Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-1602 requires the Department to publish a consolidation list of all school districts with fewer than three hundred and fifty (350) students according to the district’s average daily membership in each of the two (2) school years immediately preceding the current school year. This Commissioner’s Memo is provided in fulfillment of the public requirement contained in Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-1602.
The school district meeting the above criteria for 2009 is Cushman.
Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-13-1603, the following is a timeline of event applicable to the school district on the 2009 consolidation list:
March 1, 2009:
Last date for the State Board of Education to receive a petition for voluntary administrative annexation or consolidation from the school district on the 2009 Consolidation List.
May 1, 2009:
Last date for the State Board of Education to approve a petition for voluntary administrative annexation or consolidation and administratively consolidate that school district on its motion if it did not either submit a petition or whose petition is denied by the State Board.
July 1, 2009:
Effective date of the administrative annexation or consolidation completed by the State Board.
The Department continues to monitor and further examine school districts’ attendance records, and will notify any affected school districts of any changes in status for administrative annexation or consolidation and other purposes.
Districts are urged to ensure that the district is in compliance with all attendance and reporting laws, including but not limited to, Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-213.