School tables student transfers

School Choice ruling raises a quandary

— Several requests for students to transfer into Pea Ridge School District were tabled Monday night on the recommendation of superintendent Dr. Roland Smith,and are scheduled to be reconsidered at a special meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 19.

Several of the requests were under the School Choice Act of 1999 which was ruled unconstitutional Friday by a federal judge.

For any other transfer, both the resident school district and the receiving school district must approve.

“What about the other students already in the school from School Choice,” asked Sandy Button, School Board member.

Smith said there are 13,000 students in the state of Arkansas now under School Choice. He requested an opinion from attorney Tom Kimbrell with the state.

“There is no longer any provision for school choice transfers under that law,” Jeremy Lasiter, attorney with the Arkansas Department of Education, responded.

The four items to be considered were:

◊ A black student from Rogers who already has siblings in Pea Ridge under School Choice

◊A Native American student from Bentonville who does have documentation verifying nationality

◊Disapproval of family of three who were Pea Ridgestudents, who’ve moved out of district, but want to continue in school

◊Three non-minority students from Bentonville and

◊A family from Missouri

“I’m assuming there will be some action in the courts in the near future,” Smith told board members.

News, Pages 1 on 06/13/2012