Little Rock AFB Community
Education & Academics in Pulaski and Lonoke Counties
in Pulaski and Lonoke Counties
For those moving to a new location, it’s important to know what educational options are available. This chapter outlines the public schools system in Pulaski and Lonoke counties, along with information about local libraries and higher education. There are private schools, charter schools and home schooling available to children in both counties as well. To be enrolled in an Arkansas school, a child must be at least 5 years old by Aug. 1 of the school year. Those wishing to register their child in school should bring the following to the school office: a birth certificate or other proof of the child’s age, the child’s previous school records and immunizations records. Check with the school for additional requirements. For more details on Arkansas’ minimum vaccine requirements for students in grades K-12, visit the Arkansas Department of Education’s website at www.arkansased.gov.
In 2010, Arkansas, along with the majority of other states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Department of Defense Education Activity, adopted Common Core State Standards that provide a consistent set of educational expectations for students regardless of ZIP code. When a family moves, a student’s education is often disrupted because the student may be forced to repeat material or learn at a different level at the new school. With common standards across states, this disruption will be reduced — of particular interest to military families. At present, national Common Core State Standards exist only for English language arts and mathematics though Arkansas has state standards across the full curriculum. For more information, visit www.corestandards.org.
Choosing a School
Choosing the right school is very important, so be sure to research each one before deciding. Contact the school by phone or by visiting its website, which is a valuable source to learn about a school district statistics and curriculum. Talk to people in the area, especially friends and colleagues who already live there.
If the school shows promise, schedule a visit and bring a list of written questions about student-teacher ratios, computer availability, extracurricular activities, sports programs, music programs, gifted programs and grading standards.
Discuss the potential school with your child: what they liked and what they didn’t like. Your family’s ability to readily adapt to a move and to find happiness in your new home may depend, in part, on how happy your children are in their new school.
CHARTER SCHOOLS
Charter schools are public schools of choice that are tuition-free, serve all students and have open enrollment. For more information or a listing of charter schools in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Department of Education’s website at www.arkansased.gov/divisions/public-school-accountability/charter-schools.
HOME SCHOOLING
For an introduction to home schooling in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Department of Education’s website at www.arkansased.gov/divisions/learning-services/home-school. Here you will find information on home-school rules and regulations, testing information, home-school curriculum providers and more.
Arkansas Education Alliance
414 S. Pulaski St., Suite 9
Little Rock, AR 72201 501-978-5503
https://arkansashomeschool.org
Arkansas’ largest statewide home-school organization, the Arkansas Education Alliance’s full-time staff serves the needs of home-schoolers in Arkansas. The alliance provides information on home schooling in Arkansas and serves as the only statewide support group for home-schooled families.
Home Educators of Greater Little Rock
P.O. Box 21854
Little Rock, AR 72221 501-396-9634
www.homeschool-life.com/ar/homeedonline
Home Educators of Greater Little Rock is a support group for area home-schoolers. With a network of more than 400 families, it is the largest local home-school group in Arkansas. The group offers information and social opportunities for home-school families through a wide variety of activities and events.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
To search for local private schools in Arkansas, visit the National Center for Education Statistics website and use the private school search tool at www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch. Users may search by location, religious affiliation, school type and more.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Cabot Public Schools
602 N. Lincoln St.
Cabot, AR 72023 501-843-3363
Cabot Public Schools district has nine elementary schools, two middle schools, two junior high schools and one high school, as well as an academic center of excellence, a freshman academy and a learning academy. The district has an enrollment of approximately 10,000.
Carlisle Public Schools
520 Center St.
Carlisle, AR 72024 870-552-3931
Elementary Office 870-552-3261
High School Office 870-552-3196
Carlisle Public Schools district has one elementary school and one high school (serving grades seven through 12). The district has an enrollment of approximately 700.
England Public School District
501 Pine Bluff Highway
England, AR 72046 501-842-2996
Elementary School 501-842-2041
High School 501-842-2031
England Public School District has one elementary school and one high school. The district has an enrollment of approximately 800.
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District
1414 West Main
Jacksonville, AR 72076 501-241-2080
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District is responsible for the education of approximately 4,200 students. The district operates one high school (grades nine through 12), one middle school (grades six through eight) and six elementary schools (Kindergarten through fifth grade). Pre-K students are served in a center jointly operated with a neighboring school district. The district is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education. The Group Commander of the 19th Mission Support Group, 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base serves in an ex officio capacity.
Little Rock School District
810 W. Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72201 501-447-1000
Little Rock School District has an enrollment of approximately 26,000 students. The district has two academies, 28 elementary schools, seven middle schools and five high schools. The district also has five early childhood centers and four nontraditional schools, including an accelerated learning center, a career-technical center and an adult education center.
Lonoke Public School District
401 W. Holly St.
Lonoke, AR 72086 501-676-2042
Lonoke Public School District has one primary school, one elementary school, one middle school and one high school. The district has an enrollment of approximately 1,800.
North Little Rock School District
2700 N. Poplar St.
North Little Rock, AR 72114 501-771-8000
North Little Rock School District has nine elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, one academy and one early childhood center. The district has an enrollment of approximately 9,100 students, including pre-K children.
Pulaski County Special School District
925 E. Dixon Road
Little Rock, AR 72206 501-234-2000
Pulaski County Special School District has 17 elementary schools (including magnet schools), four middle schools, five high schools and one adult education center. The district has an enrollment of approximately 12,500.
