A.C.A. § 6-15-2012(b) states, “(b) a high school shall provide for each student who does not meet the college and career readiness standards under the assessment: (1) one or more transitional courses designed to help the student reach college and career readiness standards; and (2) related strategies to allow for accelerated skill and knowledge development consistent with the college and career readiness standards.” Arkansas schools may fulfill these requirements by offering DESE approved Transitional courses: one each for Math and Literacy. Academic advisors should work with students and parents to determine if the transitional course being offered is appropriate. Prior academic classes, post-secondary intentions, scores, and other appropriate information, whether qualitative or quantitative, should be considered when determining appropriateness of a transitional course. Transitional courses are rigorous and are not to be confused with remediation.

Course Options for Transitional Literacy

Option 1: Transitional Literacy Ready (496030) - Career Focus Credit

Option 2: Transitional Literacy (496040) - Career Focus Credit

Option 3: Transitional English 12 (413010) - English Credit

• Transitional English 12 includes the two English units from the SREB Transitional Literacy course: Unit 1 Informational Text (anchored by Nicholas Carr’s The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains) and Unit 2 Literary Text (anchored by Philip K. Dick’s Ubik). A third ELA unit uses Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream as the anchor text. Adding an additional unit will give teachers of the course some flexibility in selecting 2 ELA units. Teachers and schools can decide between the science fiction novel offered in Unit 2 or the drama offered in Unit 3. The Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) Literacy Ready Modules and requisite curriculum are available for download at https://www.sreb.org/literacy-ready.
• SREB English units require at least 12 weeks of instructional time. 
• Teachers/districts will complement the SREB units with ELA curriculum that addresses the Arkansas English Language Arts Standards for Grade 12, specifically those standards not covered by the SREB units. 
• Teachers/districts should choose curriculum that BOTH addresses the standards not covered in the SREB ELA units AND reinforces standards already taught in the units. 
• In Transitional English 12, students receive instruction in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language, emphasizing literary and informational texts from diverse genres in print and digital formats. The texts selected for the course must be within the Grade 11-12 text complexity band and increase in complexity over time. The course closely examines unique characteristics of literary and informational texts and emphasizes the specific strategies needed to comprehend them. Transitional English 12 focuses on developing the requisite literacy skills for success in higher education and the workforce. These texts will also be used as models for student writing products, emphasizing both informational and argumentative types.