§ 6-15-441 - Arkansas College and Career Readiness Planning Program. - Arkansas Statutes

6-15-441. Arkansas College and Career Readiness Planning Program.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "College and career readiness" means that a student is academically ready to succeed in college-level courses or in the workforce without the need to enroll in remedial courses during the student's first year;

(2) "College readiness assessment" means a test of student educational development that measures student readiness for future learning that is used by:

(A) Institutions of higher education as part of their admissions, placement, and scholarship processes; and

(B) High schools to improve college and workforce readiness;

(3) "EXPLORE" means the pre-ACT assessment designed to help students in grade eight (8) explore a broad range of options for their future and focus not only on high school coursework but also on post-high school choices as well;

(4) "PLAN" means the pre-ACT assessment for students in grade ten (10) used to help a student focus attention on improved academic achievement, career preparation, and planning for post-high school years; and

(5) "PSAT" means the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test that provides practice for the SAT Reasoning Test and gives students feedback on individual strengths and weaknesses on college readiness skills.

(b) (1) (A) Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, each public school that serves students in grade eight (8) shall administer EXPLORE to each student enrolled in grade eight (8) at the public school.

(B) Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, each public school that serves students in grade ten (10) shall administer PLAN or the PSAT to each student enrolled in grade (10) at the public school.

(2) Funding for the college readiness assessments listed in subdivision (b)(1) of this section may be paid by using Department of Education at-risk funding.

(c) (1) Each public school administering the college readiness assessments under this section shall use the college readiness assessments to assist students with college and workforce readiness skills, course selection in high school, and improved academic achievement.

(2) By the 2011-2012 school year, each public school shall fully incorporate the results from college readiness assessments listed in subdivision (b)(1) of this section into the college and career planning process for each student.

(d) Data collection shall be maintained by the Department of Education for the purpose of:

(1) Increasing college and career readiness skills;

(2) Improving instruction;

(3) Enhancing school improvement plans; and

(4) Reducing the college remediation rates of students.

(e) The department shall report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education no later than September 31, 2010, and each year thereafter, on the implementation and effectiveness of the College and Career Readiness Planning Program.

(f) The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section and shall monitor the use of college readiness assessments administered under this section to ensure public school compliance.