Public Schools:
New residents are often confused about
district boundary lines in central Arkansas. To find out the school attendance
zone for any residence in the area, call the appropriate school system's
district office and provide your home address. The district office
information is listed in the contact
listings.
High schools in this area include
different grade levels depending on the school. Some include grades
9-12 and some include grades 10-12. Which school your child will
attend depends on your home address. All students must be registered
at their school by a parent or guardian. In the summer, schools are
open for registration in early August. According to state law, every
child between 5 and 17 years of age must enroll in public, private or parochial
school or receive home schooling. To register, proof of address
(current utility bill or sales contract) must be presented, a birth certificate
(or passport), withdrawal slip and transcript or report card from school
previously attended, an immunization record and a social security
card.
State law requires that each child be immunized against
polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, rubella and red measles before entering
school. A child transferring to another school must submit a
transcript and must have had a physical examination within the
year. The school term begins in late August and ends in early
June. Children will need a birth certificate, passport, shot record,
and social security number. School records are optional, as the
school will request them after the arrival of the student.
The school
year begins approximately the third week in August and ends approximately the
first week in June. These dates may vary somewhat depending on what
school district your child attends. The ending quarters for the
school year are October, January, March, & June. Many schools are
requiring uniforms, Pulaski county now requires uniforms for PK - 8th
grade. Check with the local school to find out what they are
requiring.
Free transportation is provided for secondary students who
live two miles or more from their assigned school. The Pulaski County
Special School District also provides free transportation for students attending
magnet schools, extended day programs and specialty schools. Parents
having questions about school bus transportation should contact their child's
principal.
Nutritious lunches are served daily in all
schools. Elementary and secondary schools serve U.S.D.A. Type A
lunches and where the economic level qualifies, lunches may be offered free or
at a reduced price. All elementary and secondary schools participate
in the breakfast program.
Report cards are sent home
quarterly. Parent/teacher conferences on the elementary level are
held twice during the year. The grading system per Arkansas law is as
follows:
Arkansas Grading System
| Scores |
Letter Grade |
| 90-100 |
A |
| 80-89 |
B |
| 70-79 |
C |
| 60-69 |
D |
| Below 59 |
F |
For graduation
from high school, all students must have 15 credits and 6 elective
credits for a total of 21 credits. The following 15 credits will be
required for all students:
A. COMMON CORE --15 UNITS
English--4
units
Oral Communication--1/2 unit
Social Studies-- 3 units (1
unit of world history, 1 unit of U.S. history, unit of civics or government)
Mathematics--3 units (1 unit of algebra or its equivalent* and 1 unit of
geometry or its equivalent.* All math units must build on the base of algebra
and geometry knowledge and skills.)
Science--3 units (at least 1 unit of
biology or its equivalent and 1 unit of a physical science)
Physical
Education--1/2 unit
Health and Safety--1/2 unit
Fine Arts--1/2
unit
*A two-year algebra equivalent or a two-year geometry equivalent may
be counted as two units of the three-unit requirement
CAREER
FOCUS
All units in the career focus requirement shall be established
through guidance and counseling at the local school district based on the
students' contemplated work aspirations. Career focus courses shall conform to
local district policy and reflect state frameworks through course sequencing and
career course concentrations where appropriate.
OTHER ELECTIVES--AS
DEFINED BY LOCAL DISTRICTS
Local school districts may require additional
units for graduation beyond the 15 common core and the career focus units. These
may be in academic and/or technical areas. All common core, career focus and
elective units must total at least 21.
Private Schools:
While
Central Arkansas public schools offer a variety of academic and extracurricular
programs, there are those who prefer the atmosphere found in private
schools. There are a host of private and parochial schools to be
found in central Arkansas. The area's private schools offer
specialized programs for children of all ages, from pre-school through high
school. Some of the area's private school programs include those for
gifted children, as well as curriculum for children with learning
disabilities.
Many private schools in central Arkansas are monitored by
the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (ANSAA). ANSAA
is an official chapter of the National Federation of Nonpublic School
Accrediting Associations and is approved by the U.S. Office of
Education. In order to become accredited by ANSAA, schools must meet
personnel, equipment and other requirements. For a list of ANSAA
schools, or other information about area private schools, call (501)
803-3888.
Please visit contacts/links to check a list of resources for
this topic.