Arkansas Board of Education: Schools, Calendar & Meetings

Arkansas statewide public education guide

Arkansas Board of Education: Schools, Calendar, Meetings, Agendas, Minutes and Official Links

This Arkansas Board of Education guide helps parents, students, educators, school employees, reporters and residents quickly find the correct statewide Arkansas education resources: State Board meeting dates, BoardBook agendas, minutes, videos, live stream, board members, ADE office address, office hours, phone number, school locator, district list, school list, Arkansas K-12 Profile and My School Info. The Arkansas State Board is a statewide policy body, not a local school district, so this page also explains when to use ADE resources and when to contact your local Arkansas school district.

Four Capitol MallLittle Rock, AR 72201
501-682-4475DESE main phone
8am – 4:30pmMonday to Friday
1,049Public K-12 schools in profile
Start by task
Choose the Arkansas Education Task You Need Today

Most people searching “Arkansas Board of Education” are trying to finish one job: find a school, check a State Board meeting, open an agenda, watch a meeting, confirm minutes, contact ADE, compare school data or locate a district. Use the task cards below to avoid mixing up statewide State Board business with local school district calendars.

Important distinction: The Arkansas State Board of Education handles statewide public education policy. Your child’s first day of school, bus route, attendance, principal contact, campus calendar or graduation date usually comes from the local school district, not the State Board page.
Fast answer

Arkansas Board of Education Quick Answer

The official Arkansas State Board of Education page is on the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education website. The State Board page explains that the board is a nine-member board and serves as the policy-making body for public elementary and secondary education in Arkansas.

For office contact, Arkansas DESE lists Four Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, office hours of 8am – 4:30pm Monday through Friday, and phone number 501-682-4475. Use that contact route for ADE-level questions. If the concern involves a local school district, ADE says to contact the administration in that district.

Best first move: For State Board action, use meeting dates, BoardBook agendas and archived minutes/videos. For local school calendars, bus routes, enrollment, school staff or student issues, use School Locator/My School Info and then contact the local district.
At a glance

Arkansas State Board and DESE Quick Facts

Use these facts to confirm you are using the correct statewide Arkansas education agency before sharing dates, quoting board action or contacting the wrong office.

🏛️AgencyArkansas DESEDivision of Elementary & Secondary Education
📍OfficeFour Capitol MallLittle Rock, AR 72201
☎️Phone501-682-4475Main listed phone
👥BoardNine membersStatewide appointed board
📅MeetingsMonthlyCheck official 2026 dates
Source check: Official resources reviewed include Arkansas DESE State Board, Meeting Dates, Meeting Agendas, BoardBook public portal, Watch Meeting Live, Archived Minutes/Videos, State Board Members, DESE Directory, ADE Data Center, Arkansas K-12 Profile, My School Info, School Locator, School List and District List.
Page guide

What This Arkansas Board of Education Guide Covers

Meetings

Arkansas State Board of Education Meeting Dates for 2026

The official Meeting Dates page lists 2026 State Board of Education meeting dates as the second Thursday of each month, approved by the State Board of Education on December 11, 2025. Always confirm the current BoardBook agenda before attending or reporting on a meeting because time, location, attachments or special items can update.

Month2026 listed State Board dateWhat to check next
JanuaryJanuary 8, 2026Agenda, location, attachments and minutes archive.
FebruaryFebruary 12, 2026Agenda, audio/video and transcript when posted.
MarchMarch 12, 2026Special or regular meeting label and archive links.
AprilApril 9, 2026Live link, BoardBook details and final agenda.
MayMay 14, 2026Multi-day or special session details if posted.
JuneJune 11, 2026BoardBook meeting page and location details.
JulyJuly 9, 2026Agenda release and public materials.
AugustAugust 13, 2026Back-to-school policy items and agenda attachments.
SeptemberSeptember 10, 2026Minutes, video and transcript after the meeting.
OctoberOctober 8, 2026BoardBook agenda and meeting documents.
NovemberNovember 12, 2026Agenda, live link and archive when available.
DecemberDecember 10, 2026Final agenda, minutes and next-year schedule.
Meeting caution: A date list is not the final agenda. Use BoardBook near the meeting date to confirm time, location, attachments, consent items, new business and public materials.
Agendas and records

Arkansas Board Agendas, BoardBook, Minutes, Videos, Audio and Transcripts

The official Meeting Agendas page sends users to the BoardBook public organization page for upcoming and previous State Board of Education meetings and Charter Authorizing Panel meetings. ADE says agendas are usually posted the week before board meetings and contain descriptions of business items plus links to relevant documents.

