7 districts apply for charter schools

Seven Arkansas school districts - Bauxite, Blytheville, Jonesboro, Rogers, South Pike County, Texarkana and Warren - have applied to the state Department of Education to establish conversion charter schools in their districts starting in the 2013-14 school year.

The Arkansas Board of Education will decide on the applications in early 2013.

The Blytheville School District is proposing to convert its existing high school into a New Tech High School to serve up to 1,000 students in grades nine through 12.

The school would become part of the national New Tech network of schools, following the New Tech model of interdisciplinary instruction and project-based learningwith a heavy reliance on the use of technology.

The South Pike County School District is also seeking to adopt the New Tech model, converting the 200-student Murfreesboro High into a New Tech high school where students would complete real-life projects to promote more in-depth learning.

The school would use the New Tech Echo learning management system that provides teachers and their students with project plans and other learning resources.

The Rogers School District is proposing the establishment of the Rogers New Tech High School, which would be a stand-alone campus apart from that district’s existing two high schools.

The Rogers New Tech High School, if approved by the state, would open with as many as 150 students in each of grades nine and 10, and add a grade each year, eventually serving 600 students.

The school, which would be in the former Kirksey Middle School building, would be part of the New Tech Network, using project-based learning and technology to improve student engagement, cooperation and critical thinking.

Rogers New Tech High students would be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities in the public school attendance zones in which their parents live, as approved by the Arkansas Activities Association board of directors.

The Bauxite School District is proposing the formation of Miner Academy for up to 500 students in grades six through 12. The academy, which could accommodate about half of the current 1,000 students enrolled in the existing middle and high schools, would provide an alternative to the traditional school program.

More individualized instruction, a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio and instruction from core academic teachers would be features of the academy. The school would be for students who need to learn at a different pace than those in a traditional classroom, including students who are behind in earning graduation credits and students who need an alternative program for personal or behavioral reasons.

The school would feature an extended school year of Aug. 1 through June 30. Flexible daily scheduling would enable students to stay all day in the academy or spend just one or two periods before returning to the regular school setting.

Jonesboro School District leaders are proposing to restructure that district’s high school into The Academies at Jonesboro High, which could serve up to 1,800 students in grades nine through 12.

One of the three planned academies would be centered on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, manufacturing and agriculture.

The second academy’s focus would be on business, communications and finance. Career and technical courses, world history and foreign language also would be included.

Health, human services, law and government administration would make up the third academy. Biology courses, consumer science, hospitality and tourism would be folded into that program.

“Wall-to-wall” projectbased learning and student internships in local businesses and industries are key components in the Jonesboro plan. Each high school student would be required to compile an electronic portfolio of their work.

The Texarkana School District is seeking approval of a proposed Washington Academy as a conversion charter school for 120 students in grades nine through 12.

Plans for the alternative school call for personalized education plans to be prepared for each student based on their needs and learning styles. Small class sizes, oneon-one tutoring and computer courses are features in the plan. There would also be flexible scheduling of courses, enabling students to earn more than seven credits in a school year.

The Warren School District is planning the establishment of a proposed Brunson New Vision Charter School that would serve up to 300 pupils in fourth and fifth grades.

If the model is approved, pupils would progress through levels of instruction rather than being assigned to grades. The pupils would have to show evidence of their learning and their readiness to move to the next level of instruction. The proposed school would be an extension of the program already in place for younger pupils at Warren’s Eastside New Vision School, which was approved by the Arkansas Board of Education in January.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 15 on 11/04/2012

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