PRAIRIE GROVE – One school district has signaled it is interested in a deal in a boundary dispute, even though the other district has rejected the offer.
The Prairie Grove School Board unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the Prairie Grove and Lincoln school districts regarding students residing in the Kelly Mountain Road area on July 30.
However, the Lincoln School Board voted against the agreement on July 16.
The agreement would give families living on 18 properties, mostly along Kelly Mountain Road, the choice of attending school in Lincoln or Prairie Grove. Prairie Grove would provide transportation for those who choose that district.
The agreement would not apply to future property owners in the area and property taxes would continue to accrue to Lincoln County.
However, Prairie Grove would receive per capita funding from the state for all students who wish to attend the district.
Prairie Grove has filed a petition with the state Board of Education asking that boundary lines be adjusted to include about 200 acres along Kelly Mountain Road in the district, at the request of about 29 area residents.
Students from the area have been transferring to Prairie Grove for years because Prairie Grove schools are closer to Lincoln schools.
Prairie Grove did not provide transportation for students.
Prairie Grove Superintendent Lance Campbell said the state board discussed the petition at two meetings and referred the matter back to the districts, asking them to negotiate a settlement without having to adjust the boundary lines.
“We worked with our attorney and with Lincoln to negotiate the lowest amount we felt was acceptable, and that was essentially the 18 parcels,” Campbell told board members in a summary of the situation.
Families would not have to fill out any paperwork if they went to Prairie Grove or Lincoln, he said.
Campbell’s recommendation to the school board was to approve the deal to show the state board of education that he supported the proposal.
He said he was aware that families wanted more, but did not know what else the local school could do for them beyond the letter of intent.
Board member JC Dobbs said he saw no point in voting on the agreement since Lincoln had not approved it.
Board member Bart Orr, however, disagreed and said he thought the board should vote on the matter.
Board member Casie Ruland agreed with Orr.
“I think we are finishing what we started,” Ruland said.
The state Board of Education rejected Prairie Grove’s request for a boundary adjustment in June and then again in July.
The committee is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, but as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, there was no mention of the Lincoln-Prairie Grove border dispute on the agenda.
