HB1781

House Bill 1781 amends Arkansas Code concerning the use of alternative methods of instruction (AMI) during school closures. The bill reduces the maximum number of days the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education may grant for alternative instruction from ten days down to five days. These alternative methods include virtual learning, which schools may utilize during closures caused by emergencies such as inclement weather, disease outbreaks, or utility outages. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that these approved alternative instruction days must count toward the total number of on-site, in-person instruction days that public school districts are required to maintain by law or administrative rule.