SB570

Senate Bill 570 amends the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act and the Public School Choice Act of 2015 to modify school transfer policies, specifically for students connected to the military. The bill creates an exception to traditional transfer deadlines for students who are dependents of active-duty military personnel, reservists, or veterans in specific circumstances, allowing them to transfer at different times throughout the year. It also establishes standardized procedures for school districts to claim a lack of capacity as a basis for denying transfer requests, requiring that such denials adhere strictly to student-to-teacher ratios. Additionally, the bill prohibits discrimination based on protected classes in the transfer process and mandates that districts offer multiple methods, such as email and mail, for submitting transfer applications. It further requires districts to provide written notification of acceptance or rejection of a transfer request within 15 days of receiving the application.