Arkansas Code
Subchapter 2 - Attendance
§ 6-18-215. School enrollment census — Determining student dropout rates

(a)
(1)
(A) On or before October 1 of each school year, a public school shall conduct a census of all students enrolled at the school to arrive at a school enrollment census total for each grade.
(B) The number of students transferring into the school October 1 through September 30 of the following school year shall be added to the October 1 school enrollment census total for each grade.
(C) The number of students transferring out of the school October 1 through September 30 of the following school year shall be subtracted from the October 1 school enrollment census total for each grade.

(2) The number of students transferring out of a school shall be based on the number of official transcripts requested by other schools.
(3) Each school shall maintain separate records regarding students who leave the public school system to be home-schooled under § 6-15-503.

(b) The school enrollment census total as calculated and adjusted under subsection (a) of this section shall be used to determine the dropout rate for each school as follows:
(1) For grades two through twelve (2-12), the school enrollment census total for the current school year is compared to the school enrollment census total for each of the previous grades of the previous school year; and
(2) For grade one (1), the school enrollment census total for the current school year is compared to the school enrollment census total for the kindergarten class of the previous year.

(c) The graduation rates, as defined by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall be tracked for students in grades nine through twelve (9-12).
(d) The division shall use this section for in-state reporting purposes related to school dropout rates.
(e) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to require school districts to report graduation and dropout data each year in accordance with this section.