AR SB57

Establishes maximum of 32 regular employees for the Department of Education - Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation for fiscal year 2016-2017, with positions ranging from Director to Administrative Specialist roles.

Appropriates $2,535,940 for operations including $1,501,394 for regular salaries, $487,575 for personal services matching, $323,321 for operating expenses, $207,500 for safety training, and $13,650 for conferences and travel.

Appropriates $235,011,538 from the Educational Facilities Partnership Fund Account for grants and aid programs, including $231,500,000 for academic facilities partnership and $3,511,538 for catastrophic facilities assistance.

Appropriates $5,000,000 from the Open-Enrollment Public Charter School Facilities Loan Fund for distributing loans to charter schools for construction, lease, purchase, or improvement of academic facilities.

Authorizes the department director to request appropriation transfers and budget adjustments with approval from the Chief Fiscal Officer and Arkansas Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee, limited to no more than two transfer requests per fiscal year.