Ark. Code Ann. § 6-23-304(c)(1)(C) requires the Commissioner of Education to issue a memo each year, by March 1st, stating the existing limitation on the number of charters available for open-enrollment public charter schools and the number of charters available for open-enrollment public charter schools during the next application cycle.

Arkansas law established the original cap for open-enrollment charter schools at 24 schools.  Ark. Code Ann. § 6-23-304(c)(1)(B) allows for an automatic increase of five (5) in the number of schools each time the number of open-enrollment charters is within two (2) of the existing limitation or cap.

Commissioner’s Memo LS-20-091, dated March 2, 2020, established a cap of 34 open-enrollment charters.  Currently, there are 24 active open-enrollment charters, two (2) more have been approved to open for the 2021-2022 school year.  Therefore, the limitation on the number of charters available for the next open-enrollment public charter school cycle will not increase and will remain 34.

Based on the limitation on the number of charters and the number of approved charters, there will be eight (8) charters available for open-enrollment public charter schools during the upcoming application cycle. 

Open-Enrollment Charter School and District Conversion Charter School Application Documents for the next application cycle can be found here:  https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/public-school-accountability/charter-schools/charter-schools-application-process