6 CAR Part 150 — Rules Governing Eye and Vision Screening Report in Arkansas Public Schools

Chapter I

Subchapter F

Subpart 1

6 CAR § 150-101 Purpose {#sec-6-car-150-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-101}

6 CAR § 150-101. Purpose.

The purpose of this part is to establish the requirements and procedures governing eye and vision screening procedures and test standards in Arkansas public schools.

6 CAR § 150-102 Definitions {#sec-6-car-150-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-102}

6 CAR § 150-102. Definitions.

For the purpose of this part:

(1) “Commission” means the Arkansas Commission on Eye and Vision Care of School-Age Children that is established by the State of Arkansas to:

(A) Study the eye and vision needs of school-age children;

(B) Evaluate current vision screening programs; and

(C) Make recommendations to develop a strategic statewide plan to ensure adequate eye and vision care for the school-age children of Arkansas;

(2) “Division” means the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education;

(3) “Screening” means to test in order to separate according to skills or ability; and

(4) “Vision care consultant” means an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

6 CAR § 150-103 Vision screenings and approved instruments {#sec-6-car-150-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-103}

6 CAR § 150-103. Vision screenings and approved instruments.

(a) All students in prekindergarten (preK), kindergarten (K), grades one (1), two (2), four (4), six (6), and eight (8), and all transfer students shall receive an eye and vision screening.

(b) The requirements in this part apply to students attending all:

(1) Public schools; and

(2) Public charter schools.

(c) Nothing in this part shall preclude:

(1) Voluntary screening of any educational grade; or

(2) The referral of any student, regardless of grade, who the teacher or school nurse feels should be screened or examined.

(d) The responsibility for the enforcement of this part rests equally with:

(1) Each school district or charter school; and

(2) The parent or guardian of the student.

(e) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and Arkansas Commission on Eye and Vision Care of School-Age Children establish in this part the tests, procedures, equipment, and instruments that shall be used to perform eye and vision screenings.

(f)(1) The approved screening process will include the following:

(A) Observation and external inspection of the eye;

(B) Distance visual acuity test using a Snellen Eye Chart at twenty feet (20') or an age or developmentally appropriate chart at ten feet (10') outside a vision screening instrument;

(C) A plus-lens visual acuity test using a Snellen Eye Chart at twenty feet (20') or an age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate chart at ten feet (10') outside a vision screening instrument;

(D) Lateral muscle balance test at far;

(E) Vertical muscle balance test at far;

(F) Fusion or binocularity at far;

(G) Lateral muscle balance test at near;

(H) Fusion or binocularity at near; and

(I) Color perception.

(2)(A) Screening instruments and equipment must be approved.

(B) These instruments may include but are not limited to the following:

(i) Titmus Vision Screener;

(ii) Keystone Vision Screener;

(iii) Optec Vision Screener;

(iv) Slides necessary to perform required test;

(v) Occluder;

(vi) Plus 2.00 lens;

(vii) Snellen chart;

(viii) Age-appropriate vision screening chart;

(xi) Color perception booklet/instrument slide;

(x) Automated testing instrument (autorefractor); and

(xi) Other approved instruments.

6 CAR § 150-104 Screening {#sec-6-car-150-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-104}

6 CAR § 150-104. Screening.

(a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and Arkansas Commission on Eye and Vision Care of School-Age Children shall set forth the following criteria for passage or failure of a vision screening and criteria for referral for a comprehensive eye examination:

(1) External observation.

(A) Any obvious anomaly of the eyes or periocular areas should cause referral for medical evaluation.

(B) Abnormal head positioning, such as a chronic head tilt, should result in a failed screen.

(C) Obvious misalignment of the eyes should result in a screen failure;

(2) Vision at twenty feet (20’) or ten feet (10’) for age appropriate charts. Any eye with vision less than or equal to 20/40 shall result in a screen failure;

(3) Plus 2.00 lens test. Any student that improves two (2) or more lines of vision, such as 20/40 to 20/20, with the plus 2.00 lens in front of either eye shall result in screen failure;

(4) Color perception test.

(A) This test shall be performed using:

(i) An instrument slide;

(ii) Color-testing booklet; or

(iii) Color perception slides.

(B)(i) Any student missing more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the cards or instrument slide would be deemed a color perception screen failure but not referred for comprehensive eye examination.

