HB1206

House Bill 1206 is an appropriations bill that provides funding for the Arkansas Department of Education, specifically the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill allocates over $3.48 billion from the Public School Fund for various grants, aid programs, and operational costs for local school districts across the state. Key appropriations include state foundation funding, teacher salary raises, public school employee insurance, and various specific initiatives such as computer science, special education, and gifted and talented programs. Additionally, the bill establishes authorized employee headcounts for the Arkansas Public School Computer Network and the Office of Education Renewal Zones. It also grants the Commissioner of the Department of Education limited authority to transfer budget appropriations with legislative oversight. The bill outlines specific distribution requirements for special funds, such as those for isolated school districts and programs for students with disabilities. Overall, the act functions as a budgetary mechanism to ensure the continuous financial operation of Arkansas's K-12 public education infrastructure for the upcoming fiscal year.