(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that:
(1) The National FFA Organization, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc., and 4-H programs in the state involve an education and learning process that is not otherwise available in the regular curriculum of secondary education in Arkansas;
(2) The principles and practices learned by school students in the National FFA Organization, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc., and 4-H programs are highly beneficial to students;
(3) Participation in such programs should be encouraged; and
(4) A method of encouraging participation in such programs is to grant additional excused absences to students who participate in officially sanctioned activities of those organizations.
(b) Therefore, it is the purpose and intent of this section to assure that class absences of students who are participating in sanctioned National FFA Organization, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc., and 4-H activities are excused to such extent as may be determined by the boards of directors of the respective districts, with the participants in the three (3) programs being treated equally with respect to such absences.
(c) Any school district that grants additional excused absences of National FFA Organization member students who attend officially sanctioned National FFA Organization activities shall afford equal treatment to Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc. and 4-H member students who attend the same or similar officially sanctioned activities.
Structure Arkansas Code
Subtitle 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education Generally
§ 6-18-201. Compulsory attendance — Exceptions
§ 6-18-202. Age and residence for attending public schools — Definitions
§ 6-18-203. Attendance in district other than district of residence
§ 6-18-204. Attendance in another district — Conditions
§ 6-18-205. Attendance in another district — Liability
§ 6-18-207. Minimum age for enrollment in public school
§ 6-18-208. Requirements for enrollment in public school — Exceptions
§ 6-18-209. Adoption of student attendance policies — Effect of unexcused absences
§ 6-18-213. Attendance records and reports generally
§ 6-18-214. Records of students leaving school without graduating
§ 6-18-215. School enrollment census — Determining student dropout rates
§ 6-18-217. Records to be kept by teachers
§ 6-18-219. False attendance reports
§ 6-18-221. Cooperation of law enforcement agencies
§ 6-18-222. Penalty for unexcused absences — Revocation of driving privilege — Definition
§ 6-18-223. Credit for college courses
§ 6-18-226. Community truancy boards — Members — Duties
§ 6-18-227. Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act
§ 6-18-228. Attending classes and programs not offered by an assigned school
§ 6-18-229. Service as page for General Assembly
§ 6-18-230. Minimum age for enrolling in prekindergarten
§ 6-18-231. Additional absences for Arkansas National Guard members
§ 6-18-232. Enrollment of private school or home school students
§ 6-18-233. School choice for children in foster care — Definition