Enrollment Greater Than Public School Districts

“The most callused aspect of the (Arkansas) education monopoly is that it willingly and deliberately forces children–except those whose parents have wealth–to attend bad schools. And it does so with financial resources taken from parents already struggling financially and at the expense of their ability to choose a better school for their sons and daughters.” Policy Foundation, 1998

(April 2023) More K-12 students are enrolled in the Pulaski County school choice market in the current school year (2022-23) than enrollment in each of four local public school districts, Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) records and other data show. In essence, the school choice market is the largest district in the county.

The school choice market includes K-12 students attending charter, private and home schools. There are 15,077 students enrolled in Pulaski County charters, ADE records show.(1) Another 9,297 students attend private schools, according to the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association.(2) The total (24,374) exceeds the enrollment of the four Pulaski County districts.

Little Rock School District	20,135 (4)
Pulaski County Special School District	11,787 (5)
North Little Rock School District	7,640 (6)
Jacksonville-North Pulaski School District	4,248 (7)

Pulaski home school students are excluded from this analysis because ADE has not released a student count for the 2022-23 school year. There were 2,537 home school students in Pulaski County in the 2021-22 school year, ADErecords show.(3)

Economic Demand

In economic terms, parental demand is the major factor behind expansion of the school choice market. The supply ofoptions should expand to meet this demand. The recently-enacted LEARNS Act is a response to demand for educational goods.

Sources

ADE,

http://www.arkansased.gov/divisions/public-school-accountability/charter-schools, 2022-23 school year

Conversion Charter School North Little Rock Center of Excellence 372;

Open-enrollment Charters Academics Plus (Maumelle) 584 (K-3), 571 (4-7); 454 (8-12); Academics Plus (Scott) 216 (K-11); Arkansas Virtual Academy Elementary 1,041 (K-5), Middle School 997 (6-8), High School 1,695 (9-12); Capitol City Lighthouse Elementary Academy 124 (K-5); Driven Virtual Academy 303 (K-12); Estem East Village Elementary 800 (K-6);Junior High 334 (7-9); Estem Elementary 944 (K-6), Junior High

478 (7-9), High School 496 (10-12); Exalt Academy, Southwest Little Rock 638 (K-8); Graduate Arkansas Charter High 381 (9-12); Ivy Hill Academy of Scholarship 186 (K-3); Jacksonville Academy 145 (5-8); Jacksonville Lighthouse Elementary 296 (K-6), High School 239 (7-12); LISA Academy Arkansas Hybrid School 115 (K-12); LISA Academy North Elementary 740 (K-5),Middle School 358 (6-8), High School 282 (9-12); LISA

Academy West Elementary 632 (K-5); Middle School 544 (6-8); High School 451 (9-12); Nichols Intermediate Academy of Leadership 140 (4-6); Premier High School of Little Rock 125 (9-12);Premier High School of North Little Rock 143 (9-12);ProdigyPreparatory Academy of Service 91 (7-9);The Excel Center 99 (9-12); Westwind School For Performing Arts 63 (6-8).

ANSAA

http://www.ansaa.com/uploads/2/6/1/3/26134429/ansaa_directory_2022-2023.pdf Abundant Life Christian Academy 297 (K-12);The Anthony School 298 (K-8); The Baptist Preparatory School 495 (K-12); Calvary Academy 382 (K-12); Catholic High School 678 (9-12); Cedar Heights Christian Academy 39 (K-12); Central Arkansas Christian Schools 782 (K-12); Christ Little Rock 125(K-8); Christ The King School 601 (K-8); Episcopal Collegiate School 780 (K-12); Immaculate Conception School 366 (K-8);Immaculate Heart of Mary School 100 (K-8); Little Rock Christian Academy 1,553 (K-12);Mount St. Mary Academy 458 (9-12);North Little Rock Catholic Academy 182 (K-8); Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic School 465 (K-8); Pulaski Academy1,290 (K-12); Southwest Christian Academy 198 (K-12); and St. Theresa Catholic School 208 (K-8).