Quality Education Act of 2003

In 2003, the Arkansas General Assembly enacted a bill intended to implement at the state level the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. This measure updated the Quality Education Act of 1983. Designated as Act 1467 of 2003 and cited in the Arkansas Code as “The Quality Education Act of 2003” (§ 6-15-201-209), the measure often is referred to as “the Omnibus Act.” Addressed primarily to the State Board of Education and the Arkansas Department of Education, it speaks to the following areas: • Development of state accreditation regulations and standards; • Notification of schools failing to meet accreditation standards; • Probationary status of schools failing to meet accreditation standards; • Enforcement of state accreditation standards; and • Publication and dissemination of public notice concerning the status of schools and school districts with respect to meeting accreditation standards