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Career and Technical Education

Ark. Code Ann. tit. 25, ch. 30
in effect

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-101 Career Education and Workforce Development Board — Creation — Membership.

(a) The Career Education and Workforce Development Board is created. (b) The board shall consist of the following members, to be appointed by the Governor with advice and consent of the Senate: (1)(A) As voting members, from a list of recommendations by industry and business associations: (i) One (1) member to represent the agriculture industry; (ii) One (1) member to represent the construction industry; (iii) One (1) member to represent the energy industry; (iv) One (1) member to represent the healthcare industry; (v) One (1) member to represent the information technology industry; (vi) One (1) member to represent the manufacturing industry; (vii) One (1) member to represent the transportation-logistics industry; and (viii) At the discretion of the Governor, up to three (3) members representing industries represented in subdivisions (b)(1)(A)(i)-(vii) of this section. (B) A voting member under subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section may establish a subcommittee that includes nonboard members from the voting member's relevant industry in order to discuss and develop the list of recommendations developed by certain individuals as required under § 25-30-102(a)(1)(C) for the strategic plan required under § 25-30-102(a)(1)(A); and (2) As nonvoting members: (A) The Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education; (B) The Commissioner of the Division of Higher Education; (C) The Director of the Arkansas Community Colleges; (D) The Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission; (E) The Director of the Division of Workforce Services; (F) One (1) member to represent the four-year state-supported institutions of higher education; (G) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators; (H) One (1) member to represent the Department of Human Services; (I) One (1) member to represent the Department of Corrections; (J) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives; (K) The Director of the Division of Career and Technical Education; and (L) One (1) member to represent the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise. (c) The industry members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. (d)(1) A majority of the membership of the board shall constitute a quorum. (2) A majority vote of those members present shall be required for any action of the board. (e) A vacancy on the board due to death, resignation, removal, or other cause shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired portion of the term. (f) The Governor may remove a voting member of the board before the expiration of his or her term for cause only, after notice and hearing in accordance with §§ 25-17-210 and 25-17-211. (g) Voting members of the board may receive expense reimbursement and stipends under § 25-16-902. (h) The board shall elect from its own number a chair and other officers necessary to carry on its business.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-104 Coordination with State Board of Education and Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The State Board of Education shall coordinate its activities to ensure that academic, workplace, and technical skills create opportunities for a strong comprehensive education regardless of the student's ultimate career choice.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-105 Coordination between Division of Higher Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Skills Development, and Career Education and Workforce Development Board.

The Career Education and Workforce Development Board , the Division of Higher Education, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Office of Skills Development shall coordinate their activities to ensure that secondary and postsecondary career preparation is connected to create opportunities for a strong comprehensive education regardless of the student's ultimate career choice.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-106 Division of Career and Technical Education.

There is created the Division of Career and Technical Education within the Department of Education.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-107 Powers and duties of Division of Career and Technical Education.

(a)(1) All personnel of the Division of Career and Technical Education shall be employed by and serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of the Department of Education. (2) However, this section does not reduce any rights or benefits of employees, including retirement benefits, that they had when employed by the Department of Career Education. (b)(1) The authority and responsibility of the State Board of Education and the division shall include general control and supervision of all programs of vocational, technical, and occupational education in secondary institutions. (2) This authority shall apply to programs in: (A) State area vocational high school centers; (B) State public schools; and (C) Any other public educational facility or institution now in existence or hereafter established in the state with the exception of technical colleges, community colleges, universities, and colleges. (3) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to administer this section.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-201 Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.

(a) The policy and scope of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services shall be to provide increased employment of individuals with disabilities through the provision of individualized training, independent living services, educational and support services, and meaningful opportunities for employment in integrated work settings to maximize employment, economic self- sufficiency, independence, and inclusion and integration into society. (b) Pursuant to that policy, rehabilitation services shall be provided to citizens throughout the state, and the rehabilitation plan adopted pursuant to this subchapter shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the state.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-202 Scope of authority.

(a) All authorities and responsibilities defined in the Rehabilitation Act of Arkansas, § 20-79-201 et seq., shall be administered by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services under the direction of the Division of Workforce Services, except those transferred to the Division of State Services for the Blind by § 25-10-201 et seq. (b) Any and all statutory authority, powers, duties, functions, records, authorized positions, property, unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, or other funds transferred from the Division of Rehabilitation Services to the Department of Human Services by Acts 1985, No. 348, are hereby transferred to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-203 Powers and duties.

(a) The Division of Workforce Services, through Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, shall provide the rehabilitation services authorized by this subchapter to eligible physically or mentally disabled individuals and those who can benefit from vocational rehabilitation and independent living services, as determined by the agency to be eligible therefor. (b) In carrying out the purposes of this subchapter, the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services is authorized, among other things: (1) To be the sole state agency to supervise and administer the rehabilitation services authorized by this subchapter except such part or parts as may be administered by a local agency in a political subdivision of the state, in which case the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services shall be the sole agency to supervise such a local agency in the administration of such part or parts; (2) To conduct research and compile statistics relative to the provision of services or the need of services of disabled individuals; and (3) To administer the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Forgiveness of Student Loan Program.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-204 Eligibility for retirement systems.

All employees of the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services as of July 1, 1993, shall be eligible for membership in the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System, Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, or alternate retirement systems.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-205 Office facilities.

The Building Authority Division shall ensure that all offices of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services are exemplary models of accessibility and conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., accessibility guidelines.

Ark. Code Ann. § 25-30-206 Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Forgiveness of Student Loan Program.

(a) There is established the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Forgiveness of Student Loan Program to assist eligible employees of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services with the repayment of student loans. (b)(1) The program shall be administered by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. (2) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services shall promulgate rules regarding eligibility, payment, and program management consistent with this section. (c) An employee of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services is required to satisfy the following in order to be eligible for the program: (1) Completion of a six-month probationary period, beginning with the first day of employment with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services; (2) Provision of proof that the employee incurred student loan debt for purposes of obtaining a degree in the field of vocational rehabilitation, including without limitation the name and address of the student loan creditor; (3) Provision of proof that the student loan is unpaid at the time the employee applies for the program; and (4) Execution of a contract in which the employee agrees that Arkansas Rehabilitation Services is not obligated to issue further payments under the program if the employee resigns or is terminated for cause while participating in the program. (d) Payments under the program are made directly to the employee's student loan creditor and are subject to the following limitations: (1) A payment shall be issued in installments not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000); (2) An eligible employee is required to have been continually employed by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services for the two (2) years prior to issuance of an installment in order to receive the installment; and (3) An eligible employee may receive no more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or up to five (5) installments under the program. (e) The total payments to all employees under the program shall not exceed eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) per fiscal year.
Source: Public.Resource.Org / UniCourt, Official Code of Arkansas Annotated, Release 78 (2020) (unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar)URL: https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar/transforms/ar/ocar/r78/gov.ar.code.title.25.htmlFetched: 11/8/2026

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