HB1483
To Allow A Public School District To Use State Funds To Pay For An Adult Education Program With Which It Contracts.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill proposes an amendment to Arkansas Code § 6-18-201 concerning contracts between public school districts and adult education programs. Currently, the law allows public school districts to contract with adult education programs for educational services for sixteen and seventeen-year-olds enrolled in the district. The proposed amendment would explicitly permit public school districts to use available state funds, including state foundation funding aid, to pay for these contracted adult education programs. These programs can include offerings such as GED programs. A key requirement for such contracts, which would remain in effect, is the inclusion of financial considerations for serving the students. Additionally, the contracts must incorporate accountability measures to monitor student progress and attendance. The bill aims to facilitate financial support for adult education services accessed by public school districts through contractual agreements.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill would be public school districts in Arkansas and the adult education programs with which they contract. Public school districts would gain the explicit authorization to utilize state funds to cover the costs associated with contracted adult education programs, potentially easing their financial burden or enabling them to offer broader services. Adult education programs would benefit from a clearer pathway to receiving payments from school districts for services rendered to eligible students, potentially increasing their funding stability and capacity.
Who Might Suffer?
It is difficult to identify specific groups that would be directly and negatively impacted by this bill based solely on the provided text. The bill focuses on enabling the use of existing state funds for contracted services, rather than creating new taxes or reallocating funds from existing programs. However, if the increased utilization of state funds for adult education programs leads to a reduction in funding for other educational initiatives or services within school districts, then those programs or services could indirectly experience negative impacts due to resource diversion. Without further information on the funding sources and potential limitations, a definitive identification of negatively impacted entities is not possible.