Legal Services
NEW: Please see the Arkansas Education Legislation Review guide for the 94th General Assembly! The document contains a summary of K-12 legislation that was passed during the last legislative session.
This mission of the Office of Legal Services is to provide timely and accurate legal services to the Commissioner, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), and the State Board of Education in order to support the Department and the Board in their efforts to provide a quality public education to all children in Arkansas.
The Office of Legal Services strives to:
- Ensure that all business conducted by the Arkansas Department of Education and the State Board of Education meets federal and state legal requirements;
- Assist in the promulgation and provision of policies, forms, and guides to streamline the legal office’s ability to promptly respond to its clients’ needs;
- Upon request, educate stakeholders and other constituents concerning Arkansas and federal law, rules, and standards; and
- Assist the Arkansas Department of Education in administrative functions that require legal input, including but not limited to, criminal background checks, test investigations, Act 1381/1599 requests, and Freedom of Information Act requests.
DISCLAIMER: The attorneys of the Office of Legal Services provide legal advice and support to the State Board of Education, the Commissioner of Education, and the various divisions and units of the Arkansas Department of Education. ADE attorneys do not represent local schools or the general public, and they will not provide legal advice or services to local schools or the general public.
Any communication with an ADE attorney in his or her official capacity by a member of the general public or a local school district employee or agent is not privileged and is subject to public release under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Please note that ADE generally has no authority to intervene in local school district decisions regarding personnel or student discipline.