Arkansas Board of Education Votes to End Journalism Elective Requirement

At the end of May, the Arkansas Department of Education Board voted to overhaul the rules that govern standards for accreditation of public schools and school districts, which includes the type of courses offered at schools across the state. Since the 1980s, the Department of Education required all Arkansas schools to offer journalism as an elective, but the recent vote ends that mandate. This month, the Arkansas Legislative Council voted to endorse the changes made by the Board of Education, despite bipartisan support calling for a more involved discussion on the matter. Supporters say the goal is to give school districts, especially those with fewer resources, more flexibility to make more decisions about their curriculums on a local level, but opponents argue every student should have the opportunity to take the same courses regardless of the size of their school district.