LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas House members have revived and advanced a bill to relax restrictions on the creation of new school districts.
Lawmakers voted 60-21 on Monday in support of the measure after it failed by two votes last week. The bill seeks to lower the amount of students an upstart district needs to splinter from an existing one.
Republican Rep. Mark Lowery of Maumelle wants to lessen the requirement to 2,500 students. He said the move would allow Maumelle or Sherwood to split from the Pulaski County Special School District after clearing state and federal hurdles.
Lowery said he wants to give more local control to parents. Opponents say the change could harm lower-income students and widen racial divides.
