Reply #60: They Are Rural States [View All]

[SPKrazy]

and generally poor states

Living in Arkansas isn't as terrible as you imagine

and aside from your snarkiness, Arkansas is a beautiful state, we have good schools, but we have a chronically underfunded school system.

In fact, the state has been habitually in violation of a court order from the State supreme court to improve education and funding.

Lots of the problems involve the historical idea that every berg and village in the state has tended to have their own school district. They have resisted consolidation strongly, and have created co-ops to try to share their resources among small districts instead of consolidate.

My opinion on Arkansas schools is that we need consolidation of administration, and districts in order to create an equal playing field for schools whether they are in the middle of the Ozarks, downtown Little Rock, or in the heart of Wal-Mart territory Bentonville.

We've had a Repuke governor who along with a Dem legislature, have failed to produce an education plan that has satisfied the court order. It is politically more expedient to give it to the courts under a special master to oversee the school systems revisions. However, even that hasn't been enough.

Our teachers have gotten raises over the past couple of years and the schools are doing better than they were, but they still aren't equal in all areas of the state.

Bu*h's NCLB hasn't helped the situation one iota.

Rural and agricultural communities doesn't equal ignorance, and Arkansas has moved up the list some!