review shall be included as part of the school-level improvement plan for the following school year.

(f)

1. (1) Annually by September 1, a public school district receiving Level 2 – Collaborative support shall develop a district support plan.
2. (2) A public school district receiving Level 2 – Collaborative support shall submit its district support plan to the division when requested by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education in order for the division to provide additional support to the district.

(g)

1. (1) Annually by September 1, a public school district receiving Level 3 – Coordinated support, Level 4 – Directed support, or Level 5 – Intensive support shall:

   1. (A) Develop a district support plan utilizing the form required by the division; and
   2. (B) Submit the plan to the division for approval.
2. (2) A public school district receiving Level 4 – Directed support shall work with the division to develop its district support plan.

3. (3) A public school district receiving Level 5 – Intensive support shall:

   1. (A) Work with the division to develop its district support plan; and
   2. (B) Submit the plan to the state board for approval.

4. (4) A district support plan shall follow a continuous cycle of inquiry and at a minimum:

   1. (A) Specify the support the public school district will provide to public schools identified pursuant to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Pub. L. No. 89-10, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-95;
   2. (B) Collaboratively establish priorities regarding goals or anticipated outcomes with the school or schools, including feeder schools as applicable;
   3. (C) Identify resources to support the established priorities;
   4. (D) Describe the time and pace of providing support and monitoring for the established priorities;
   5. (E) Describe the measures for analyzing and evaluating that the district support was effective in improving the school performance; and
   6. (F) Direct the use of Enhanced Student Achievement Funding for strategies to close gaps in academic achievement if required pursuant to the division’s Rules Governing Student Special Needs Funding, 6 CAR pt. 272, and the determination of allowable expenditures of those funds.

5. (5)

   1. (A) A public school district in which forty percent (40%) or more of the public school district’s students scored “in need of support” on the state’s prior year summative assessment for reading shall develop a literacy plan as part of its district support plan.

   2. (B) The public school district literacy plan shall include, at a minimum:

      1. (i) Goals for improving reading achievement throughout the public school district; and
      2. (ii) Information regarding the prioritization of funding, including without limitation Enhanced Student Achievement Funding received under Arkansas Code § 6-20-2305 for strategies to improve reading achievement throughout the public school district.

6. (6)

   1. (A) A public school district’s support plan shall be posted on the public school district’s website, under State-Required Information, no later than ten (10) days after submission to the division.
   2. (B) The school district shall post on the district’s website, with the plan, the date the plan is approved by the division or state board, if applicable.

   3. (C)

      1. (i) Any revision to the approved plan must be submitted to the division immediately and posted on the district’s website in addition to the initial plan.
      2. (ii) The district shall post the date the revision is approved.

(h)

1. (1) The division will develop a written plan of support for each district receiving Level 3 – Coordinated support, Level 4 – Directed support, and Level 5 – Intensive support.

2. (2) The plan will at a minimum:

   1. (A) Identify the support the division will provide to the district as determined through a process of communication and consultation with the district to identify areas where support is:

      1. (i) Requested;
      2. (ii) Necessary; or
      3. (iii) Required; and

   2. (B) Describe the:

      1. (i) Role of the division;
      2. (ii) Role of the public school district; and
      3. (iii) Timeline of implementation.