In accordance with Arkansas Code § 6-18-1905, the Public School Choice application window for the 2025-2026 school year opened on January 1, 2025, and will close on May 1, 2025.

Key Information for School Districts

• District Policy Requirement: Each school district is required to have a policy outlining the acceptable methods for submitting school choice applications. While districts may specify submission methods (e.g., online, by mail), districts may not require in-person submissions.

• Application Submission Process:

• Applicants must submit their school choice applications to both the nonresident district and the student’s resident district.

• Applications must be delivered or postmarked no later than May 1, 2025, for students seeking a transfer this spring or fall semester in the nonresident district.

• Active-duty military families with transfer orders and residency documentation on a military base are not subject to the May 1 deadline.

• Stamping Applications: Upon receipt of an application, both the resident and nonresident districts must date and time-stamp the application to reflect the exact date and time of receipt.

• Approval Guidelines for Nonresident Districts:

• Applications cannot be approved if the transfer violates an existing, enforceable desegregation court order or a court-approved desegregation plan.

• Transfers may be denied only due to lack of capacity. Lack of capacity is defined in Arkansas Code §§ 6-18-227 and 6-18-1903 as when a school district has reached the maximum student-to-teacher ratio allowed by law or rule.

• Applications must be reviewed in the order received, and applicants must be notified in writing of acceptance or rejection within 15 calendar days of receipt.

• Effective Date and Appeals:

• An approved application is effective immediately upon written acceptance by the nonresident district, however the applicant may choose to begin attendance in fall of the following school year. 

• Rejected applications are appealable to the State Board of Education, following the process outlined in the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education's Rules Governing Public School Choice.

Additional information regarding changes to school  choice for the 2026-2027 school year, following the 2025 legislative session will be shared at a later date.