{"data":{"id":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-6-16-1801","jurisdiction":"us-ar","citation":"Ark. Code Ann. § 6-16-1801","heading":"Career-ready pathways description","body":"(a) Beginning with the ninth grade class of 2024-2025, a public high school student shall have the option to earn a high school diploma through a career-ready pathway. (b) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with other relevant state agencies and subject to the approval of the State Board of Education, shall develop a career-ready pathway to a high school diploma in Arkansas's high schools, which shall include: (1) Challenging academic courses; and (2) Modern career and technical studies aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas. (c) A career-ready pathway shall be informed by the division's annual audit of the state's career pathways. (d) The state board shall adopt course and curriculum requirements for career-ready pathways offered by public school district boards of directors and open-enrollment public charter schools that are aligned with the requirements of this subchapter. (e) (1) A public school district shall issue a diploma to a student who successfully completes the requirements established by the state board for a career-ready pathway. (2) (A) A diploma issued to a student under subdivision (e)(1) of this section shall be given the same status and recognition for purposes of the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, § 6-15-2901 et seq., as is given a standard diploma issued by a public school district. (B) A public school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall not be penalized in any manner for students who are issued a diploma through a career-ready pathway. Added by Act 2023, No. 237,§ 20, eff. 3/8/2023.\n\n(a) Beginning with the ninth grade class of 2024-2025, a public high school student shall have the option to earn a high school diploma through a career-ready pathway.\n\n(b) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with other relevant state agencies and subject to the approval of the State Board of Education, shall develop a career-ready pathway to a high school diploma in Arkansas's high schools, which shall include: (1) Challenging academic courses; and (2) Modern career and technical studies aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas.\n\n(1) Challenging academic courses; and\n\n(2) Modern career and technical studies aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas.\n\n(c) A career-ready pathway shall be informed by the division's annual audit of the state's career pathways.\n\n(d) The state board shall adopt course and curriculum requirements for career-ready pathways offered by public school district boards of directors and open-enrollment public charter schools that are aligned with the requirements of this subchapter.\n\n(e) (1) A public school district shall issue a diploma to a student who successfully completes the requirements established by the state board for a career-ready pathway. (2) (A) A diploma issued to a student under subdivision (e)(1) of this section shall be given the same status and recognition for purposes of the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, § 6-15-2901 et seq., as is given a standard diploma issued by a public school district. (B) A public school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall not be penalized in any manner for students who are issued a diploma through a career-ready pathway.\n\n(1) A public school district shall issue a diploma to a student who successfully completes the requirements established by the state board for a career-ready pathway.\na standard diploma issued by a public school district. (B) A public school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall not be penalized in any manner for students who are issued a diploma through a career-ready pathway.\n\n(1) A public school district shall issue a diploma to a student who successfully completes the requirements established by the state board for a career-ready pathway.\n\n(2) (A) A diploma issued to a student under subdivision (e)(1) of this section shall be given the same status and recognition for purposes of the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, § 6-15-2901 et seq., as is given a standard diploma issued by a public school district. (B) A public school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall not be penalized in any manner for students who are issued a diploma through a career-ready pathway.\n\n(A) A diploma issued to a student under subdivision (e)(1) of this section shall be given the same status and recognition for purposes of the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, § 6-15-2901 et seq., as is given a standard diploma issued by a public school district.\n\n(B) A public school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall not be penalized in any manner for students who are issued a diploma through a career-ready pathway.","path":["AR Code","Title 6","Chapter 16","Subchapter 18"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_ar_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:41Z","sha256":"a9b7308c0403a4c8a4aeadb1b866c3b15fbcb20ef260e8466aac24949f7038e9","source_id":"us-ar","stale":false,"prev":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-6-16-1705","next":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-6-16-1802"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}