2021 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters PART B – Arkansas

400 MARYLAND AVE. S.W., WASHINGTON DC 20202 - 2600 www.ed.gov The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equ al access. U NITED S TATES D EPARTMENT OF E DUCATION O FFICE OF S PECIAL E DUCATION AND R EHABILITATIVE S ERVICES June 24, 2021 Honora ble Johnny Key Commissioner Arkansas Department o f Education Four Capitol Mall, Room 304-A Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Dea r Commissioner Key: I am writing to advise you of the U. S. Department of Education’s (Department) 2021 determination under section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Department has determined that Arkansas nee ds assistance in implementing the requirements of Part B of the IDEA . This determination is based on the totality of the State’s data and information, including the Federa l fiscal year (FFY) 2019 State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR), other State-reported data, and other publicly available information. With the FFY 2019 SPP/APR submission, the Office of Special Education Programs ( OSEP) requested that States and Entities report whether and how the data collection for any indicator was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, OSEP requested that States and Entities include in the narrative for each impacted indicator: (1) the impact on data completeness, validity, and/or reliability for the indicator; (2) an explanation of how COVID- 19 specifically impacted the State’s or Entity’s ability to collect and verify the data for the indicator; and (3) any steps the State or Entity took to mitigate the impact of COVID- 19 on the data collection and verification. OSEP appreciates States’ and Entities’ level of transparency regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the data reported in the FFY 2019 SPP/APR. When making determination decisions for 2021, OSEP considered all information submitted that related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For 2021 determinations, no State or Entity received a determination of “Needs Intervention” due solely to data impacted by COVID-19. Your State’s 202 1 determination is based on the dat a re flected in the State’s “2021 Part B Results- Driven Accountability Matrix” (RDA Matrix). The RDA Matrix i s individualized for each State and consists of: (1) a Compliance Matrix that includes scoring on Compliance Indicators and other comp liance factors; (2) a Results Matrix that includes scoring on Result s Elements ; (3) a Compliance Score and a Results Score ; (4) an RDA Percentage based on both the Compliance Score and the Results Score ; and Page 2—Chief State School Officer (5) the State’s Determination. The RDA Matrix is further explained in a document, entitled “How the Department Made Determinations under Section 616(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 2021 : Part B” (HTDMD). OSEP is continuing to use both results data and compliance data in making determinations in 2021, as it did for Part B determinations in 2014-2020. (The specifics of the determination procedures and criteria are set forth in the HTDMD and reflected in the RDA Matrix for your State.) In making Part B determinations in 2021, OSEP continued to use results data related to: (1) the participation and performance of CWD on the most recently administered (school year 201 8 - 201 9 ) National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1 ; (2) t he percentage of CWD who graduated with a regular high school diploma; and (3) the percentage of C WD who drop ped out. You may access the results of OSEP’s review of your State’s SPP/APR and other relevant data by accessing the EMAPS SPP/APR reporting tool using your State - specific log - on information at https://emaps.ed.gov/suiteL . When you access your State’s SPP/APR on the site, you will find I in Indicators 1 through 16, the OSEP Response to the indicator and any actions that the State is required to take. The actions that t he State is required to take are in the “Required Actions” section of the indicator. It is important for you to review the Introduction to the SPP/APR, which may also include language in the “ OSEP o esponse ” and/or “ Required Actions ” sections . You will al so find all of the following important documents saved as attachments: (1F the State’s RDA Matrix; (2F the HTDMD document; (3F a spreadsheet entitled “ 2021 Data Rubric Part B,” which shows how OSEP calculated the State’s “Timely and Accurate State - Reported Data” sc ore in the Compliance Matrix; and (4F a document e ntitled “Dispute Resolution 201 9 - 20 20 ,” which includes the IDEA section 618 data that OSEP used to calculate the State’s “Timely State Complaint Decisions” and “Timely Due Process Hearing Decisions” scores in the Compliance Matrix . As noted above, the State’s 2021 determination is Needs Assistance. A State’s 2021 RDA Det ermination is Needs Assistance if the RDA Percentage is at least 6 0% but less than 80%. A State’s determination would also be Needs Assistance if its RDA Determination percentage is 80% or above but the Department has imposed Specific Conditions on the State’s last three IDEA Pa rt B grant awards (for FFYs 2018, 2019, and 2020 ), and those Speci fic Conditions are i n effect at the time of the 2021 determination. 1 OSEP has used results data on the participation and performance of children with disabilities on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in making determinations for States (but not Entities) since 2014. Although the BIE is the only Entity that administers the NAEP, OSEP has not used NAEP data in making the BIE’s determinations because the BIE’s NAEP data were previously not available. However, given that the BIE’s NAEP data are now available, OSEP is considering using the NAEP data in making the BIE’s 2022 determination under IDEA section 616(d). Page 3— Chief State School Officer States were required to submit Phase II I Year Five of the SSIP by April 1, 2021 . OSEP appreciat es the State’s ongoing work on its SSIP and its efforts to improve results for students with disabilities. We have carefully reviewed and responded to your submission and will provide additional feedback in the upcoming weeks. Additionally, OSEP will conti nue to provide technical assistance to your State as it implements the SSIP, which is due on February 1, 2022 . As a reminder, your State must report annually to the public, by posting on the Stat e educational agency’s (SEA’s) webs ite, the performance of each local educational agency (LEA) located in the State on the targets in the SPP/APR as soon as practicable, but no later than 120 days after the St ate’s submission of its FFY 2019 SPP/APR. In addition, your State must: (1) review LEA performance against ta rgets in the State’s SPP/APR; (2) determine if each LEA “meets the requirements” of Part B, or “needs assistance,” “needs intervention,” or “needs substantial intervention” in implementing Part B of the IDEA ; (3) take appropriate enforcement action; and (4) inform each LEA of its determination. Further, your State must make its SPP/APR available to the public by pos ting it on the SEA’s web site. Within the upcoming weeks, OSEP will be finalizing a State Profile that: (1) includes the State’s determination letter and SPP/APR, OSEP attachments , and all State attachments that are accessible in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ; and (2) will be accessible to the public via the ed.gov website. OSEP appreciates the State’s efforts to improve results for children and youth with disabilities and looks forward to working with your State over the next year as we continue our important work of improving the lives of children with disabilities and thei r families. Please contact your OSEP State Lead i f you have any questions, would like to discuss this further, or want to request technical assistance. Sincerely, David Cantrell, PhD Acting Director Office of Special Education Programs cc: State Direct or of Special Education