Central Arkansas parents are lucky when it comes to options for education. Besides the standard public school, parents can choose from private schools, charter schools and magnet schools. With so many possibilities, sometimes deciding where to enroll your children can be overwhelming, especially for newcomers. We answered some of the most frequently asked questions about public education in Arkansas to help you make enrollment decisions.

Which standardized tests do students in Arkansas take?
Public schools are required by law to administer nationally standardized tests each year to their students to measure their progress with other students at the same academic level on a local and national level. In Arkansas, two tests that are administered for this purpose are the Arkansas Benchmark Exam and the Iowa Basic Skills Tests.

Does my child have to attend the school for which we’re zoned?
No. Parents may request their child be assigned to a school outside of their attendance zone. Parents should explore all of the options before submitting requests by scheduling tours of the schools in which they are interested. In addition to choosing a magnet school, parents can choose to apply for one of several transfer options. These include:

  • TNT (Transfer/No Transportation) Transfer – This in an intradistrict transfer for students wishing to transfer from one attendance zone school to another attendance zone school. For this type of transfer to be approved, there must be available seats at the requested school. No transportation is provided by the district for TNT transfers.
  • Appeals Committee Transfer – Parents of students who have a special need arise during the school year can request reassignment to a non-attendance zone school. No transportation is provided by the district.
  • M to M (Majority to Minority) Transfer – This option is an interdistrict transfer between students in the Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District. Students in the majority race in their home district may request to transfer to a district and school where their race is in the minority. The “receiving” district will determine if seats are available and notify parents in writing if the transfer is approved. Transportation is provided by the resident district.
  • NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Transfer – Students who attend schools that have not made adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years as determined by the Arkansas Department of Education are eligible to transfer to another public school. The district will mail applications for NCLB transfers to all students at identified schools. Applications must be returned during the specified period. Transportation is provided by the district and students may remain at the approved school as long as the students’ attendance zone schools remain on the Arkansas Department of Education list.
  • Arkansas School Choice/Act 609 Transfer – Students in the state of Arkansas can apply to attend a district other than the one in which they reside, subject to certain restrictions. Check with your district for applications.

What’s A Magnet School?
A magnet school is a public school that offers an expanded curriculum within the school’s theme, in addition to a well-rounded general curriculum. To see if a magnet school would fit your child’s needs, visit MagnetSchool.com, where you can arrange a tour of any magnet school. You can also read brochures from the Magnet review committee and from each school.

To enroll your child in one of Little Rock’s magnet schools, contact the Magnet Review Committee Office at 758-0156 or visit the student registration office in your home school district for registration timelines and guidelines. Applications for available magnet school seats are accepted at each district’s student registration office. Usually, early registration is from the last Monday in January to the first Friday in February.

What’s A Charter School?
It’s a common misconception that charter schools are private schools. In fact, they are a growing national trend in public education, and according to USCharterSchools.org, they are “innovative public schools providing choices for families and greater accountability for results.”

Charter schools are run independently of the state and local school district, which allows them to tailor programs to community needs. Typically, charter schools enter into a contract with the state to provide specific results in student achievement in return for flexibility in budgeting, the hiring of teachers, and the development of instruction and curriculum. Charter schools bring new meaning to the word accountability, as their contracts can be terminated by the state if they fail to perform as expected.

Click here for a listing of area schools from Little Rock Family.