The Archived Minutes/Videos page says minutes from State Board meetings are available online back to 1995. It also says archived video is available starting in December 2010, and viewer’s guides from June 2011 help the public jump to relevant spots for agenda items.

Agenda

Best before the meeting for planned items, presenters, attachments and consent agenda details.

BoardBook

Best for meeting packets, attachments and current/upcoming meeting materials.

Minutes

Best after approval when you need the official record of board action.

Video / audio

Best for hearing discussion, context and presentations, not as the only formal record.

Record rule: An agenda is not final action, a livestream is not approved minutes, and a social post is not the official record. Use BoardBook plus archived minutes/videos for stronger verification.
Schools and data

Arkansas Schools, Districts, School Locator, My School Info and K-12 Profile

For “Arkansas schools” searches, the State Board page is not enough. Use Arkansas data tools. The ADE Data Center’s Arkansas K-12 Profile for 2025-2026 lists 1,049 K-12 public schools, 236 school districts, 23 open-enrollment charter school districts and 15 education service cooperatives.

The School Locator displays Local Education Agency address information for co-operatives, districts, schools and counties. My School Info lets the public search and compare schools and districts across Arkansas. Use these tools when you need school contact details, district comparison, school report cards, school lists or district lists.

Official data

School List

Statewide school list with LEA, school, administrator, address, city, state and ZIP fields.

Open School List
Official data

District List

Statewide district list with LEA, district, administrator, address and location information.

Open District List
Official data

Statewide Reports

Public K-12 data reports by state, county, district and school levels.

Open Statewide Reports
Calendar guidance

Arkansas Education Calendar: State Board Dates vs Local School Calendars

There are three calendar types users often mix together. The State Board meeting dates page is for statewide board business. BoardBook is for agenda and meeting packet timing. Local school districts publish student calendars with first day, breaks, parent-teacher conferences, graduation, inclement weather makeup days and school-specific events.

Calendar needCorrect official routeUse this for
State Board meeting dateMeeting DatesMonthly Arkansas State Board meeting planning.
Meeting agenda and locationBoardBookFinal agenda details, attachments and public materials.
Student school year calendarLocal school district websiteFirst day, last day, breaks, local closures and graduation.
School or district lookupSchool LocatorFinding the correct local district or school contact.
Simple rule: State Board calendar for statewide policy meetings. Local district calendar for student attendance days. My School Info or School Locator when you do not know the correct district.
Board structure

Arkansas State Board Members and Appointment Structure

The official State Board page explains that the Arkansas State Board of Education is a nine-member board, with two members from each of the state’s four congressional districts and one at-large member. Members are appointed by the governor for seven-year terms.

The board member page lists current board members, roles, terms and email addresses. Because appointments, roles and terms can change, do not copy a board member name from an old article. Reopen the official page before sending public comment, reporting a quote, contacting a member or publishing a current list.

Member-list warning: Board leadership and membership can change after appointments and term updates. Use the official State Board Members page as the live source.
Office and contact

Arkansas DESE Office Address, Hours, Phone and Contact Route

Arkansas DESE lists its contact address as Four Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201. The State Board and DESE Directory pages list hours as 8am – 4:30pm Monday through Friday and phone number 501-682-4475.

If your concern involves a local school district, ADE’s directory page says to contact the administration in that district. That means local issues like bus routes, campus calendars, enrollment, student discipline, school meals, athletics, teacher contact and graduation should usually start with the local school or district.

QuestionBest first routeWhy it helps
State Board agenda or meetingMeeting AgendasConnects to BoardBook and public meeting materials.
State Board minutes or videoArchived Minutes/VideosOfficial archive for minutes, videos, audio and transcripts.
Find a local school or districtSchool LocatorShows LEA address information for schools, districts, counties and co-ops.
Local student issueLocal school/district administrationADE says local district concerns should be directed to the district administration.
Local district help

When to Contact the Arkansas State Board vs Your Local School District

The State Board handles statewide policy work. ADE and its data systems provide statewide school information. Local school districts handle most daily student services. Sending a school-level issue to the State Board first can delay the answer.

Use State Board for

State Board agenda items, policies, board meetings, board orders, resolutions, minutes, meeting video and statewide public education policy.

Use ADE for

Statewide school data, directory information, educator licensure, school accountability, agency questions and public education program offices.

