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School Choice

SCHOOL CHOICE NOTICE for the UPCOMING 25/26SY

This is a public announcement. Public School Choice in Arkansas allows students to attend a public school in a district other than the one in which they reside. Applications for students in the following counties: Clark, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Pike and Saline; must be postmarked, emailed or hand delivered between January 1st, 2025 and May 1st, 2025 to qualify for provisions under the Arkansas Public School Choice ACT 2015.

Pursuant to standards adopted by a non-resident school board, a non-resident district may reserve the right to accept and reject applicants based on capacity of programs, class, grade level or school building. Likewise, a non-resident district’s standards may provide for the rejection of an applicant based upon the submission of false or misleading information to the above-listed request for information when that information directly impacts the legal qualifications of an applicant to transfer pursuant to the School Choice Act. However, a non-resident district’s standards shall not include an applicant’s previous academic achievement, athletic or other extra-curricular ability, handicapping conditions, English proficiency level, or previous disciplinary proceedings, except that an expulsion from another district may be included pursuant to Ark. Code 6-18-510. Priority will be given to applicants with siblings attending the district. The non-resident district shall accept credits toward graduation that were awarded by another district and award a diploma to a non-resident applicant if the applicant meets the non-resident district’s graduation requirements. The Superintendent shall notify the parent and the student’s resident district, in writing,  no later than the fifteenth (15th) calendar day following the receipt of an application, of the decision to accept or reject the application. Transfers shall be granted on a non-discriminatory basis. Students who have been accepted and enrolled in previous years do not have to reapply as approved transfers remain valid for a s long as the student attends that public school.

Superintendents of BOTH school districts must be notified by the parent of their school choice request.

Please contact Julia Stinson at 501-332-8884 for more information. School Choice Applications can be found on our website.

 

School Choice Application 

 

Not sure what school district you live in.  Click this link and enter your physical address to find out.

https://bit.ly/PoyenSchoolBoundaries

 

 

 

The DESE Rules Governing Public School Choice provides that a student whose application for a school choice transfer is rejected may request a hearing before the State Board of Education in writing, no later than ten (10) calendar days (excluding weekends and holidays) after notice of the rejection is received.

The request shall be mailed to:

Office of the Commissioner

Attn: Arkansas Public School Choice Act Appeal

Four Capitol Mall

Little Rock, AR 72201

The request shall state the basis for appealing the decision of the nonresident district and include a copy of the notice of rejection. A copy of the request must also be mailed to the superintendent of the nonresident district.