Pulaski County Special School District Ed-Flex Waiver Application
Pulaski County Special School District intends to apply to the Arkansas Department of Education for one or more waivers of federal requirements under the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999 (20 U.S.C. § 5891b). Ed-Flex allows the Department to waive certain federal requirements for individual districts and schools so they can better meet local needs while remaining accountable for student performance.
The district is requesting the following waiver[s]:
Time-and-Effort Certification Forms Federal requirement waived: 2 C.F.R. § 200.430(g) The district is asking that this requirement be waived because employees paid entirely by a single federal program must currently sign paperwork twice a year confirming how they spent their time. This flexibility removes the certification requirement for those employees.
Expected benefit for students: The district expects this waiver to result in staff and administrators spending less time on federal paperwork and more time supporting students and classrooms.
Title I, Part A — 15% Carryover Limitation Federal requirement waived: ESEA § 1127(a) The district is asking that this requirement be waived so that Title I, Part A provides extra funding for schools serving more students from low-income families. Normally, a district may carry no more than 15% of that funding into the next year. This flexibility lets the district carry over any amount.
Expected benefit for students:The district expects this waiver to result in the district combining funds across years for larger, sustained investments, such as a multi-year tutoring or literacy program, instead of rushing to spend by a deadline.
Title I, Part A — 125% Per-Pupil Allocation Rule Federal requirement waived: ESEA § 1113(c)(2)(A); 34 C.F.R. § 200.78(b) The district is asking that this requirement be waived so that normally, when some schools have lower poverty rates, a district must give each Title I school at least 125% of its average per-student Title I amount. This flexibility lets the district set per-student amounts based on need rather than a fixed formula.
Expected benefit for students: The district expects this waiver to result in Title I dollars that can better align with student needs, directing more support to the schools and students who need it most.
Title IV, Part A — Required Spending Categories Federal requirement waived: ESEA § 4106(e) The district is asking that this requirement be waived so that normally, a district receiving $30,000 or more in Title IV-A funds must spend at least 20% on well-rounded education, at least 20% on safe and healthy students, and some amount on educational technology. This flexibility removes those minimums, allowing the district to set its own amounts.
Expected benefit for students: The district expects this waiver to result in the district directing Title IV-A funds to its highest-priority student needs rather than fixed percentages.
Parents, educators, school administrators, and other interested community members are invited to comment on this proposed waiver request.
Comments can be made by using this form. Comments will be accepted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15, 2026.
All comments received will be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education with the district’s application.