HB1204
To Require Private Schools To Administer An Annual Statewide Student Assessment; And To Require Private Schools To Admit Each Student Who Applies For Admission And Intends To Cover Private School Costs With State Funding.
Last Action (May 1, 2023): Died in House Committee at Sine Die Adjournment
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
House Bill 1204 mandates that private schools in Arkansas receiving any form of state funding must participate in the state's standardized student assessment system. These private schools are required to administer assessments for literacy, mathematics, science, and English proficiency, and must cover the costs of these tests themselves. The bill further mandates that any private school accepting state funds must admit any student who applies and intends to use state-funded assistance, such as scholarships, for their tuition. A school may only deny admission based on a lack of capacity if it has reached its maximum allowable student-to-teacher ratio under applicable law. Participating schools must report their capacity annually to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill also extends existing requirements for test security, confidentiality, and data reporting to these private schools.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
Students who seek to attend private schools using state-funded scholarship programs (such as the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Program or the Succeed Scholarship Program) are the primary beneficiaries. They benefit from guaranteed access to these institutions, provided the school has the capacity to accept them, and receive standardized performance metrics regarding their academic progress.
Who Might Suffer?
Private schools that receive state funding are most negatively impacted, as they face new mandates regarding admissions processes, the requirement to administer standardized state tests at their own expense, and additional administrative reporting requirements. These schools may lose autonomy in their admissions policies and may incur increased financial and operational burdens associated with state-mandated compliance.
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