(ii) The parent and teacher shall be notified of the color perception screening failure; and

(5) Passing or failing the following instrument screenings:

(A) Lateral muscle balance at far;

(B) Vertical muscle balance at far;

(C) Fusion at far;

(D) Lateral muscle balance at near; and

(E) Fusion at near.

(b) Public schools may utilize an automated testing instrument to conduct the required vision screening tests for all students in prekindergarten through grade twelve (pre-K-12) subject to the following:

(1) The instrument must check:

(A) Distance vision; and

(B) Both lateral and vertical muscle balance;

(2) Other tests required by this part must be completed using the standard screening methods, if possible; and

(3) Districts that choose to utilize an automated screening instrument (autorefractor) must use the following protocol:

(A) If a student fails with use of the automated instrument, the student must be rescreened with the standard school screening method when possible; and

(B) Use of the automated screening instrument shall be documented in eSchool.

(c) The division and commission shall develop standards for training school nurses to perform eye and vision screenings that include, but are not limited to, the criteria set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) An eye and vision screening report shall be sent or given to each parent or guardian of each student in need of a comprehensive eye and vision examination that has failed a second vision screening test.

6 CAR § 150-105 Eye exams {#sec-6-car-150-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-105}

6 CAR § 150-105. Eye exams.

(a) A student who does not pass the eye and vision screening tests, except for the color perception test, shall be required to have a comprehensive eye and vision examination conducted by a vision care consultant within sixty (60) days of receipt of the vision screening report identifying the need for the examination.

(b) The parent or guardian of the student shall be responsible for ensuring that the student receives the appropriate eye and vision examination.

(c)(1) The local school district shall take such action and access all resources necessary to encourage that the student receives an appropriate examination.

(2) If a student does not receive an appropriate examination as evidenced by a certificate signed by a vision care consultant acknowledging the examination, then the school where the child is registered shall report this to the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

(d) A student who has had a comprehensive eye and vision examination conducted by a vision care consultant within six (6) months of an eye and vision screening is not required to have another examination if the parent or guardian of the student presents evidence of a comprehensive eye and vision examination in the form of a certificate signed by a vision care consultant acknowledging the examination.

(e)(1) Transfer students who have been screened in their previous school during the current school year do not have to be rescreened at the new school.

(2) Schools may request the transfer student’s vision screening from his or her school that was completed within the current school year.

6 CAR § 150-106 Forms {#sec-6-car-150-106 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-106}

6 CAR § 150-106. Forms.

(a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, in conjunction with the Arkansas Commission on Eye and Vision Care of School-Age Children, shall develop standardized forms to be used in conducting and reporting the results of eye and vision screenings.

(b) The standardized forms shall include:

(1) A vision screening form;

(2) A parent notification form;

(3) A doctor report form;

(4) A form to report the results of screening and examination; and

(5) Any other forms deemed necessary by the division or commission.

(c) Every public school shall use the standardized forms for eye and vision screening reports.

6 CAR § 150-107 Training {#sec-6-car-150-107 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-107}

6 CAR § 150-107. Training.

The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, in conjunction with the Arkansas Commission on Eye and Vision Care of School-Age Children, shall develop standards for training school nurses to perform eye and vision screenings.

6 CAR § 150-108 Reporting {#sec-6-car-150-108 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-108}

6 CAR § 150-108. Reporting.

(a) Each public school shall:

(1) Deidentify eye and vision screening results as necessary to comply with privacy laws; and

(2) Report the results by grade to the:

(A) Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; and

(B) Arkansas Commission on Eye and Vision Care of School-Age Children.

(b) The report shall include the following information:

(1) The number of students screened;

(2) The number of students rescreened;

(3) The number of students who did not receive an eye and vision screening;

(4) The number of students referred for a comprehensive eye examination;

(5) The number of students who failed the eye and vision screening who did not receive a comprehensive eye examination; and

(6) The comprehensive eye examination will be reported as normal or treatment required.

(c) Eye and vision screening shall be completed annually and reported to the division in Cycle 7 reporting by June 15 of each school year.

(d) Annually, the commission and division shall report their findings and updates to the:

(1) Governor;

(2) Legislative Council;

(3) House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor; and

(4) Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor.

6 CAR § 150-109 Consultant {#sec-6-car-150-109 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-150--6 CAR § 150-109}

6 CAR § 150-109. Consultant.

Each school district is encouraged to select one (1) or more vision care consultants to serve as nonpaid eye and vision care consultants to provide advice and assistance with eye and vision screenings and examinations.