SB295 Summary

• Establishes the Arkansas Education Bill of Rights and Responsibilities as a new subchapter under Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 11, defining student rights to educational resources and opportunities

• Guarantees all public school students equitable access to nine categories of educational opportunities including qualified teachers, early childhood programs, college preparatory curricula, career readiness training, instructional resources, and supportive learning environments free from harassment

• Requires the State Board of Education to develop standards measuring equal opportunity to learn and mandates school districts include these assessments in their improvement plans, with academic distress sanctions for districts failing to provide promised opportunities

• Establishes parent and community engagement rights including access to clear academic standards, student achievement information, school performance data disaggregated by student subgroups, and disciplinary statistics

• Defines parent and student responsibilities including school attendance, homework completion, timely arrival, and parental participation in conferences, while specifying the law does not create enforceable private rights of action against public officials