On July 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education granted the Arkansas Department of Education three related flexibilities: a Returning Education to the States Waiver, a revised ESEA State Plan, and the Ed-Flex Waiver. The purpose of these federal flexibilities is to reduce administrative burdens and provide districts with greater flexibility to align federal program requirements with local priorities for student learning.

Ed-Flex authority allows the Arkansas Department of Education to waive certain federal requirements for individual districts and schools in exchange for continued accountability for student performance. Academics Plus Charter Schools, Inc. (APCSI) intends to apply to the Arkansas Department of Education for one or more waivers under the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999.

Specifically, APCSI intends to apply for the following waivers:

**Title I, Part A — 15% Carryover Limitation**
This waiver would allow the district to carry over any amount of unspent Title I, Part A funds into the following fiscal year.
**Federal requirement waived:** ESEA § 1127

**Title I, Part A — 40% Schoolwide Eligibility Threshold**
This waiver would allow a Title I school that falls below the 40% poverty threshold to continue operating a schoolwide Title I program.
**Federal requirement waived:** ESEA § 1114(a)(1)

**Title IV, Part A — Required Spending Categories**
This waiver would allow the district to direct Title IV, Part A funds toward its highest-priority student needs rather than allocating funds according to federally prescribed spending percentages.
**Federal requirement waived:** ESEA § 4106(e)

State law requires school districts to provide 2 calendar days of notice before the comment period opens. The public notice and comment period will open on the APCSI website on September 4, 2026, and remain open through the close of business on September 14, 2026.

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Academics Plus Charter Schools Inc.

Academics Plus Charter Schools Inc.

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