SB76 Summary

• Appropriates $1,792,884,348 total for the Department of Education for fiscal year 2023-2024 across multiple funding accounts including regular salaries, personal services, and operating expenses

• Authorizes 86 maximum employees for Shared Services and 302 maximum employees for Division of Elementary and Secondary Education State Operations, plus extra help positions funded from various accounts

• Establishes appropriations of $50,000,000 for School Safety Grants and $52,100,000 for Educational Freedom Accounts to be distributed per Legislative Council approval

• Allocates $13,000,000 in loans to school districts and $10,000,000 in loans to open-enrollment public charter schools from the Education Revolving Loan Certificates Fund

• Amends Arkansas Code § 25-43-503 requiring the Secretary of Education to devote all working time exclusively to the position and prohibiting acceptance of additional compensation from any other source