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12 CAR § 70-110. Educational services
12 CAR § 70-110. Educational services.
(a) Purpose. This section establishes the policy of the Division of Correction with respect to education and the interactions between educational services and the administration of the division.
(b) Applicability. This section applies to:
(1) The Board of Corrections and administration of the division;
(2) The administrators, instructors, and support staff of all educational programs operating within the division;
(3) All volunteer organizations and individuals supporting the educational process within the division; and
(4) All inmates participating in educational programs.
(c) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1)(A) "Access" refers to the general availability of educational services to all inmates, with exceptions made only when necessary for the good order and security of the institutions.
(B) Access may also be limited by the screening mechanisms of educational services on the basis of need and appropriateness of placement;
(2) "Educational services" refers to:
(A) All programs in the Arkansas Correctional School District;
(B) Riverside Vocational and Technical School;
(C) College courses taught on-site by any regionally accredited college or university; and
(D) Volunteer organizations and individuals who provide financial aid, tutor training, or direct instruction in coordination with an established program;
(3) "Instructional space" refers to classrooms, laboratories, workshops, office spaces, and furnishings, other than instructional aids and materials; and
(4) "School Board" refers to the Board of Corrections formally sitting as the School Board and having authority to approve budgets, contracts, and programs for operation of the school district.
(d) Policy. It shall be the policy of the division to:
(1) Provide instructional space for the operation of approved educational programs in selected units of the division; and
(2) Allow those inmates in need of these programs access to them.
(e) Procedures.
(1) Each educational service will have written policies and procedures that include:
(A) Admission, operational, and dismissal policies; and
(B) Maintenance of records.
(2)(A) Each educational service shall conform to all state and federal standards and requirements applicable in a correctional setting.
(B) Staff should be appropriately certified.
(3) Staff of educational services shall be trained on relevant administrative rules and administrative directives of the division and are expected to comply with them and to support the good order and smooth operations of the institution.
(4) Staff of educational services have the authority to take disciplinary action.
(5) Each educational service should make its admission criteria and rules for operation available to inmates.
(6)(A) All inmates entering the division are tested and/or interviewed as to their education level and job-related skills.
(B) This information is documented and available to:
(i) Educators; and
(ii) Classification committees.
(7) Inmates having academic scores or skills below a certain level set by the School Board may be required to participate in educational programs.
(8)(A) Beyond minimum requirements, inmates may request participation in educational programs.
(B) Acceptance or refusal may be predicated on custody level, as defined by administrative directive, and need of and/or appropriateness for the program in accordance with defined standards set or approved by the Department of Education or School Board-approved practice.
(9)(A) An inmate's class may be considered in the decision of the classification committee to assign an inmate to a particular program.
(B) Loss of class should not be considered an automatic barrier to educational services.
(C) However, disciplinary programs, if disruptive of classes or resulting in absence due to punitive isolation or restrictions, may be considered cause for suspension or termination of educational services.
(10)(A) Programs will be evaluated at least every three (3) years to determine whether objectives are being met.
(B) Part of this evaluation should relate to the Department of Education's review and certification process.
(C) Another part should relate to penological operations and goals.
"Section Number: 500
Page Number: 1 of 3
Board Approval Date: 3/30/90
Supersedes: 501
Dated: 9/30/82
Reference:
Effective Date: 4/2/90"
"I. AUTHORITY:
The authority of the Board of Correction to promulgate this Administrative Rule is confirmed in Act 50 of 1968 as amended; Act 279 of 1973, created the Arkansas Department of Correction School District; and Act 288 of 1985, created Riverside Vo-Tech within the Arkansas Department of Correction."
"VII. REFERENCES:
Act 279 of 1983.
Act 288 of 1985.
Act 445 of 1983, 6-15-201 thru 212.
Act 751 of 1985, 12-29-304.
ACA Standards 2-4334, 2-4423, and 2-4436."