Bill > HB1864

This bill amends Arkansas school calendar regulations to establish a standardized flexible school calendar system for public schools, with several key provisions taking effect in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill requires public school districts and charter schools to start the school year on or after July 1 and end by June 30, maintain a minimum of 178 school days and 1,068 instructional hours, and include 190 teacher contract days. Schools must now provide at least 40 minutes of daily recess for elementary students, with supervised social time that includes opportunities for free play and physical activity. The bill also establishes new guidelines for making up missed instructional time due to emergencies like contagious disease outbreaks, inclement weather, utility outages, or safety threats. Additionally, the legislation repeals previous statutes related to twelve-month school years, four-day school weeks, and emergency school closures, consolidating school calendar regulations into a more comprehensive and flexible framework. Schools must post their calendars online by July 1 each year and provide detailed data to the state education division to ensure compliance with the new requirements.

Education

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1864&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R