Continued support of isolated school districts

Ark. Code Ann. § 6-20-603, under Finances.

Ark. Code Ann. § 6-20-603

(a) Upon the effective date of consolidation, annexation, or reorganization, the following school districts that received isolated funding in the 2003-2004 school year shall become isolated school areas for the sole purpose of receiving isolated funding and shall have a per student isolated funding amount as follows: Per Student Isolated County | School District | Funding Amount Column A | Column B | Column C Van Buren | Alread | 2,219 Desha | Arkansas City | 2,040 Randolph | Biggers-Reyno | 763 Miller | Bright Star | 916 Marion | Bruno-Pyatt | 329 Dallas | Carthage | 1,938 Independence | Cord-Charlotte | 235 Woodruff | Cotton Plant | 733 Crittenden | Crawfordsville | 642 Newton | Deer | 853 Greene | Delaplaine | 215 Desha | Delta Special | 952 Nevada | Emmet | 307 Sharp | Evening Shade | 115 Ashley | Fountain Hill | 339 Yell | Fourche Valley | 1,603 Arkansas | Gillett | 1,000 Lincoln | Gould | 765 Lincoln | Grady | 560 Polk | Hatfield | 42 Monroe | Holly Grove | 868 Arkansas | Humphrey | 328 Union | Huttig | 668 Cleveland | Kingsland | 394 Madison | Kingston | 661 Phillips | Lake View | 1,054 Searcy | Leslie | 628 Lawrence | Lynn | 782 Columbia | McNeil | 329 Union | Mount Holly | 898 Newton | Mount Judea | 622 Izard | Mount Pleasant | 225 Johnson | Oark | 1,576 Montgomery | Oden | 671 Saline | Paron | 733 Yell | Plainview-Rover | 297 Franklin | Pleasant View | 679 Randolph | Randolph County | 444 Lawrence | River Valley | 106 Stone | Rural Special | 788 Searcy | Saint Joe | 727 Madison | Saint Paul | 123 Hempstead | Saratoga | 1,407 Van Buren | Scotland | 1,841 Dallas | Sparkman | 487 Ouachita | Stephens | 1 Stone | Stone County | 367 Jackson | Swifton | 458 Columbia | Taylor | 353 Howard | Umpire | 2,152 Union | Union | 45 Columbia | Walker | 819 Newton | Western Grove | 375 Cleburne | Wilburn | 978 Sharp | Williford | 475 Washington | Winslow | 494

(b) Each school year, state financial aid in the form of isolated funding shall be provided to school districts containing an isolated school area in an amount equal to the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the isolated school area multiplied by the per student isolated funding amount for the isolated school areas as set forth under column “C” of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) (1) Except as provided under subdivision (c)(2) of this section, a school district may not receive isolated funding under this section for an isolated school area if the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the isolated school area exceeds three hundred fifty (350).(2) A school district is entitled to receive the funding under this section for an isolated school area received by the school district in:(A) A consolidation under §  6-13-1401 et seq. or the Public Education Reorganization Act, §  6-13-1601 et seq.; or(B) An annexation under §  6-13-1401 et seq. or the Public Education Reorganization Act, §  6-13-1601 et seq.

(1) Except as provided under subdivision (c)(2) of this section, a school district may not receive isolated funding under this section for an isolated school area if the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the isolated school area exceeds three hundred fifty (350).

(2) A school district is entitled to receive the funding under this section for an isolated school area received by the school district in:(A) A consolidation under §  6-13-1401 et seq. or the Public Education Reorganization Act, §  6-13-1601 et seq.; or(B) An annexation under §  6-13-1401 et seq. or the Public Education Reorganization Act, §  6-13-1601 et seq.

(A) A consolidation under §  6-13-1401 et seq. or the Public Education Reorganization Act, §  6-13-1601 et seq.; or

(B) An annexation under §  6-13-1401 et seq. or the Public Education Reorganization Act, §  6-13-1601 et seq.

(d) A school district receiving isolated funding for an isolated school area shall expend the funds solely for the operation, maintenance, and support of the isolated school area.

(e) (1) Except as provided under subdivision (e)(2) of this section, a school district that qualifies under § 6-20-601 to receive additional state aid because its prior-year three-quarter average daily membership is less than three hundred fifty (350) is not eligible to receive funding under this section.(2) A school district may elect to receive funding under this section in lieu of funding under § 6-20-601 if the school district qualifies for funding under § 6-20-601 and for funding under this section.

(1) Except as provided under subdivision (e)(2) of this section, a school district that qualifies under § 6-20-601 to receive additional state aid because its prior-year three-quarter average daily membership is less than three hundred fifty (350) is not eligible to receive funding under this section.

(2) A school district may elect to receive funding under this section in lieu of funding under § 6-20-601 if the school district qualifies for funding under § 6-20-601 and for funding under this section.

(f) For the purposes of this section, school districts with isolated school areas shall account for the average daily membership of all schools located in the isolated school areas as required by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and shall submit reports as required by the division.

(g) The division shall distribute isolated funding under this section in two (2) payments per school year.

(h) This section does not determine a school district's qualification as an isolated school district under § 6-20-601 as required to prohibit the closing of an isolated school in § 6-20-602.

(i) (1) (A) If all of an isolated school area in a school district is closed, the school district shall receive funding based on the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the isolated school area.(B) If part of an isolated school area in a school district is closed, the school district funding is based on the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the part of the isolated school area that remains open.(C) Funding received by a school district under this subsection is restricted for use at the closed isolated school area or for transporting students of the closed isolated school area to another school in the district.(2) If a closed isolated school area is subsequently used by the school district for an alternative learning environment program or other regular classroom teaching, the school district using the now closed isolated school area may submit prior-year three-quarter average daily membership to the state to request funding under this section.

(1) (A) If all of an isolated school area in a school district is closed, the school district shall receive funding based on the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the isolated school area.(B) If part of an isolated school area in a school district is closed, the school district funding is based on the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the part of the isolated school area that remains open.(C) Funding received by a school district under this subsection is restricted for use at the closed isolated school area or for transporting students of the closed isolated school area to another school in the district.

(A) If all of an isolated school area in a school district is closed, the school district shall receive funding based on the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the isolated school area.

(B) If part of an isolated school area in a school district is closed, the school district funding is based on the prior-year three-quarter average daily membership of the part of the isolated school area that remains open.

(C) Funding received by a school district under this subsection is restricted for use at the closed isolated school area or for transporting students of the closed isolated school area to another school in the district.

(2) If a closed isolated school area is subsequently used by the school district for an alternative learning environment program or other regular classroom teaching, the school district using the now closed isolated school area may submit prior-year three-quarter average daily membership to the state to request funding under this section.

(j) The State Board of Education may promulgate rules as necessary for the proper implementation of this section.