The Arkansas LEARNS Act brought changes to education including a new community service requirement for high school students. Beginning with this year’s 9th grade class (Class of 2027), students will be required to complete 75 hours of community service to earn a high school diploma in Arkansas.
Students should log a total of 75 community service hours during 9th-12th grades, such as 15 hours in 9th grade and 20 hours each year after. Students may earn more than the suggested hours in one school year. Once a student completes all of the required 75 hours, he/she would NOT be required to complete any additional hours.
Each family decides the community service projects for their student. These can be in or out of state. Examples include serving at church, going on a mission trip, helping an elderly neighbor, etc. Service opportunities in the community are listed on many organization websites. Some examples include Bryant Boys and Girls Club, Civitan, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, and Arkansas Foodbank to name a few.
Students will share about their community service activities and log this information in the Bryant Community Service Learning Tracking Form. Students must be logged in to their studentID@bryantschools.org email address to access the form. Each 9 weeks, the school will send parents and students an email with their current number of community service hours. The steps are outlined in the Community Service Learning Process.
Students without transportation or those with special circumstances should contact their counselor. The school will work to connect students with service opportunities both on and off campus.
Additional details, including a video, are available at bryantschools.org/communityservicelearning.