First-year participation in the Arkansas School Choice Act interdistrict student transfer program will cost the Pulaski County Special District a net loss of 113 students and as much as $700,000 in state aid, district leaders said last week.
A total of 162 students living in the Pulaski County Special district applied by this year's deadline to attend schools in other districts. Of that number, 58 are headed to North Little Rock schools, 27 to Little Rock and 31 to Sheridan. There are 14 going to Mayflower, 11 going to Bryant, nine each to Bauxite and Cabot. Smaller numbers are going to Greenbrier and Vilonia.
The number leaving the Pulaski County Special district is partially offset by students who live elsewhere but applied to attend Pulaski County Special district schools. A total of 60 applied and 49 were accepted. Eleven were rejected because of lack of space in the Pulaski County Special schools they sought -- Chenal, Baker and Robinson elementaries.
Joyce Warren, assistant superintendent for pupil services, called the transfers out of the district "hard to swallow."
She told the School Board for the district she is working to identify the schools from which the students are leaving.