Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1571
4
5 By: Representative Ray
6 By: Senator B. Davis
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS ADULT DIPLOMA PROGRAM
10 ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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12
13 Subtitle
14 TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS ADULT DIPLOMA
15 PROGRAM ACT.
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17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
18
19 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 6-44-302(3), concerning the definition of
20 "adult dropout recovery services" under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program
21 Act, is amended to read as follows:
22 (3) "Adult dropout recovery services" means any type of
23 assistance provided to a diploma-seeking student, including without
24 limitation:
25 (A) Sourcing, recruitment, and engagement;
26 (B) Learning plan development;
27 (C) Active teaching; and
28 (D) Proactive coaching and mentoring;
29
30 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 6-44-302(18), concerning the definition of
31 "milestones" under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act, is amended to read
32 as follows:
33 (18) "Milestones" means the objective measures of progress for
34 which payment is made to an approved program provider under this subchapter,
35 including:
36 (A) Earned units of high school credit credits whereby a
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1 unit of high school credit equals one half (1/2) credit;
2 (B) Attainment of an employability skills certification;
3 (C) Attainment of a workforce credential that requires
4 less than fifty (50) hours of training; and
5 (D) Attainment of a workforce credential that requires
6 between fifty-one (51) and one hundred (100) hours of training;
7 (E) Attainment of a workforce credential that requires
8 over one hundred (100) hours of training; and
9 (D)(F) Attainment of an accredited high school diploma;
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11 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 6-44-302(22), concerning the definition of
12 "unit of high school credit" under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act, is
13 amended to read as follows:
14 (22) "Unit of high school credit" means one half (1/2) high school
15 credit awarded based on a student's demonstration that he or she has
16 successfully met the content expectation for the credit area as defined by
17 subject area standards, expectations, or guidelines; and
18
19 SECTION 4. Arkansas Code � 6-44-305 is amended to read as follows:
20 6-44-305. Payment.
21 (a) An approved program provider shall not receive funding for a
22 student under this subchapter if the approved program provider also receives
23 federal or state funding or private tuition for the student.
24 (b) An approved program provider shall:
25 (1) Receive reimbursement for an enrolled, eligible student who
26 meets the milestones defined in � 6-44-302; and
27 (2) Invoice only for course and credit requirements needed to
28 earn a high school diploma from an approved program provider that may include
29 additional courses that meet workforce credential requirements.
30 (c) The Department of Education shall pay an approved program provider
31 the following amounts for each student who completes the following
32 milestones:
33 (1) Two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each:
34 (A) Completed half (1/2) high school credit;
35 (B) Completed employability skills certification; and
36 (C) Earned workforce credential that requires no more than
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1 fifty (50) hours of training;
2 (2) Five hundred dollars ($500) for each earned workforce
3 credential that requires at least fifty (50) hours but no more than one
4 hundred (100) hours of training;
5 (3) Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) for each earned workforce
6 credential that requires more than one hundred (100) hours of training; and
7 (4) One thousand dollars ($1,000) for each earned high school
8 diploma.
9
10 SECTION 5. Arkansas Code � 6-44-306(b), concerning the process for
11 paying invoices under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act, is amended to
12 read as follows:
13 (b)(1) The department shall pay an approved program provider in the
14 order in which invoices are submitted until all available funds are
15 exhausted.
16 (2) Once all available funds are exhausted under subdivision
17 (b)(1) of this section the department shall notify all approved program
18 providers that funds are exhausted.
19
20 SECTION 6. Arkansas Code � 6-44-307(a)(2), concerning the annual
21 reporting required under the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act related to
22 earned high school credits is amended to read as follows:
23 (2) Total number of half high school credits earned by students
24 for whom the approved program provider is receiving payments under the
25 program;
26
27 SECTION 7. Arkansas Code � 6-44-308(b)(1), concerning the placement of
28 an approved program provider on probationary status under the Arkansas Adult
29 Diploma Program Act, is amended to read as follows:
30 (b)(1)(A) The department shall place an approved program provider that
31 does not meet the minimum program performance standards identified in � 6-44-
32 304 and subsection (a) of this section on probationary status for the
33 remainder of the fiscal year.
34 (B) An approved program provider placed on probationary
35 status under subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section shall submit an
36 improvement plan to the department.
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1
2 SECTION 8. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 44, Subchapter 3, is amended
3 to add an additional section to read as follows:
4 6-44-309. Rules.
5 The Department of Education, in consultation with the Office of Skills
6 Development, shall promulgate rules to implement this act.
7
8 SECTION 9. DO NOT CODIFY. Rules.
9 (a) When adopting the initial rules required under this act, the
10 Department of Education shall file the final rules with the Secretary of
11 State for adoption under � 25-15-204(f):
12 (1) On or before January 1, 2026; or
13 (2) If approval under � 10-3-309 has not occurred by January 1,
14 2026, as soon as practicable after approval under � 10-3-309.
15 (b) The department shall file the proposed rules with the Legislative
16 Council under � 10-3-309(c) sufficiently in advance of January 1, 2026, so
17 that the Legislative Council may consider the rules for approval before
18 January 1, 2026.
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4 02/21/2025 4:11:48 PM CRH044Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.