§ 6-18-1404 - Duties. - Arkansas Statutes

6-18-1404. Duties.

(a) The State Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board shall have the following duties, subject to funding, to:

(1) Determine which schools are priority elementary schools under this subchapter;

(2) Review grant applications and award grants to school districts for family resource centers;

(3) (A) Formulate and assist with the implementation plan to establish a goal of ten (10) family resource centers, subject to funding.

(B) The family resource centers shall be designed to meet the following goals:

(i) Removing nonacademic barriers to student success in school;

(ii) Enhancing the abilities of students to succeed in school; and

(iii) Meeting the needs of children and their families;

(4) Monitor the family resource centers;

(5) Modify the implementation plans as necessary;

(6) Promulgate rules and forms for the administration of this subchapter;

(7) Employ administrative or training staff as needed;

(8) Create local advisory groups;

(9) (A) Provide additional resources to assist school districts in the development of methods and strategies to effectively use poverty funding that they receive more effectively.

(B) The resources may include the following:

(i) Technical assistance;

(ii) Organizational assistance;

(iii) Program assistance;

(iv) Professional assistance; or

(v) Any other assistance that is determined to be needed to help school districts overcome nonacademic barriers;

(10) Find alternative funding sources for the board and the programs under this subchapter, including, but not limited to, grants or donations; and

(11) Perform other duties as determined by the board.

(b) (1) This subchapter is the framework for schools to address student poverty issues and to remove nonacademic barriers that hinder student performance.

(2) A school district may fund programs or services under this subchapter with moneys received from the Department of Education Public School Fund Account or its successor fund account for poverty index funding, National School Lunch Act student funding, national school lunch students funding, or other funding for students eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program.

(3) The programs under this subchapter shall be included in any list of approved programs and purposes established by rule of the Department of Education, any successor agency of the department, or the State Board of Education regarding the use of poverty index funding, National School Lunch Act student funding, national school lunch students funding, or other funding for students eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program.

(4) School districts may use any available funding resources to establish and administer family resource centers under this subchapter, including, but not limited to, federal or state Medicaid moneys or reimbursements.

(c) On or before October 1 of each year, the chair of the board or his or her designee shall report to the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Children and Youth regarding the status of the development of the family resource centers and the outcomes achieved at each operational family resource center.