Applications for the Arkansas School Choice Transfer Program for Garland County schools are due by Wednesday.
Garland County schools began accepting applications on April 1. No applications for the 2015-16 school year can be accepted after July 1.
Student movement through School Choice in Garland County is still affected by the racial demographics of each district despite a 2012 court ruling that declared the practice unconstitutional. Districts are given racial data and a complex formula from the Arkansas Department of Education to determine the acceptance and rejection of requested transfers.
Transfers can be approved when families request for a student to move from a district with a higher percentage of a particular race to a district with a lower percentage. Districts must abide by "acceptable range calculations."
For the transfer of white students, if no single minority race or ethnic category in either of the two districts is 10 percent or greater, the transfers can be approved. Transfers will be denied if a category of minorities is 10 percent or greater in either of the districts.
The percentages change every year. Families should contact the schools to learn if they will be eligible based on the race requirements.
U.S. Judge Robert Dawson declared the Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 1989 unconstitutional because race was used as a factor for transfers. He ruled the provision violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Most of the state is now covered by the Public School Choice Act of 2013, which removed race as a factor and limited the total number of transfers in a year from one district to 3 percent of enrollment. Only about 20 districts operate under separate guidelines.
Cutter Morning Star, Fountain Lake, Jessieville, Lake Hamilton, Lakeside and Mountain Pine have appealed the most recent federal court decision that maintains the current protocol for Garland County School Choice transfers. The six districts asked the court to terminate a 1989 desegregation agreement which limits transfers between the schools.
Dawson denied the request on March 31. He ruled the schools failed to prove the desegregation agreement is no longer needed and inadequate evidence was provided to show the agreement is unjust.
A notice of appeal was filed by the six school districts in April. The appeal of Dawson's opinion and a court order denying their motion has been taken to the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Local on 06/28/2015