(a) The State Board of Education shall consider the annexation of an affected school district or districts to a receiving district or districts under the following conditions:

(1) The state board, after providing thirty (30) days' written notice to the affected school districts, determines that annexation is in the best interest of the affected district or districts and the receiving district based upon failure to meet standards for accreditation, failure to meet fiscal or facilities distress requirements, or failure to meet the requirements to exit Level 5 -- Intensive support pursuant to The Quality Education Act of 2003, § 6-15-201 et seq., the Arkansas Fiscal Assessment and Accountability Program, § 6-20-1901 et seq., the Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities Program Act, § 6-21-801 et seq., and the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, § 6-15-2901 et seq.;

(2)

(A) The affected district or districts file a petition with the state board requesting annexation to a particular receiving district or districts, and a copy of the petition is filed with the county clerk's office of each county where the affected district or districts are located.

(B) The county clerk's office of each county where the affected district or districts are located certifies in writing that the petition has been signed by a majority of the qualified electors of the affected district or districts.

(C) The receiving district or districts provide to the state board written proof of consent to receive the affected district or districts by annexation as evidenced by either a vote to approve annexation by resolution by a majority of the members of the local receiving board of education or by a vote to approve annexation by a majority of the qualified electors of the receiving district as provided for in § 6-14-122;

(3)

(A) A majority of the qualified electors in the affected district or districts vote to approve the annexation of an affected school district or districts to a receiving district or districts as provided for in § 6-14-122.

(B) The receiving district or districts provide to the state board written proof of consent to receive the affected district or districts by annexation as evidenced by either a vote to approve annexation by resolution by a majority of the members of the local receiving board of education or by a vote to approve annexation by a majority of the qualified electors of the receiving district as provided in § 6-14-122; or

(4)

(A) The local board of education of the affected district or districts votes to approve by resolution the annexation of the affected district or districts to a receiving district or districts by a majority of the members of the local board of education of the affected district or districts.

(B) The receiving district or districts provide to the state board written proof of consent to receive the affected district or districts by annexation as evidenced by either a vote to approve annexation by resolution by a majority of the members of the local receiving board of education or by a vote to approve annexation by a majority of the qualified electors of the receiving districts as provided for in § 6-14-122.

(b) The state board may vote to approve, by a majority of a quorum present of the members of the state board, the annexation of the affected districts into a receiving district:

(1) The state board, after providing thirty (30) days' written notice to the affected districts, may on its own motion based on a school district's failure to meet standards for accreditation, failure to meet fiscal distress requirements, or failure to meet the requirements to exit Level 5 -- Intensive support pursuant to The Quality Education Act of 2003, § 6-15-201 et seq., the Arkansas Fiscal Assessment and Accountability Program, § 6-20-1901 et seq., and the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, § 6-15-2901 et seq.; or

(2) Upon receipt of:

(A) A valid petition for annexation and after receiving proof from the petitioning party of at least one (1) of the required conditions set forth in subsection (a) of this section; and

(B) Proof of the issuance of public notice of the intent to annex affected districts into a receiving district or districts in the local newspapers of general circulation in the affected districts for a time period of no less than one (1) time a week for two (2) consecutive weeks immediately prior to the time the petition is filed with the state board.

(c)

(1) In order for the petition for annexation to be valid, it shall be filed with the state board at least thirty (30) days prior to the next regularly scheduled state board meeting, at which time the petition will be presented for hearing before the state board.

(2) However, no petition is required for the state board to annex a school district or districts upon a motion of the state board as allowed in subsection (b).

(d)

(1) Upon determination by the state board to annex a school district or approval of a petition requesting annexation, the state board shall issue an order dissolving the affected districts and establishing the receiving school district or districts.

(2)

(A) The state board shall issue an order establishing the boundary lines of the receiving district or districts.

(B) It shall be the duty of the Department of Education to make changes in the maps of the school districts to properly show the boundary lines of the receiving district or districts.

(e) (1) The state board shall:

(A) Issue an order establishing the changed boundaries; and

(B) File the order with the:

(i) County clerk of each county where a receiving district is located;

(ii) Secretary of State; and

(iii) Arkansas Geographic Information Systems Office.

(2) The county clerk shall make a permanent record of the order.

(3) The boundaries established under this subsection shall be the boundaries of the receiving district until changes are made according to the provisions of law.

(f) The state board shall not annex affected districts that are not geographically contiguous unless the following limited conditions are determined to be valid reasons for annexation:

(1) The annexation will result in the overall improvement in the educational benefit to students in all the school districts involved; or

(2) The annexation will provide a significant advantage in transportation costs or service to all the school districts involved.