An act TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR COMPREHENSIVE 10 OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM GRANTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT 11 OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 12 EDUCATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2026, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas      A Bill
2 95th General Assembly

3 Regular Session, 2025                                            SENATE BILL 360

4

5 By: Senator J. Petty

6

7

8                        For An Act To Be Entitled

9        AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR COMPREHENSIVE

10       OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM GRANTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT

11       OF EDUCATION - DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY

12       EDUCATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2026;

13       AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

14

15

16                                Subtitle

17                       AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION -

18                       DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY

19                       EDUCATION OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM

20                       GRANTS APPROPRIATION APPROPRIATION FOR

21                       THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

22

23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

24

25       SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION - OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM GRANTS. There is

26 hereby appropriated, to the Department of Education, to be payable from the

27 Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Public School Fund Account,

28 for a grant program for comprehensive out-of-school time programs for school

29 aged children which shall provide evidence-based academic enhancement

30 programs and activities that align with and support state curriculum

31 standards by the Department of Education - Division of Elementary and

32 Secondary Education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, the following:

33

34 ITEM                                                             FISCAL YEAR

35 NO.                                                              2025-2026

36 (01) OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM GRANTS                           $1,700,000

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1

2   SECTION 2. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS

3 CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW. OUT-OF-

4 SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM GRANTS REQUIREMENTS. (a)Of the amount appropriated to

5 the Department of Education - Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

6 for Out-Of-School Time Program Grants in this act, funding shall only be made

7 available to eligible entities for comprehensive out-of-school time programs

8 for school aged children.

9 (b) Eligible programs shall be limited to applicants meeting the following

10 criteria:

11  (1) Provide out-of-school time programs during the school year to school

12 aged children;

13  (2) Provide regular activities designed for evidence-based academic

14 enhancement that aligns and supports state curriculum standards and will

15 include a minimum of two of the following five activity areas:

16  (A)STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math);

17  (B)Academic support;

18  (C)Goal setting / leadership;

19  (D)Career exposure/Workforce Readiness; and

20  (E)Community service.

21  (3) Provide activities above as a part of a comprehensive out-of-school

22 program;

23  (4) Operate for a minimum of 12 hours weekly during the school year;

24 minimum of four days per week during the calendar school year; not including

25 school breaks such as holiday or seasonal;

26  (5) Collect data on participants' demographics, attendance and program

27 participation and compile statewide aggregated data;

28  (6) Implement rigorous safety standards including employee background

29 checks, compliance with mandated reporting laws; and

30  (7) Must be a qualified 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization that has been

31 in operation for more than 5 years and has a record of fiscal accountability.

32 Organizations must also provide a sustainability model with a minimum of 50%

33 of funding derived from non-state resources.

34 (c)The Department of Education - Division of Elementary and Secondary

35 Education shall promulgate rules for the determination of eligibility and

36 administration of the Out-Of-School Time Program Grants.

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1 (d)The provisions of this section shall be in effect only from July 1, 2025

2 through June 30, 2026.

3

4   SECTION 3. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds

5 authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency

6 and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and

7 the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and

8 Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary

9 Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal

10 control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by

11 the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be

12 strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds.

13

14  SECTION 4. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General

15 Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations

16 contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for

17 which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive

18 Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget

19 manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or

20 summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative

21 Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption.

22

23  SECTION 5. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the General

24 Assembly, that the Constitution of the State of Arkansas prohibits the

25 appropriation of funds for more than a one (1) year period; that the

26 effectiveness of this Act on July 1, 2025 is essential to the operation of

27 the agency for which the appropriations in this Act are provided, and that in

28 the event of an extension of the legislative session, the delay in the

29 effective date of this Act beyond July 1, 2025 could work irreparable harm

30 upon the proper administration and provision of essential governmental

31 programs. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act

32 being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health

33 and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2025.

34

35

36

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