(a)(1) The Department of Education may develop a program to: (A) Identify qualified tutors;(B) Identify a curriculum to support children preparing to enter kindergarten through grade six (K-6) in the content areas of math and reading and ensure that the identified curriculum is aligned with Arkansas academic standards;(C) Ensure training modules related to the identified curriculum are provided to qualified tutors before the qualified tutors begin tutoring;(D) Ensure ongoing support is provided to qualified tutors; and(E) Coordinate with Arkansas public schools and open-enrollment public charter schools to ensure tutoring is offered at qualified tutoring sites or virtually, leveraging existing digital platforms.(2) The program developed under subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be designed to deploy qualified tutors in a manner that:(A) Offers statewide coverage; and(B) Increases opportunities for students in rural areas.(b) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education may:(1) Develop, in coordination with the Division of Higher Education and Arkansas institutions of higher education, incentive structures such as course credit for participating qualified tutors; and(2) (1) Develop, in coordination with the Division of Higher Education and Arkansas institutions of higher education, incentive structures such as course credit for participating qualified tutors; and(2) Develop guidelines for public schools and open-enrollment public charter schools to use funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2, to provide compensation and stipends to qualified tutors serving their students in the near term.(c) The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section.Added by Act 2021, No. 912,§ 1, eff. 4/26/2021.
Arkansas Legal Code