(a) The physical facilities and programs at each of the youth services centers shall be designed and developed to be particularly suitable for the physical custody, care, education, and rehabilitation of youths of particular classifications.
(b) In classifying and committing youths to the various centers and facilities, the Division of Youth Services shall take into consideration a youth's age, sex, physical condition, mental attitude and capacity, prognosis for rehabilitation, the seriousness of the committing offense, and such other criteria as the Division of Youth Services shall determine.
(c)
(1)
(A) The Division of Youth Services shall establish a system of education that shall conform to the guidelines established by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
(B) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish guidelines for the Division of Youth Services' system of education.
(C)
(i) The Division of Youth Services, with the support and assistance of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall conduct an education program assessment of each Division of Youth Services facility and provide a written report of assessment findings to the Division of Youth Services.
(ii) The Division of Youth Services, with the support and assistance of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall submit a corrective action plan for each Division of Youth Services facility to the Director of the Division of Youth Services, if needed.
(iii) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall monitor the Division of Youth Services' system of education to ensure that the guidelines established by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education are satisfied by the Division of Youth Services' system of education.
(2) A student enrolled in the Division of Youth Services' system of education shall receive credit for courses that meet the guidelines established by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
(3) Course credits and promotions received by a student enrolled in the Division of Youth Services’ system of education shall be considered transferable in the same manner as those course credits and promotions from other educational entities.
(4)
(A) A student's home school district or the school district in which the Division of Youth Services facility is located may issue a diploma for a student who successfully completes the graduation requirements of the school district.
(B) If neither a student's home school district nor the school district in which the Division of Youth Services facility is located is able to issue a diploma, then the Department of Human Services is authorized to issue a diploma to a student who successfully completes the requirements of the Division of Youth Services' system of education.
(5) The Division of Youth Services is authorized to contract for services, or hire staff, teachers, and other personnel as necessary to carry out the provisions of this section subject to the following requirements:
(A) A teacher employed in the Division of Youth Services' system of education shall hold a valid Arkansas teacher's license in the appropriate area of instruction, unless the teacher participates in an additional licensure plan for the appropriate area of instruction at the time of employment;
(B) Staff, teachers, and other personnel employed by the Division of Youth Services' system of education shall be eligible for membership in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and shall earn credited service for employment; and
(C) The Division of Youth Services' system of education shall compensate teachers in accordance with the minimum teacher salary schedule set forth in § 6-17-2403.
(d) The Division of Youth Services, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Division of Career and Technical Education shall work collaboratively to prepare courses of study for the Division of Youth Services' system of education, including courses in career and technical education suited to the age and capacity of the youths.
(e) The Department of Human Services, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Division of Career and Technical Education may promulgate rules as necessary to administer the requirements of this section.
(f) The Department of Human Services and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall report annually, beginning on March 1, 2010, to the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs and to the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth on the state of the Division of Youth Services' system of education.