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Board approves broad package of policy updates to align with new state laws and ASBA numbering
Summary
The board approved multiple policy revisions to incorporate recent Arkansas legislative changes and renumber policies to align with Arkansas School Board Association guidance; updates cover attendance, transfers, harassment rules, discipline, extracurricular eligibility and more.
The Bentonville School District board approved a broad package of student- and discipline-related policy updates intended to reflect recent state legislative changes and to align district policy numbering with the Arkansas School Board Association (ASBA).
The superintendent’s staff presented a package that updated entrance requirements, compulsory attendance, student transfers and school choice policies to reflect Acts listed by staff (for example Act 501, Act 728, Act 918 among others). The package also updated absence rules to add excused absences for political speech under Acts 340 and 341 (identified as the Arkansas Access Acts), added excused absences for children of fallen service members and first responders (Act 794), and revised student discipline language to move from positive behavioral supports to a multi-tiered behavioral intervention model (Act 804).
Staff said several policies were being renumbered to align with ASBA’s organization. The administration noted a suite of changes that also included updates related to harassment regulations (directing districts to use the 2020 harassment regulations rather than 2024 regulations for certain policies), additions for Title VI coordinator requirements tied to preventing antisemitism (Act 721), updates to student medication policies to address nasal spray epinephrine and diabetes information (Act 245 and Act 801), requirements for cardiac emergency response plans in drills (Act 352), and changes to extracurricular eligibility for transfer, homeschool and private school students (Act 475).
Miss Sharp, who presented the item, answered board questions about how private school students would be eligible for participation—explaining participation is prorated based on enrollment in one class—and whether certain emergency definitions (for example early dismissal or tornado notifications) would be covered under a cell-phone/emergency exception; she said she would confirm procedural details for parents.
Willie moved approval of the policy package; Jennifer seconded. The board voted unanimously to approve the changes as presented.
Staff said many of the updates were a direct response to recent legislation from Little Rock and that further policy updates may follow as statutes evolve.
