SB364

Senate Bill 364 mandates that the Arkansas State Board of Education must establish clear, written criteria for how a public school district classified as 'Level 5 – Intensive Support' can return to local control. This requirement must be met within two years of the State Board assuming authority over such a district. The bill establishes a five-year timeline by which these districts must either meet the exit criteria to regain full local control or face state-mandated annexation, consolidation, or reconstitution. It further clarifies the processes for returning governance to a democratically elected board of directors once the criteria are met. The legislation aims to create more transparency and predictability regarding the state's intervention in struggling school districts. It balances the state's oversight role with the goal of restoring community governance.