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MARIANNA, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Board of Education has decided to release the state-controlled Lee County School District back to local management.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/1NSZFrM ) reports that the education board agreed Thursday to release the system after a new School Board is elected in September.
Lee County School District was the first to be taken over by the state for academic distress. From 2011 to 2013, fewer that 49.5 percent of district students scored proficient or better on state math and literacy exams. The state board was cited for having a high school class in which 42 of 67 seniors were not on track to graduate.
Superintendent Willie Murdock was assigned to the district and has worked under the Arkansas education commissioner the get schools back on track.
Last month, district leaders reported to the state board that their performance on proficiency exams had improved, narrowly topping the threshold for academic distress.
Board of Education member Vicki Saviers said state leaders spent a lot of time and effort to reform the school district. She implored Lee County residents to help the school district and its students.
"I think it's really painful. Please -- I mean I am urging every able-bodied person in Lee County to become engaged in their school to help Mrs. Murdock do what she needs to do to provide the best staff she can for kids. We need to all pull together to help them be the best that that they can."
The district has also faced financial trouble in addition to its academic issues.
The Education Department's fiscal distress coordinator Hazel Burnett said that the district has hired a new business manager and that its financial management has made improvements. She says that those improvements were possible partly due to help from outside agencies and consultants.
Burnett says that despite the progress, she is not ready to recommend the removal of the district's fiscal distress label. That label will not stop the district from returning to local management.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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