§ 6-20-1905 - Notification and appeal.
6-20-1905. Notification and appeal.
(a) (1) (A) (i) The Department of Education shall provide written notice, via certified mail, return receipt requested, to the president of the school board of directors and the superintendent of each school district identified as being in fiscal distress.
(ii) The department shall provide the notice required under this subdivision (a)(1)(A) on or before March 30 of each year.
(B) (i) At any time after March 30, the department may identify a school district as being in fiscal distress if the department discovers that a fiscal condition of a school district negatively impacts the continuation of educational services by the school district.
(ii) The department immediately shall provide the same notice required under subdivision (a)(1)(A)(i) to the school district identified under this subdivision (a)(1)(B).
(b) Any school district identified in fiscal distress status may appeal to the State Board of Education by filing a written appeal with the office of the Commissioner of Education by certified mail, return receipt requested, within thirty (30) days of receipt of notice of identified fiscal distress status from the department.
(c) The state board shall hear the appeal within sixty (60) days of receipt of the written notice of appeal from the school district.
(d) The written appeal shall state in clear terms the reason why the school district should not be classified as in fiscal distress.
(e) Notwithstanding any appeal rights in this subchapter, no appeal shall stay the department's authority to take action to protect the fiscal integrity of any school district identified as in fiscal distress.
(f) The decision of the state board shall be a final order, and there is no further right of appeal except that the school district may appeal to Pulaski County Circuit Court pursuant to the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, 25-15-201 et seq.