Attached is the 2002-2003 School Choice Eligibility listing.
The listing shows the following:
1. LEA-DISTRICT
Each county in the state and all school districts within each county by LEA number and name listed in alphabetical order.
2. PARTICIPANT
Y- indicates that the district is participating in School Choice.
N- indicates that the district is not participating in School Choice.
3. ELIGIBILITY CODE
Code 1 indicates that a district is eligible under Ark. Code Ann. 6-18-206 (f) (1), "No student may transfer to a non-resident district where the percentage of enrollment for the student's race exceeds that percentage in his resident district except in the circumstances set forth in subdivisions (2) and (4) of the subsection."
Code 2 indicates that a district is eligible under Ark. Code Ann. 6-18-206 (f) (2), "A transfer to a district is exempt from the restriction set forth in subdivision (f) (1) of this section if all districts within a county have voted to participate in choice and the transfer is between two (2) districts within a county, and if the minority percentage in the student's race and the majority percentages of school enrollment in both the resident and non-resident district remain within an acceptable range of the county's overall minority percentage in the student's race and majority percentages of school population as set forth by the Department of Education."
Code 3 indicates that a district is eligible under Ark. Code Ann. 6-18-206 (f) (4), "A transfer is exempt from the restriction set forth in subdivision (f) (1) of this section if each school district within the county does not have a critical mass of minority percentage in the student's race, students of more than ten percent (10%) of any single race."
4. PERCENT OF STUDENTS K-12
Determined from the October Annual School Report of student enrollment.
5. COUNTY PERCENTS
The percent of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native, and White students in the county.
6. ACCEPTABLE RANGES
The computed minority percentage as outlined in Ark. Code Ann. 6-18-206 (f) (3).
AMENDED 2001
Section 1 Arkansas Code 6-18-206 (b) (1) (A), is amended to read as follows: "Before a student may attend a school in a non-resident district, the student's parent or guardian must submit an application on a form approved by the Department of Education to the non-resident district. This application must be postmarked not later than July 1 of the year in which the student would begin the fall semester at the non-resident district."
Attached is the application form approved by the Department of Education that must be submitted by parent or guardian before a student may attend a school in a non-resident district.
REMINDER
The law presumes each district participates in School Choice, unless there is a local school board action to the contrary. School districts must advertise their participation in the school choice program.
Note: If the status of your district is incorrect, please contact the Equity Assistance Center at 501-682-4245.