In accordance with Ark. Code Ann. § 6-16-1101, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) has received $659,653 from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. These funds were generated from fines, fees and costs arising out of convictions of persons violating state laws protecting game, fish and wildlife. The funds are to be distributed back to the counties where the offenses occurred.
Ark. Code Ann. § 6-16-1101 establishes guidelines for Arkansas Game and Fish Conservation Education and Outdoor Recreation programs. The Department of Education, in consultation with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, shall establish school education programs for fish and wildlife conservation and for other purposes consistent with Amendment 35 of the Arkansas Constitution. The Act also requires the ADE to distribute funding to the counties where the offenses occurred. Attached is the funding distribution by county. Shortly the ADE will send the funds to the County Treasurer.
The statute requires the counties to distribute all of the funds to the school districts or conservation districts, or both, within the counties in the manner prescribed by ordinance of the county quorum courts. The ADE defines that a school district shall be within the county where the primary administrative office is located.
The ADE, in consultation with the Game and Fish Commission, has approved the following educational programs offered by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission that meet conservaition education criteria for Fine Money Allocations for Counties:
Wings Over Arkansas
Contact: Kirsten Bartlow, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
e-mail: kpbartlow@agfc.state.ar.us
WILD Workshops
Contact: Pat Knighten, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (870) 917-2085
e-mail: paknighten@agfc.state.ar.us
School Yard Habitats Site Development
Contact: Pat Knighten, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (870) 917-2085
e-mail: paknighten@agfc.state.ar.us
On Target For Life- Archery/P.E. Program (additional matching money is available through AGFC)
Contact: Joe Huggins, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (501) 223-6414
e-mail: jghuggins@agfc.state.ar.us
Hunter Education
Contact: Joe Huggins, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (501) 223-6414
e-mail: jghuggins@agfc.state.ar.us
Boating Education
Contact: Bob Cushing, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (501) 223-6495
e-mail: bcushing@agfc.state.ar.us
Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs
Contact: Dawn Cook, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (501) 223-6313
e-mail: ddcook@agfc.state.ar.us0
Arkansas Stream Team Program
Contact: Steve Filipek, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (501) 223-6369
e-mail: sfilipek@agfc.state.ar.us
Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program
Contact: Chuck Woodson, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (501) 978-7326
e-mail: cwoodson@agfc.state.ar.us
4-H Responsible Environmental Stewardship Quest (RES-Q)
Sponsored and Funded by AGFC, Arkansas 4-H, and U of A CES
Contact: Justin Pitman, Arkansas 4-H Center
Phone: (501) 821-6884
Specialized Conservation Education/Educator Training Workshops
A partnership with County Conservation Districts
Contact: Pat Knighten, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Phone: (870) 917-2085
e-mail: paknighten@agfc.state.ar.us
Also, funds can be utilized to provide avenues for teachers/educators to take students on field trips to AGFC Nature Centers and Education Centers.
District officials should contact the Quorum Court with suggestions concerning the best method of distributing funding provided by this statute. The Department of Education does not have a role in the process of determining the allocation of the funding. All questions concerning the individual county allocations should be directed to the Quorum Court.
Funding received and expenditures for this program are restricted and must be reported using the REVENUE CODE 32260. If funds are not used in a fiscal year, districts may carry the funding forward to be used for the same purpose originally intended.