The Arkansas Department of Education's Charter Authorizing Panel has voted down a proposal to open a new, third Haas Hall Academy campus.
The panel voted 8-0 Wednesday in Little Rock to not allow Haas Hall, widely recognized as the state's highest academically achieving high school, to replicate its Fayetteville campus at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale. The school had sought to open the new campus this fall.
The panel also voted 6-1 against allowing Haas to expand its enrollment at the Fayetteville campus from 400 to 500 students.
The state Board of Education can vote to accept the panel's actions or it can hold a hearing and make its own decisions.
It did approve, by a 5-2 vote, a proposal to give enrollment preference to siblings of Haas Hall students at its Fayetteville and Bentonville campuses.
Also Wednesday, the charter panel approved a request from Little Rock Preparatory Academy to move its middle school from 4520 S. University Ave. to the site of the former Lutheran High School at 6711 W. Markham St. That vote was 5-2.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.