Ark. Code Ann. § 6-51-205: Responsibility for school operation - Personnel and equipment

(a) The State Board of Education shall be responsible for the operation of the schools and shall have authority to purchase, lease, or construct buildings, land, equipment, machinery, and supplies necessary for the teaching of trade, vocational, or other federally aided adult courses of less than college grade.

(b) The state board is authorized to employ personnel, to set salaries which shall be comparable to those received by other similarly positioned personnel in the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, and to negotiate leases or purchases with any and all agencies of the United States Government for the lease or purchase of suitable facilities, equipment, machinery, and supplies to be used for the purposes authorized by this section and §§ 6-51-201 - 6-51-203 , § 6-51-207 , § 6-51-208(a) -(c), § 6-51-209 , and § 6-51-210 .

(c) All laws governing the employment of personnel of the division, including such matters as leave rules and teacher retirement membership, shall apply to employees of all vocational-technical and adult education schools.