AR SB483

Amends Arkansas Code § 6-20-1902 to establish systems for the Department of Education to review public school district financial management practices, identify and address districts in fiscal distress, and provide continuous monitoring to districts returned to local control.

Adds two new violations to § 6-20-1904(a)(2) that jeopardize fiscal integrity: material failure to comply with general business manager minimum qualifications and material failure to comply with requirements for districts returned to local control.

Changes the reporting deadline in § 6-20-1904(b) from August 31 to November 1 for both the department and superintendents to report nonmaterial fiscal distress indicators and establishes a 30-day notice requirement with board agenda placement requirements.

Shifts the primary fiscal distress notification deadline in § 6-20-1905(a) from March 30 to June 30 and allows departments to identify districts as in fiscal distress at any time after June 30.

Creates new sections 6-20-1912, 6-20-1913, and 6-20-1914 establishing three-year fiscal monitoring and support for districts returned to local control, defining general business manager qualifications, and requiring the department to review financial management practices across resource use, financial accountability, and personnel systems.