§ 6-26-202 - Duties. - Arkansas Statutes

6-26-202. Duties.

(a) The Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Teacher Housing Development Foundation shall elect annually a chair, a secretary, and other officers as the board deems appropriate.

(b) (1) The board shall employ a director who is charged with the management and control of the Arkansas Teacher Housing Development Foundation.

(2) (A) The director shall have the following qualifications:

(i) A bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year university;

(ii) At least five (5) years' management experience; and

(iii) At least seven (7) years' experience in any of the following areas:

(a) Fundraising for nonprofit organizations;

(b) Sales or marketing; or

(c) Governmental relations.

(B) Three (3) of the five (5) years' management experience may be substituted by any of the following:

(i) A master's degree in business administration from an accredited university;

(ii) A doctor of philosophy degree in education from an accredited university; or

(iii) A juris doctorate degree from an accredited law school.

(c) (1) The board shall meet at least four (4) times a year.

(2) The chair is authorized to call special meetings of the board as needed upon two (2) days' written notice to the members.

(3) Any three (3) board members are authorized to call special meetings of the board upon two (2) days' written notice to the members.

(d) The primary objectives of the board shall be as follows:

(1) To determine which school districts in the state fall under the definitions in this chapter for the following:

(A) High-priority school district; and

(B) High-performing school district;

(2) To implement housing incentive programs under this chapter;

(3) To develop new housing incentive programs for high-priority school districts;

(4) To recommend legislation to improve housing incentive programs for high-priority school districts;

(5) To obtain private and public sources of funding for housing incentive programs for high-priority school districts; and

(6) (A) To make recommendations to the Department of Education and the State Board of Education regarding housing incentive programs for high-priority school districts.

(B) The department and the state board shall provide the information and assistance necessary for the board to perform its duties under this chapter.

(e) (1) The board may enter into agreements with other state agencies or entities to develop, fund, implement, or administer the programs in this chapter, including, but not limited to the:

(A) Department of Education;

(B) State Board of Education;

(C) Arkansas Development Finance Authority; and

(D) Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.

(2) The board may contract with private entities to assist with the development, funding, implementation, and administration of the programs in this chapter.

(f) The board shall promulgate rules with respect to this chapter and prescribe the forms and procedures for compliance with the rules.

(g) (1) The board or its designee may:

(A) Accept any gifts, grants, bequests, devises, and donations made to the State of Arkansas for the purpose of funding the Teacher Housing Fund and the programs created under this chapter; and

(B) Deposit any gifts, grants, bequests, devises, and donations so received into the fund.

(2) The board or its designee shall quarterly certify to the Treasurer of State the amount contributed to the fund through private or public sources.

(3) The gifts, grants, bequests, devises, and donations made under this chapter shall be used together with any other funds appropriated or acquired for funding the fund.

(h) The director or his or her designee shall provide an annual report by October 1 of each year to the Chair of the Senate Interim Committee on Education and the Chair of the House Interim Committee on Education. The report shall contain the following information:

(1) A list of the school districts which are high-priority school districts, as determined by the board;

(2) A list of the school districts which are high-performing school districts, as determined by the board;

(3) Current housing incentives that are offered to high-performing teachers who choose to teach in high-priority school districts;

(4) The funding available and the sources for funding for housing incentives for high-priority school districts;

(5) The number of recipients of housing incentives provided under this chapter; and

(6) The list of high-performing teachers who have pending applications for housing benefits under this chapter.