The state Board of Education on Friday requested data, primarily relating to student demographics, from two charter schools seeking to expand and the Little Rock School District ahead of public hearings.
Originally, the Education Board was set to consider rescinding hearings on the proposed expansions of eStem Public Charter Schools and LISA Academy during its special meeting Friday.
A revised agenda posted Friday morning stated that four action agenda items reconsidering public comment on the proposals were pulled "at the request of the board member who initially requested they be added."
The Education Board on Friday also did not consider public comment from seven people signed up to speak before the special meeting adjourned.
Three hearings are scheduled for 5 p.m. March 31, and another is planned for April 14.
All signed up Friday said they would be able to speak March 31, Kendra Clay, general counsel for the Arkansas Department of Education, told the board.
Board member Susan Chambers requested information regarding the income the Little Rock School District could possibly lose if the expansions were approved.
"Most of the communication that we've received so far in the form of emails tends to indicate that the existence of a charter school or a traditional public school ... is the demise of the other," she said.
Chambers said she would also like to see the charter schools outline their current demographics — a request shared by fellow board members Mireya Reith and Jay Barth.
Other statistics requested from the charter schools at Friday's meeting included information on race, waiting lists, free and reduced lunch participants, English language learners, special education, discipline and retention.
From the Little Rock School District, Reith said she would like to see information regarding the number of students who have left the district as well as "seat availability" in zones where charter expansion is being proposed.
Education Board members Joe Black and Brett Williamson did not have questions ahead of the hearings.
At its March 10 meeting, the Education Board voted in favor of reviewing recommendations made by the Charter Authorizing Panel last month to approve expansions at the charter schools.
Williamson requested during that meeting that hearings on the expansions be reconsidered, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette previously reported.
Proposed expansions would include three new eStem campuses and a new LISA Academy elementary school.
Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.