PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release March 30, 06
45 Campuses Closed Since Administrative Consolidation Act 60 Passed
20 Of Those Campuses Are Elementary Campuses
Elaine Students Will Now Have 14-hour school days: 5:00 a.m. to 7:00-144 mile bus route
Legislators and consolidation advocates persistently assured consolidation opponents in 2004 that the elementary schools and isolated campuses would not be closed. The proponents of the consolidation legislation carefully referred to their consolidation bills as "ADMINISTRATIVE" consolidation. In fact the consolidation bill, Act 60, used ADMINISTRATIVE 37 times in the 4-page bill, and yet we have 45 campuses closed, and 20 of them elementary campuses. The ADE constantly used the word ADMISTRATIVE consolidation in all of its documents as well.
The Arkansas State School Board just closed Elaine 7-12th grade campus on 3-13-06, and now some students have a 14- hour day with a 72- mile bus route one way (144 miles a day). Parents testified under oath (and no one contested it) at the hearing that they and their children will have to get up at 5:00 a.m. to catch the bus before 6:00 a.m., and students will not get home until 6:30 or 7:00 because many of them have after school tutoring (mandated by the state). There was even talk that the elementary school may have to be closed soon. This is just one of many examples of extended bus routes. Before these 45 closings, more than 32 districts had 3 to 3 ½ bus routes. Senator Laverty said that the only time many students in his district saw their homes in the daylight in the winter was on the week-ends.
The AR Democrat Gazette reported on 3-24-93: "One school-consolidation bill at this session was introduced by Representative Jim Argue of Little Rock. Massive in scope, it would provide that each county in Arkansas would have but one school district by July 1, 1995." The Blue Ribbon Commission recommended basically the same thing. And they want us to believe, despite the 45 campus closings with so called administrative consolidation, that no schools or campuses will be closed under countywide administrative consolidation! See www.wpaag.org for this article on the web.
Contact:
Bob Hester
American Family Association of Arkansas
870-932-5065
blhester@m34u.net
School Closings up to March, 06 from Rural Trust Spread Sheet
Doug Eaton from ADE sent a list of 38 but had left some off and there were more closings since his list.
|
ALREAD |
ALREAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
VAN BUREN |
annexed into Clinton byAct 60 |
closed effective July 06 |
|
ALREAD |
ALREAD HIGH SCHOOL |
VAN BUREN |
annexed into Clinton byAct 60 |
closed effective July 06 |
|
ARKANSAS CITY |
ARKANSAS CITY ELEM. SCHOOL |
DESHA |
Annexed into McGeehee by Act 60 |
closed |
|
ARKANSAS CITY |
ARKANSAS CITY HIGH SCHOOL |
DESHA |
Annexed into McGeehee by Act 60 |
closed |
|
BIGGERS-REYNO |
BIGGERS-REYNO ELEM. SCHOOL |
RANDOLPH |
annexed into Corning by Act 60 |
closed by Corning SB and SBE effective July 06 |
|
BIGGERS-REYNO |
BIGGERS-REYNO HIGH SCHOOL |
RANDOLPH |
annexed into Corning by Act 60 |
closed by Corning SB and SBE effective July 06 |
|
BRIGHT STAR |
BRIGHT STAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
MILLER |
annexed into Fouke by Act 60 |
closed |
|
BRIGHT STAR |
BRIGHT STAR HIGH SCHOOL |
MILLER |
annexed into Fouke by Act 60 |
closed |
|
CARTHAGE |
CARTHAGE HIGH SCHOOL |
DALLAS |
annexed into Malvern by Act 60 |
closed in 2005 |
|
CORD-CHARLOTTE |
CORD-CHARLOTTE ELEM. SCHOOL |
INDEPENDENCE |
cons./wNewark to Cedar Ridge-Act 60 |
closed |
|
CORD-CHARLOTTE |
CORD-CHARLOTTE HIGH SCHOOL |
INDEPENDENCE |
cons./wNewark to Cedar Ridge-Act 60 |
closed |
|
COTTON PLANT |
COTTON PLANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
WOODRUFF |
Annexed into Augusta by Act 60 |
closed |
|
COTTON PLANT |
COTTON PLANT HIGH SCHOOL |
WOODRUFF |
