Alternative Education
The Office of Alternative Education is part of the Division of Learning Services. The Division shall identify information concerning best practices for educating students in Alternative Learning Environments and disseminate that information to teachers and administrators working in Alternative Learning Environments (Ark. Code Ann. § 6-48-104).
Scholarship Opportunities
Teacher Qualifications
Arkansas Qualified Teachers (AQT) - The State Board of Education has approved an additional option for Alternative Education teachers to demonstrate content knowledge, as required by the AQT rules. This option can be seen at: CM LIC-17-001.
The Office of Alternative Education Mission
The Office of Alternative Education's Mission team works with schools to ensure that students who require a non-traditional educational environment have opportunities to learn at high levels. It is the mission of the Alternative Education team to provide leadership, support, and service to schools, districts, and communities so every student graduates prepared for college, career, and community engagement.
Annual Report
State law (Ark. Code Ann. § 6-48-104) requires that the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education submit a report annually to the state legislature. The data gathered from the annual report and program descriptions assist in developing information provided in that report. The Arkansas Public School Computer Network and the ADE Data Center also provide data.
| Document | Description |
Districts are required to submit a new program description every three years. This document reflects when each district is to renew. NOTE: The AE application is now incorporated into the AR App. | |
| eSchool ALE Coding (PDF) | This document assists with accurately coding students as receiving AltEd services in eSchool. |
| eSchool Cycle 7 AE Report (PDF) | This document assists data entry personnel in accurately entering data for Cycle 7 Comprehensive ALE Report. |
| ALE Annual Contact Information Form Link | To improve communication, update this contact list when there are changes to AltEd designated personnel. |
| Example-Teacher Contact Information Form (XLSX) |
Standards and Quality Indicators
The Office of Alternative Education is dedicated to improving the quality of education for Arkansas' hardest to reach students. The Quality Program Indicators Self-Assessment Tool can be used to inform improvement efforts for Alternative Education programs. This tool is located under Related Files on this webpage.
Alternative Education Sample Forms
The following forms may be used to meet the documentation requirements in the rules governing alternative education. Districts are free to develop district-specific forms, so long as all required information is documented.
| Required Forms | English Version | Marshallese Version | Spanish Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative Education Exit Form | |||
| Alternative Education Exit Form (Senior) | |||
| Alternative Education Joint Agreement | |||
| Alternative Education Placement Conference Decision Form | |||
| Alternative Education Referral Form | coming soon | coming soon | |
| Alternative Education Student Action Plan | coming soon | coming soon | |
| Alternative Education Student Action Plan (Senior) | coming soon | coming soon | |
| Alternative Education Student Action Plan Review | |||
| Alternative Education Student Folder Outline | coming soon | coming soon | |
| Alternative Education Transition Plan | |||
| Alternative Education Transition Plan 2 | coming soon | coming soon |
Alternative Education Training Hub
Alternative Education Leadership Day
Alternative Education in Arkansas Podcast
Join the DESE Office of Alternative Education staff, as well as experts in related areas, for discussions about alternative education topics of interest.
Link: https://www.spreaker.com/show/alternative-education-in-arkansas
For more information, please contact:
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Learning Services
Phone: 501-580-5660
Email: CW.Gardenhire@ade.arkansas.gov
Lisa Johnson, Program Advisor
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Learning Services
Phone: 501-580-2775
Email: Lisa.Johnson@ade.arkansas.gov
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Learning Services
Phone: 501-682-6094
Email: Darrell.Farmer@ade.arkansas.gov
Related Files
Related Links
