(a) The purpose of this section is to assist small, rural public schools in providing students access to the most rigorous courses available if it is the desire of students to take advanced placement courses in the place of regular courses and, in doing so, to meet the requirements of the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.

(b)

(1) The Department of Education acknowledges that the rigor and level of difficulty of advanced placement courses exceed the requirements of regular courses.

(2) Such rigor and level of difficulty are validated through the required advanced placement audit and advanced placement examinations.

(c) The State Board of Education shall consider an advanced placement course as being taught for one (1) of the required courses under the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts if:

(1) The public school district has a qualified teacher for the required course;

(2) No students enrolled in the required course;

(3) An advanced placement course in the same subject area as the required course has students enrolled in the advanced placement course;

(4) The public school district teaches all other courses required by the standards for accreditation; and

(5)

(A) The public school district teaches the required course to any student who enrolls in the public school district after the school year begins.

(B) The public school district may teach the required course to a new student:

(i) In a traditional classroom setting;

(ii) Through distance learning with a qualified teacher; or

(iii) By modifying the advanced placement course on an individual level to accommodate the new student.

(d)

(1) The public school district shall notify the department after registration in the spring prior to the beginning of the new school year and immediately after the school year begins if no students enrolled in the required course and the public school district will seek to meet the standards for accreditation using the advanced placement course.

(2) Upon receiving the public school district notification and after spring registration, the department shall permit the public school district to meet the standards for accreditation by teaching the advanced placement course in place of the required course.

(e) If a new student enrolls in the required course, the public school district shall immediately notify the department.

(f) The department shall establish procedures to ensure that no student is coerced into taking an advanced placement course for the purpose of meeting the standards for accreditation.