The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Safe and Drug-Free Schools program was a part of an integrated review of federal programs conducted by the United States Department of Education (USDOE). During the on-site visit conducted May 17-21, 1999, concerns regarding the practice of awarding grant funds under this program to the State's educational cooperatives were addressed. When ADE received the State's fiscal year 2000 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) State and Local Grants Program notification of grant award, the following condition was placed on receiving the new SDFSCA grant:
No funds from this grant may be awarded to educational cooperatives in the State unless Arkansas determines that its educational cooperatives meet the definition of "local educational agencies contained in Section 14101 (18) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. Section 14101 (18) states, "the term Local Educational Agency means a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary or secondary schools in a city, country, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or for such combination of school districts or counties as are recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary or secondary schools."
Staff members from the Arkansas Department of Education and representatives from the Cooperative Directors Professional Association have visited with the USDOE officials numerous times in an effort to change the interpretation of this policy. To date, all efforts have been unsuccessful.
At this time, funds will not be distributed to Arkansas Educational Cooperatives. All funds will be sent directly to the LEAs.