§ 6-20-2505 - Academic Equipment Program.
6-20-2505. Academic Equipment Program.
(a) There is established the Academic Equipment Program under which the Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation shall provide school districts with state financial participation to support the purchase of eligible academic equipment based on the school district's academic facilities wealth index.
(b) A school district may apply for state financial participation to support the purchase of academic equipment if:
(1) The school district's application is received by the division no later than July 1, 2005;
(2) The need for the academic equipment was in existence on January 1, 2005; and
(3) The academic equipment supports an adequate education as described in 6-20-2302.
(c) As part of its application for state financial participation under this section, a school district shall provide the division with evidence of:
(1) The need for the academic equipment;
(2) The estimated cost of the academic equipment; and
(3) Any additional information determined by the division to be necessary to evaluate the school district's application.
(d) The division shall evaluate a school district's application and notify the school district of the division's decision on the application and, if applicable, the amount of state financial participation. The division shall base its decision on several factors, including, without limitation:
(1) The nature of and need for the academic equipment;
(2) Consistency with current academic equipment standards and sound educational practices;
(3) The academic facilities wealth index of the school district; and
(4) The prudent and resourceful expenditure of state funds with regard to public school academic facilities and equipment.
(e) (1) (A) If a school district qualifies for state financial participation under this section, the division shall certify the amount of state financial participation to the Commission for Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation for oversight purposes.
(B) The commission shall certify the amount to the Department of Education for payment.
(2) For tracking purposes, the school district shall account for the funds received as state financial participation under this section as restricted funds and shall account for the funds in accordance with provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Arkansas Educational Financial Accounting and Reporting Act of 2004, 6-20-2201 et seq., and rules established by the State Board of Education and the commission.
(f) Every effort shall be made to conform the purchase of academic equipment to current academic equipment standards and sound educational practices unless in the judgment of the division it is impractical to conform the purchase to current standards.