HB1484
To Limit The Number Of Credits A Student May Obtain In A Course Credit Recovery Program.
AI-Generated Summary
This Arkansas legislative bill, House Bill 1484, proposes to amend existing law regarding course credit recovery programs for high school students. Beginning with the 2025-2026 ninth-grade class, students participating in these programs will be limited to obtaining a maximum of ten (10) total credits towards their graduation requirements. This limitation applies to credits earned throughout grades nine through twelve. However, the bill outlines eleven specific exceptions to this ten-credit cap. These exceptions include students with individualized education programs, students in foster care, those in the custody of the Division of Youth Services, and homeless students. It also exempts students in long-term mental health or medical hospital placements, pregnant students, and those identified as high-risk or needing intensive intervention. Furthermore, students enrolled full-time in statewide open-enrollment virtual charter schools or credit recovery open-enrollment public charter schools are excluded. Students served in English as a Second Language programs are also exempt. The bill defines "long-term placement" as an absence from school for thirty or more days in a single semester due to prescribed care in a mental health facility or medical hospital.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
['Students who utilize credit recovery programs and do not fall under any of the listed exceptions are the primary beneficiaries as they will be limited to a defined number of credits in these programs. This could encourage more timely completion of graduation requirements for the general student population. The Arkansas public education system, as a whole, may also benefit from standardized credit recovery limits, potentially leading to more efficient graduation pathways and resource allocation within schools. Furthermore, the specific categories of students who are exempt from the credit limit, such as those with individualized education programs, in foster care, or facing significant medical or mental health challenges, are indirectly beneficiaries as their individualized needs are recognized and accommodated.', 'Students who utilize credit recovery programs and do not fall under any of the listed exceptions are the primary beneficiaries as they will be limited to a defined number of credits in these programs. This could encourage more timely completion of graduation requirements for the general student population. The Arkansas public education system, as a whole, may also benefit from standardized credit recovery limits, potentially leading to more efficient graduation pathways and resource allocation within schools. Furthermore, the specific categories of students who are exempt from the credit limit, such as those with individualized education programs, in foster care, or facing significant medical or mental health challenges, are indirectly beneficiaries as their individualized needs are recognized and accommodated.']
Who Might Suffer?
['Students who rely heavily on credit recovery programs to make up for failed courses and may require more than ten credits to meet graduation requirements are the most directly negatively impacted. If these students do not qualify for any of the enumerated exceptions, they may face additional challenges in meeting their high school graduation timelines. This could potentially delay their graduation or necessitate alternative pathways to earn the necessary credits. Schools and educational administrators may also experience an impact as they will need to implement and enforce these new credit limitations, potentially requiring adjustments to their credit recovery program structures and student advising processes.']