An act TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING HIGHER EDUCATION, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas                  As Engrossed: H4/1/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                          A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                           HOUSE BILL 1728

4

5 By: Representative Ennett

6 By: Senator B. Davis

7

8                            For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING HIGHER EDUCATION;

10  TO REQUIRE REPORTING ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS

11  RECEIVING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A DISABILITY AT

12  INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; TO AMEND THE

13  COMPREHENSIVE ARKANSAS HIGHER EDUCATION ANNUAL REPORT

14  TO INCLUDE REPORTING ON STUDENTS RECEIVING

15  ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A DISABILITY; AND FOR OTHER

16  PURPOSES.

17

18

19                                     Subtitle

20                       TO REQUIRE REPORTING ON THE NUMBER OF

21                       STUDENTS RECEIVING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A

22                       DISABILITY AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER

23                       EDUCATION.

24

25 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

26

27  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 60, Subchapter 1, is amended

28 to add an additional section to read as follows:

29  6-60-123. Findings -- Students with disabilities.

30  (a) The General Assembly finds that:

31  (1) The state does not collect or report statewide data to

32 examine the postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities;

33  (2) The lack of information on postsecondary outcomes for

34 students with disabilities prevents the state from connecting students with

35 disabilities to the workforce; and

36  (3) In order to meet the economic demands of the state, it is

    *CRH066*                                                      04-01-2025 10:09:41 CRH066
    As Engrossed: H4/1/25                                                   HB1728

1 essential to collect significant data and examine the postsecondary services,

2 supports, and accommodations necessary for students with disabilities to

3 improve postsecondary education and career outcomes.

4   (b)(1) An institution of higher education that is eligible to receive

5 Title IV federal student aid funds shall report annually to the Division of

6 Higher Education the number of students with disabilities at the institution

7 of higher education based upon the number of students with disabilities who

8 are registered to receive accommodations.

9   (2) The report under subdivision (b)(1) of this section shall

10 include key data related to undergraduate students enrolled at the

11 institution of higher education who are formally registered as students with

12 disabilities with the office of disability services or an equivalent office

13 at the institution of higher education including without limitation the:

14                  (A) Number of students registered to receive

15 accommodations;

16                  (B) Percentage of students registered to receive

17 accommodations of all undergraduate students; and

18                  (C) Total number of undergraduate certificates or degrees

19 awarded to students with disabilities who are registered to receive

20 accommodations.

21  (3) An institution of higher education is not required to submit

22 the information described in subdivision (b)(2) of this section if the:

23                  (A) Number of students would reveal personally

24 identifiable information about an individual student; or

25                  (B) Total number of students with disabilities is less

26 than three percent (3%) of the total student population.

27  (c) The division shall include the number of students with

28 disabilities registered to receive accommodations included in the report

29 under subdivision (b)(1) of this section in the Comprehensive Arkansas Higher

30 Education Annual Report required under � 6-60-703.

31

32  SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 6-60-703(b)(1), concerning the reports

33 required for the Comprehensive Arkansas Higher Education Annual Report, is

34 amended to add an additional subdivision to read as follows:

35                  (I) Students with disabilities, � 6-60-123;

36

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