Arkansas Code
Subchapter 1 - State Board of Education
§ 6-11-102. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education

(a)
(1) Subject to confirmation by the Governor, the State Board of Education is empowered to employ a person to act as the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education and who shall be the administrative head of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
(2) The commissioner shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(3) The commissioner shall report to the Secretary of the Department of Education.

(b) The commissioner shall:
(1) Devote all of his or her time to the duties of his or her office;
(2) Act as an agent of the state board; and
(3) Perform other duties as are designated by the state board and by statute.

(c)
(1) The person selected as the commissioner shall:
(A) Be a person of good moral character, recognized as a leader in the field of education, and qualified technically and by experience to direct the work of the division; and
(B) Unless a deputy commissioner meets the requirements of this subdivision (c)(1)(B), a person selected as commissioner shall:
(i) Hold a master's degree from an accredited institution;
(ii) Have had ten (10) years' experience as a teacher, five (5) of which must be of an administrative or supervisory nature; and
(iii) Hold a valid state teacher's license.

(2) No person who is related within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity to any member of the state board shall be eligible to serve as commissioner.

(d) It is the specific intention of this act to define and declare the commissioner to be the employee of the state board.
(e)
(1) The commissioner, or a disbursing agent designated by him or her and approved by the state board, shall give bond to the State of Arkansas as provided by law for other disbursing agents conditioned for the faithful performance of his or her duties and the faithful accounting for all the school money of the state, of any county, or of any school district that may come into his or her hands.
(2) The bond shall be in a solvent surety company having a right to do business in the State of Arkansas and shall be approved by the state board.
(3) The premium on the bond shall be paid by the state board as one of the expenses of the state board.

(f) The state shall furnish the commissioner with suitable offices.