Public School Accountability
The Office of Public School Accountability provides support and guidance to districts with respect to state and federal laws, rules, and regulations. The foremost obligation of the Office of Public School Accountability shall be to administer all monitoring and compliance activities dealing with academic and fiscal accountability for each school or district and to report academic progress. (Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-102). The office includes the following units:
- The Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) Student Application Unit maintains a statewide computer system linking all Arkansas public school systems and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as required by Act 4 of 1992. The mission of APSCN is to provide all Arkansas public school systems electronic access to administrative computing services that provide state and local decision makers accurate, timely and comprehensive information.
- The Assessment Unit shall implement a statewide student assessment system to be administered by Arkansas public schools on a schedule determined by the State Board. All students enrolled in a public school district shall participate in the statewide student assessment system. All public school districts shall comply with the requirements of the assessment system including field testing and any other requirements needed to establish fully developed assessments. A public school district that fails to comply with requirements placed on the public school district by the State Board pursuant to these rules is in probationary violation of the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts and subject to action by the State Board.
- The School Performance and Monitoring unit provides annual reports on school progress (in the areas of student achievement and growth in ELA and Mathematics) to Arkansas stakeholders and provides assistance to schools identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement. This unit also analyzes data concerning academic progress and compliance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations to determine and organize the annual monitoring of districts by the Office of Public School Accountability.
- The Standards & Systems Support unit provides support to districts and schools to ensure that the educational foundation is established and maintained through adherence to the Standards for Accreditation (SFA). Specialists in this unit assist with SFA and general support to districts. The director will coordinate efforts with the monitoring unit to ensure compliance of schools and districts with laws, rules, and SFA as set forth by the Arkansas State Board of Education.
If you would like to request data on the K-12 public school system in Arkansas, please visit the Data & Research Request Application webpage.
For more information, please contact:
Phone: 501-682-5891
Cell: 501-551-8347
Email: Hope.Worsham@ade.arkansas.gov
Michelle Johnson, Director of Assessment
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
Public School Accountability
Four Capitol Mall, Box 26
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-404-6234
Email: Michelle.Johnson@ade.arkansas.gov
Carmen Jordan, Director of APSCN Student Support Services
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
Public School Accountability
Four Capitol Mall, Box 26
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-4887
Email: Carmen.Jordan@ade.arkansas.gov
Brooke McCain, Director of Standards and Systems Support
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
Public School Accountability
Four Capitol Mall, Box 26
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-4379
Email: Brooke.McCain@ade.arkansas.gov