UPDATE: State to decide school districts' futures

State board votes to dissolve Greenwood school board

By Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Staff and Wire Reports

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Board of Education voted Monday to dissolve the Greenland local school board and take over the school district.

A new superintendent will be named to report to Department of Education Commissioner Ken James. Greenland could still be annexed later if this situation doesn't meet expectations.

The 930-student Northwest Arkansas school district has been struggling financially for several years. Education Commissioner Ken James had recommended the Greenland school system be annexed into a neighboring district. A likely scenario: making Greenland part of the larger Fayetteville School District, which is north.

Greenland is listed by the state as fiscally distressed.

At the same meeting, the state board is scheduled to decide whether to put Decatur, another Northwest Arkansas school district, on the state’s fiscal distress list because of financial problems.

Greenland borders Fayetteville, West Fork, Mountainburg, Elkins, Prairie Grove and Farmington.

On Saturday, Greenland students, teachers, parents and alumni attended an all-day fundraiser at the schools to try to erase the district’s negative balance of about $400,000.

Decatur patrons have planned several fundraisers, including a car wash, catfish dinners, chili suppers, a softball tournament and a beach party.

Student Elizabeth Roberts set up a Facebook account to keep others up to date. The group site “Join and Help Save Decatur Schools” provides addresses for state representatives and details about the fundraisers.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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