The El Dorado School District intends to apply to the Arkansas Department of Education for waivers of certain federal requirements through the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999, also known as Ed-Flex. The program allows the state to waive select federal requirements so districts can better address local needs while remaining accountable for student performance.
ESD is requesting flexibility in three areas:
Time-and-Effort Certification Forms — This would remove the twice-yearly certification paperwork requirement for employees paid entirely through a single federal program, allowing staff and administrators to spend less time on paperwork and more time supporting students and classrooms.
Title I, Part A Carryover Limitation — This would allow the district to carry over more than 15% of Title I funding into the following year, providing greater flexibility for larger or multi-year student support efforts such as tutoring or literacy initiatives.
Title IV, Part A Required Spending Categories — This would allow the district to direct Title IV-A funds toward its highest-priority student needs rather than meeting fixed spending percentages in designated categories.
ESD is seeking these waivers to better prioritize instructional support, professional learning, materials and supplies, academic growth, and the work of professional learning communities throughout the district. The district expects the proposed flexibility to support improvements in student performance on state assessments.
Parents, educators, school administrators, and other interested community members are invited to provide comments on the proposed waiver request.
Comments may be submitted to Sherry Floss, Director of Federal Programs, by email at sherry.floss@esd-15.org or by mail at 200 West Oak, El Dorado, AR 71730. Comments will be accepted September 18 through September 27, 2026. All comments received will be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education with the district’s application.