Annexed into Augusta by Act 60 |
closed |
|
CRAWFORDSVILLE |
CRAWFORDSVILLE ELEM. SCHOOL |
CRITTENDEN |
annexed into Marion by Act 60 |
closed in 2004 |
|
CRAWFORDSVILLE |
CRAWFORDSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL |
CRITTENDEN |
annexed into Marion by Act 60 |
closed in 2004 |
|
DELTA SPECIAL |
DELTA HIGH SCHOOL |
DESHA |
Annexed into McGeehee by Act 60 |
closed |
|
ELAINE |
ELAINE HIGH SCHOOL |
PHILLIPS |
Annexed into Marvell by Act 60 Feb. 06 |
close July 2006 |
| Evening Shade | Evening Shade High School | Sharp | Annexed to Cave City by Act 60 | closed |
| Eudora | G. C. Johns Lower Elem Sch | Chico | annexed into Lakeside by SBEomnibus Act | All but K-3 to Lakeside by July 06 |
|
EUDORA |
EUDORA HIGH SCHOOL & elem4-8 |
CHICOT |
annexed into Lakeside by SBE/omnibus Act |
to close July 2006 |
|
FOUNTAIN HILL |
FOUNTAIN HILL HIGH SCHOOL |
ASHLEY |
Annexed into Hamburg by Act 60 |
closed |
|
GOULD |
GOULD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
LINCOLN |
annexed into Dumas by Act 60 |
closed |
|
GOULD |
GOULD HIGH SCHOOL |
LINCOLN |
annexed into Dumas by Act 60 |
closed |
|
GOULD |
GOULD MIDDLE SCHOOL |
LINCOLN |
annexed into Dumas by Act 60 |
closed |
|
GRADY |
GRADY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
LINCOLN |
annexed into StarCity by Act 60 |
closed |
|
GRADY |
GRADY HIGH SCHOOL |
LINCOLN |
annexed into StarCity by Act 60 |
closed |
|
HOLLY GROVE |
HOLLY GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
MONROE |
annexed into Clarendon by Act 60 |
closed |
|
HOLLY GROVE |
HOLLY GROVE HIGH SCHOOL |
MONROE |
annexed into Clarendon by Act 60 |
closed |
|
HUMPHREY |
HUMPHREY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
ARKANSAS |
annexed into DeWitt by Act 60 |
closed in 2005 |
|
HUMPHREY |
HUMPHREY HIGH SCHOOL |
ARKANSAS |
annexed into DeWitt by Act 60 |
closed in 2005 |
|
LAKE VIEW |
C.V. WHITE HIGH SCHOOL |
PHILLIPS |
annexed into Barton-Lexa by Act 60 |
closed |
|
LAKE VIEW |
LAKE VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
PHILLIPS |
annexed into Barton-Lexa by Act 60 |
closed |
|
MCNEIL |
MCNEIL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
COLUMBIA |
annexed into Stephens by Act 60 |
closed Feb 2006 by Stephens SB and SBE |
|
MCNEIL |
MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL |
COLUMBIA |
annexed into Stephens by Act 60 |
closed Feb 2006 by Stephens SB and SBE |
|
MCRAE |
MCRAE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
WHITE |
annexed into Beebe by Act 60 |
closed? |
|
MCRAE |
MCRAE HIGH SCHOOL |
WHITE |
annexed into Beebe by Act 60 |
closed? |
| Mount Holly | Mount Holly High School | Union | annexed into Smackover by Act 60 | closed 20005 |
|
PARKIN |
PARKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
CROSS |
SBE annexed into Wynn 2005 |
closed |
|
PARKIN |
PARKIN HIGH SCHOOL |
CROSS |
SBE annexed into Wynn 2005 |
closed |
|
PERRY-CASA |
PERRY-CASA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
PERRY |
annexed into Ola 2003, now Two Rivers |
closed |
|
PERRY-CASA |
PERRY-CASA HIGH SCHOOL |
PERRY |
annexed into Ola 2003, now Two Rivers |
closed |
|
SWIFTON |
SWIFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
JACKSON |
annexed into Jackson Co. by Act 60 |
closed |
|
SWIFTON |
SWIFTON HIGH SCHOOL |
JACKSON |
annexed into Jackson Co. by Act 60 |
closed |
|
WILBURN |
WILBURN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
CLEBURNE |
annexed into Concord Act 60 |
closed 2006 |
|
WILBURN |
WILBURN HIGH SCHOOL |
CLEBURNE |
annexed into Concord Act 60 |
closed 2006 |
|
WINSLOW |
WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL |
WASHINGTON |
annexed into Greenland Act 60 |
closed 2005 |
|
WITTS SPRINGS |
WITTS SPRINGS ELEM. SCHOOL |
SEARCY |
annexed into Searcy Co. 2003 |
closed |
|
WITTS SPRINGS |
WITTS SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL |
SEARCY |
annexed into Searcy Co. 2003 |
closed |