AR HB1017

Allows the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act of 1983 to be waived when a public school or school district is placed under state authority due to academic, fiscal, or facilities distress.

Amends Arkansas Code § 6-15-430(a)(4) to remove the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act from the list of laws that cannot be waived when a district is in academic distress.

Applies the same waiver authority to individual public schools classified as academically distressed under § 6-15-430(b), while maintaining exceptions for the Public School Employee Fair Hearing Act.

Extends waiver authority to the Commissioner of Education for districts in fiscal distress under § 6-20-1909(a)(4) and to the Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation for districts in facilities distress under § 6-21-811(g)(5).

Preserves the Public School Employee Fair Hearing Act, § 6-17-1701 et seq., as a protected law that cannot be waived in any distress situation.