Session Over, Consolidation Fight Continues

"Well see you in federal court!" Thats what the rural education association is saying to the state of Arkansas. Today, by phone, the groups president Jimmy Cunningham said his organizations hired lawyers to handle a federal injunction to stop administrative consolidation under a new law. Cunningham says that papers will be filed soon and that without doubt the attmept to obtain an injunction will go forward. At the same time the department of education is preparing for the massive undertaking of monitoring and managing the mergers. Today the agency published a list of the districts with fewer than 350 students that will be affected by the new law. Those districts will have until April first to submit plans for their consolidations. If they dont turn in a proposal, the department will pick their consolidation partners for them. Below is a list of the targeted districts and their student populations over the last two years. School 02/03 Alread 81 84 Altus-Denning237256 Arkansas City112105 Biggers-Reyno222213 Bright Star199185 Carthage125117 Cord-Charlotte291308 Cotton Plant229218 Crawfordsville256234 Deer253248 Delaplaine320311 Delta Special245236 Emmet303295 Evening Shade321329 Fountain Hill271289 Fourche Valley171158 Gillett230230 Gould228212 Grady266249 Hatfield328342 Holly Grove266246 Humphrey284291 Huttig240230 Kingsland297303 Kingston228231 Lake View160160 Leslie235237 Lynn227209 Marion County277291 McNeil274291 McRae333317 Mount Holly196188 Mount Judea238238 Mount Pleasant314310 Oark146161 Oden235229 Paron257262 Plainview-Rover311297 Pleasant View230228 Randolph County280270 River Valley332331 Rural Special227208 Saint Joe231219 Saint Paul347328 Saratoga190181 Scotland121129 Sparkman281282 Stone County289284 Swifton282268 Taylor317286 Umpire109 92 Union321342 Walker222203 Western Grove257283 Wilburn175174 Williford236264 Winslow 285261 (Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP-02-09-04 1334CST