HB1192

House Bill 1192 seeks to reform the governance and operational structure of Arkansas's education service cooperatives. The bill repeals the Public School Educational Cooperative Act of 1981, which previously established the framework for voluntary associations of school districts to share resources. Simultaneously, it amends the Education Service Cooperative Act of 1985 to consolidate and standardize the governance requirements for these entities. Key changes include defining the composition of the board of directors, establishing clear fiduciary responsibilities, and mandating transparency through public meetings and data reporting regarding student performance. The bill also removes the provision for an 'executive committee,' requiring the full board of directors to manage the cooperative's affairs directly. These changes take effect on January 1, 2024.