§ 9-33-303 - Administration -- Funding.
9-33-303. Administration -- Funding.
(a) The Department of Health shall be the agency designated to serve as the administrative and fiscal agent for the Arkansas After-School Enrichment Program.
(b) Funds appropriated for the Arkansas After-School Enrichment Program may only be used for activities in support of the Arkansas After-School Enrichment Program that comply with the stated legislative purpose as contained in this subchapter.
(c) The Department of Health shall have the following authority and responsibilities in acting as fiscal agent for the Arkansas After-School Enrichment Program within the Common Ground Program:
(1) To disburse the Arkansas After-School Enrichment Program grant funds to qualifying entities at a minimum of forty percent (40%) of the allocation of Common Ground Program funds as directed by the Common Ground Program Committee;
(2) To solicit proposals from at-risk school districts with high percentages of at-risk high schools for after-school enrichment programs;
(3) To ensure that applications include evidence of a district-wide needs assessment and planning processes, program objectives and activities, anticipated results, evaluation plans, and proposed linkages with community health and human service agencies and existing school programs;
(4) To provide technical assistance to at-risk school districts, including information about effective research-based prevention programs and agency services, to provide for program review and evaluation and, in consultation with other state agencies, including the Department of Education, to develop program guidelines for coordinated service delivery and to establish standards against which programs may be judged for efficiency and effectiveness; and
(5) To submit applications on behalf of the Common Ground Program Committee for funds that may become available from public and private funding sources that would be used to implement the activities of the Arkansas After-School Enrichment Program.