As used in this part:

1. (1) “Academic skill intake assessment” means a criterion-referenced assessment of numeracy and literacy skills with high reliability and validity as determined by third-party research that is administered in person or online;

2. (2) “Accredited” means an entity that holds an active accreditation from:

   1. (A) One (1) of the following regional accrediting organizations in the United States:

      1. (i) Middle States Commission on Higher Education;
      2. (ii) New England Association of Schools and Colleges;
      3. (iii) Higher Learning Commission;
      4. (iv) Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities;
      5. (v) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges;
      6. (vi) Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges;
      7. (vii) Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges; or
      8. (viii) Any successor entities or consolidation or merger of any of the regional accreditors in the United States; or
   2. (B) Cognia;

3. (3) “Adult dropout recovery services” means any type of assistance provided to a diploma-seeking student, including without limitation:

   1. (A) Sourcing, recruitment, and engagement;
   2. (B) Learning plan development;
   3. (C) Active teaching; and
   4. (D) Proactive coaching and mentoring;
4. (4) “Approved program provider” means a public, nonprofit, or other entity that satisfies the requirements of 6 CAR § 301-102(b);

5. (5) “Average cost per graduate” means the:

   1. (A) Total amount of Arkansas Adult Diploma Program funding disbursed to an approved program provider for a cohort through the end of the measurement period; divided by
   2. (B) Total number of graduates from the cohort during the measurement period;
6. (6) “Career advising services” means services designed to assist a student in obtaining employment, including without limitation resume development and mock interviews;
7. (7) “Career pathways coursework” means one (1) or more courses that help a student enter into or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster;
8. (8) “Coaching” means proactive communication between an approved program provider and a student related to the student's pace and progress throughout his or her learning plan;
9. (9) “Cohort” means the group of students who enter the program between July 1 and June 30 of each program year;
10. (10) “Employability skills certification” means a certificate earned by students demonstrating professional nontechnical skills through assessment, including without limitation the program standards of the United States Department of Labor's “Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success”;
11. (11) “Graduate” means a student who has successfully completed all of the approved program provider requirements in order to obtain a high school diploma;

12. (12) “Graduation rate” means the:

    1. (A) Total number of graduates from a cohort who graduated during a measurement period; divided by
    2. (B) Total number of students included in the same cohort;
13. (13) “Graduation requirements” means Arkansas course and credit requirements needed to earn a high school diploma from an approved program provider;

14. (14)

    1. (A) “High school diploma” means a diploma issued by an accredited institution.
    2. (B) A high school diploma issued under this part is recognized as a secondary school diploma by this state;
15. (15) “Learning plan” means a documented plan for courses or credits needed for each individual in order to complete the program and to fulfill the graduation requirements of an approved program provider;
16. (16) “Measurement period” means the two-year period beginning July 1 of the year the cohort begins through June 30 of the subsequent state fiscal year;
17. (17) “Mentoring” means a direct relationship between a coach and a student to facilitate the completion of the student's learning plan designed to prepare the student to succeed in the program and the student's future endeavors;

18. (18) “Milestones” means the objective measures of progress for which payment is made to an approved program provider under this part, including:

    1. (A) Earned units of high school credits whereby a unit of high school credit equals one-half (1/2) credit;
    2. (B) Attainment of an employability skills certification;
    3. (C) Attainment of a workforce credential that requires less than fifty (50) hours of training;
    4. (D) Attainment of a workforce credential that requires between fifty (50) and one hundred (100) hours of training;
    5. (E) Attainment of a workforce credential that requires over one hundred (100) hours of training; and
    6. (F) Attainment of an accredited high school diploma;
19. (19) “Request for qualifications” means a request for interested public, nonprofit, or other entities to submit evidence that the entity meets the qualifications in 6 CAR § 301-102(b), and if confirmed by the Department of Education, that the requestor is an approved program provider;

20. (20) “Student” means a participant in the program who:

    1. (A) Is twenty-one (21) years of age or older;
    2. (B) Is a resident of the State of Arkansas; and
    3. (C) Has not earned a high school diploma;
21. (21) “Transcript evaluation” means a documented summary of credits earned in previous public or private accredited high schools compared with the program and approved program provider graduation requirements;
22. (22) “Unit of high school credit” means one-half (1/2) high school credit awarded based on a student's demonstration that he or she has successfully met the content expectation for the credit area as defined by subject area standards, expectations, or guidelines; and

23. (23) “Workforce credential” means a third-party credential that is:

    1. (A) Part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time to build an individual's qualifications to advance along a career pathway; or

    2. (B) A credential that:

       1. (i) Verifies an individual's qualification or competence; and

       2. (ii) Is:

          1. (a) (a) Issued by a third party with the relevant authority to issue the credential; or
          2. (b) (b) Aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas as defined by the Arkansas Workforce Development Board.