172.00.18 Ark. Code R. 002
SPECIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR SECONDARY TECHNICAL CENTERS
* a region that is currently not being served by a center
* program alignment with state and regional economic development strategies and workforce priorities.
A center will not be approved within 25 miles of an existing center unless it can be demonstrated that the creation of a new center will not adversely impact adjoining centers.
All existing satellite programs shall be required to submit an MOU identifying the program, location, participating schools and projected enrollment from participating schools. Host schools will be required to submit a letter of support for the satellite program. Existing satellite programs will be subject to the same guidelines as new satellite programs to be reviewed at the end of a five-year period.
All satellite program(s) affected by school consolidation that are reduced to single school status will be re-evaluated as to the status of a satellite program(s).
A secondary technical center to be designated as a regional technical center shall be approved by CEWDB.
The sponsoring institution/entity shall adopt official employee policies and procedures, including a salary schedule, sick leave, inclement weather, grievance, benefits, and other policies. These must be adopted by the start of the second semester of operation.
The sponsoring institution/entity shall adopt a student handbook outlining the rules and regulations relating to discipline, attendance, hand tools, textbooks, OCR Grievance Procedures, and other matters. These must be adopted by the start of the second semester of operation.
Class periods shall conform to the minimum class hours established by the Standards for Accreditation of Public Schools and AdvanceEd. Travel time shall not be counted in the time on task determination. In order to restructure a program of study, the secondary technical center may work with the Department of Career Education to implement course designs and class lengths.
The secondary technical center director and the administration of the local school district shall determine responsibility for transporting students to and from the local school to a secondary technical center.
Expansion of secondary technical centers into areas not being served is a priority of the Department of Career Education. The ARCareerEd Director may, upon request, make exceptions to the stated policies when such requests are supported by adequate justification.
* Access is an attempt for every high school student in Arkansas to have the opportunity to participate in any of a minimum of three occupation-specific technical programs offered within 25 miles or 30 minutes of the home school.
* Capacity of a secondary technical center is determined by multiplying the number of blocks of occupation-specific programs (two or three hours) by 20.
* Concurrent credit is received by high school career and technical education students who take classes offered through an institution of higher education. These classes will be transcripted by the local high school for secondary credit and by the institution of higher education for college credit.
* Eligible student is a student enrolled in grades 10-12 and who is pursuing a program of study in a secondary technical center.
* Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) shall be considered the equivalent of one student attending class for six class periods per day per year, e.g., one student attending a three period class the full year would be equal to one-half FTE. Travel time cannot be included in FTE count.
* Local districts are the districts in the locality, which are eligible to participate in secondary technical center programs.
* Occupation-specific programs are technical programs, which have paid employment in specific occupations as their objectives.
* Private and/or home-schooled students are eligible to participate in secondary technical center programs through the local school district in which they officially reside.
* Regional technical center is defined as a secondary technical center having the same expanded service area as approved by CEWDB.
* Satellite location is the extension of a secondary technical center located outside the boundaries of an existing center (25 miles or 30 minutes of driving time) or to students in isolated areas. Satellite locations will be provided by an approved secondary technical center and must be shared by more than one school district. All satellite locations require the approval of the CEWDB.
Secondary technical center is a public secondary technical institution organized for the specific purpose of educating high school students in specific occupational/technical programs. A center will serve students from more than one participating high school. Students eligible to attend a secondary technical center will generally come from a twenty-five (25) mile radius or thirty (30) minute driving time from the local school.
* Sponsoring institution is a comprehensive high school, a postsecondary technical institute, a two-year or community/technical college, an education service cooperative, or any other entity authorized by law that has been approved by the CEWDB. The sponsoring institution will function as the fiscal agent and will manage and administer the secondary technical center. (Reference ACA 6-51-301 to 6-51-305)
* Training fees are the fees set in accordance with ACA 6-20-2305(2)(A) and shall be calculated from the eligible student FTE count. The secondary technical center shall bill the sending schools for these fees in the fall and spring semesters.
* Vocational center aid is calculated and distributed by the Department of Career Education based upon each secondary technical center's eligible student FTE count once the sending schools have been reimbursed from the previous school year's training fees.
172.00.18 Ark. Code R. 002