Use local district for

Student calendar, enrollment, bus route, attendance, teacher contact, meals, school closures, graduation and campus-specific issues.

Use My School Info for

Comparing schools, districts, report card information and public data across Arkansas.

Video and livestream

Arkansas State Board Meeting Live Stream and Archived Video

The Watch Meeting Live page explains that live video streaming is available online for those who cannot attend State Board meetings, with assistance from AETN. The Archived Minutes/Videos page provides older videos, audio, transcripts and viewer guides when available.

Watch an Arkansas State Board of Education Meeting

This embedded video uses an Arkansas Department of Education State Board meeting video. For the newest meeting, use the official live stream page or ADE YouTube channel.

Map

Arkansas DESE Office Map: Four Capitol Mall, Little Rock

Arkansas DESE lists Four Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201 as its contact address. Use the map below for general planning, but check the meeting agenda or official notice before attending a State Board meeting because meeting details can change.

Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

Use this map for the ADE office area. Call 501-682-4475 for office routing or department-specific questions.

FAQs

Arkansas Board of Education FAQs

What is the official Arkansas Board of Education website?

The official Arkansas State Board of Education page is on the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education website.

Open official State Board page

What is the Arkansas DESE phone number?

The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education lists phone number 501-682-4475.

Call 501-682-4475

Where is the Arkansas State Board of Education office?

The official contact address is Four Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201.

Open office map

What are Arkansas DESE office hours?

The State Board and DESE Directory pages list hours as 8am – 4:30pm Monday through Friday.

Open ADE Directory

When does the Arkansas State Board of Education meet?

The official 2026 Meeting Dates page lists State Board meeting dates on the second Thursday of each month. Confirm the current BoardBook agenda before attending.

Open meeting dates

Where can I find Arkansas State Board meeting agendas?

Use the official Meeting Agendas page and BoardBook public portal. ADE says agendas are usually posted the week before board meetings and contain item descriptions and links to documents.

Open BoardBook

Where are Arkansas State Board minutes and videos?

Use the Archived Minutes/Videos page. It provides minutes back to 1995 and archived video starting in December 2010.

Open archived minutes/videos

Where can I watch Arkansas State Board meetings live?

Use the Watch Meeting Live page from Arkansas DESE. It provides live streaming information for people who cannot attend in person.

Open Watch Meeting Live

How many members are on the Arkansas State Board of Education?

The official State Board page says the Arkansas State Board of Education is a nine-member board, with two members from each congressional district and one at-large member.

Open State Board Members

Where can I find Arkansas schools and districts?

Use School Locator, My School Info, the School List and the District List from Arkansas ADE data tools.

Open School Locator

Does the Arkansas State Board page show my child’s local school calendar?

No. The State Board meeting dates page is for statewide board business. Student attendance calendars are published by local school districts.

Find local district information

What is the Arkansas K-12 Profile?

The Arkansas K-12 Profile is an ADE Data Center page that summarizes statewide public K-12 data such as schools, districts, charter districts, cooperatives, enrollment and staff counts.

Open Arkansas K-12 Profile

Should I contact ADE or my local district for a student issue?

ADE says if your concern involves a local school district, contact the administration in that district. Student-specific issues usually start with the local school or district.

Open ADE Directory

Is the Arkansas State Board the same as a local school board?

No. The Arkansas State Board is a statewide policy-making body. Local school boards and districts handle local district operations, calendars, enrollment, bus routes, campus issues and district-level decisions.

Open State Board page

Editorial disclaimer: This independent guide helps users reach official Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and Arkansas State Board of Education resources faster. It does not replace official ADE announcements, BoardBook agendas, meeting notices, approved minutes, videos, transcripts, State Board orders, school data tools, local district calendars, student records, enrollment decisions, district policies or local school administration. Always verify live details on dese.ade.arkansas.gov, adedata.arkansas.gov, myschoolinfo.arkansas.gov or the correct local district website before attending a meeting, quoting a board action, contacting a member or making school-calendar plans.
Final summary

Best Way to Use This Arkansas Board of Education Guide

Start with the Arkansas DESE State Board page for statewide board information. Use Meeting Dates for the annual meeting schedule, BoardBook for agendas and attachments, Archived Minutes/Videos for official past records, Watch Meeting Live for streaming, and the State Board Members page for current member information.

For schools and local district questions, use My School Info, School Locator, School List, District List and the Arkansas K-12 Profile. If your question involves a student, campus, bus route, attendance, school closure, graduation or local student calendar, contact the local school district instead of the State Board first.