April 3, 2024 by Cynthia Howell | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Student First Technologies is the state’s choice to manage the distribution of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to private schools and other service providers on behalf of students participating in the state’s new voucher and/or literacy tutoring grant programs. Brooke Hollowoa, communications director for the Arkansas
March 20, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette The salary of the state’s Geographic Information Systems officer Shelby Johnson increased from $135,676.32 a year to $149,243.95 a year, effective Monday, the chief of staff for the state Department of Transformation and Shared Services said Tuesday. Johnson was promoted from his IT10 pay grade to
March 13, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette The director of the Office of State Procurement, Ed Armstrong, has submitted his resignation to become associate general counsel for the University of Arkansas System later this month. As associate general counsel, Armstrong will focus on contracts, procurement, real estate, construction and other transactional issues within
March 13, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette A legislative panel on Wednesday endorsed the state Department of Commerce’s request to create two administrative positions with a projected total cost of about $400,000 in federal and state funds. The Legislative Council’s personnel subcommittee recommended the Legislative Council approve the Commerce Department’s request to create
March 13, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette A consultant on Wednesday recommended the state’s public school and state employee health insurance plans implement a diabetes management program that includes mental health and other comorbidity monitoring and treatment integrated with the diabetic treatment module. The diabetes management program also would include claims integration to
March 7, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday proposed increasing the state government’s general revenue budget by $109.3 million to $6.31 billion in the next fiscal year that starts July 1 with most of the increased funding for education programs. The Republican governor said the proposed 1.76%
February 27, 2024 by Cynthia Howell | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Five companies submitted proposals by last week’s deadline to manage the distribution of millions of dollars in state funds to private schools and other service providers on behalf of students participating in the state’s new voucher and/or tutoring programs. Brooke Hollowoa, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department
Written by Neale Zeringue | KARK SHERIDAN, Ark. – Sheridan has hit a major milestone thanks to a recent census appeal that should bring new funds to the city. Even before Sheridan Mayor Cain Nattin took office at the start of 2023, an effort was underway to repeal the 2020 census, which counted Sheridan at
February 15, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette The Arkansas Department of Education, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Transformation and Shared Services, should lead the alignment of training and career pathways to ensure students learn applicable skills and competencies under one of four recommendations outlined in the Arkansas Workforce Strategy report released
February 14, 2024 by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette An Arkansas legislative panel on Wednesday signed off on a revised performance pay system for state government’s executive branch employees in fiscal year 2024 that ends June 30. The Legislative Council’s personnel subcommittee recommended the Legislative Council review the state Department of Transformation and Shared Services’s