Arkansas § 6-15-2801 - Definitions.

§ 6-15-2801. Definitions.

As used in this subchapter: “District of innovation” means a public school district with one (1) or more schools of innovation that has: Submitted a school of innovation application in compliance with § 6-15-2803; Obtained necessary exceptions from laws, rules, and local policies to improve the educational performance of students from the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Been approved as a district of innovation by the commissioner; “Eligible employees” means the employees who are employed at a school that is considering being designated as a school of innovation; “Innovation” means a new or creative alternative to the existing instructional and administrative practices that is intended to improve academic performance and learning for all students; “School council of innovation” means a body of individuals from a current or aspiring school of innovation composed of teachers, classified employees, the building-level principal or his or her administrative designee, parents, community members, a minimum of two (2) students from the school of innovation, and other interested parties selected by the school council of innovation to participate. The teacher representatives shall be elected by a majority vote of the school's licensed eligible employees. The classified representatives shall be elected by a majority vote of the school's classified eligible employees. The parent representatives shall be selected by a majority vote of the attendees at a meeting called for the purpose of selecting the school's parent representatives and shall have a child in the school to be eligible to serve on the school council of innovation. Schools with a ten percent (10%) or greater minority student population shall have minority representation on the school council of innovation. The school council of innovation shall: Generate innovative ideas and proposals of its own; Determine a method for requesting innovative ideas and proposals from school employees, community members, and other stakeholders to be submitted to the school council of innovation; Receive innovative ideas and proposals from school employees, community members, and other stakeholders; Consider all innovative ideas and proposals submitted by community members and other stakeholders; and Determine the content and format of the plan that will be voted on by the eligible employees. The school council of innovation may create subcommittees, which may include noncouncil members, to work on developing portions of the plan; and “School of innovation” means a school that participates in a district of innovation to transform and improve teaching and learning. A school of innovation's plan is subject to the exceptions approved by the commissioner for the school of innovation.