What are Act 1240 waivers?
Act 1240 allows school districts to petition the State Board of Education for the same waivers granted to open-enrollment charter schools if any students residing in the district attend a charter school.
Does the DeWitt School District hold any 1240 waivers?
The DeWitt School District requested and was granted ACT 1240 waivers in 2016 along with other school districts in the Southeast Educational Cooperative. The application was submitted and granted for all Southeast Arkansas schools.
What waivers were the DeWitt School District granted?
The District was granted licensure waivers for teachers and administrators in grades K-12. Teachers are required to have a Bachelor’s degree to be considered for a teaching position. Once a teacher is hired under a 1240 waiver, a detailed licensure plan is created that leads to full certification. Also, the 1240 hire must enroll in a non-traditional educational program such as Masters of Arts in Teaching or the APPEL program through the Arkansas Department of Education.
Why did the DeWitt School District and the Southeast Cooperative request these waivers?
Recruitment and retention has been a struggle for Southeast Arkansas school districts. These waivers have created a pathway for candidates who may have not originally interested in education but have become interested to obtain licensure through a non-traditional pathway.
How many teachers have been hired over the past five years under 1240 waivers?
Over the past 5 years, we have had 25 teachers on an Act 1240 waiver. 11 of those teachers are now fully licensed and are employed in the district, 10 are currently on track to become fully licensed and are employed in the district, and 4 are no longer with the district.
Will the district ask for an extension of 1240 waivers?
Yes, the DeWitt School District is currently in the process of asking the Arkansas State Board of Education for an extension of the ACT 1240 waivers that were granted in 2016.