(January 2018) Records show the school choice market in Pulaski County totaled nearly 19,000 K-12 students in 2017. This niche educational market includes students eligible to participate in public school choice programs, capped at three percent (3%) of enrollment; and homeschooled, private and charter students.
The Arkansas School Choice Market
School choice has advanced since Foundation analysts Allyson Tucker and Donna Watson wrote their landmark 1996 study recommending charters. The Murphy Commission studies advanced other options in three 1998 studies.
The Pulaski County school choice market includes the following groups:
Private school students 8,2481
Charter school students 7,2832
Homeschooled students 1,8923
Public school choice students 1,3014
Total 18,724
–Greg Kaza
1 Arkansas Department of Education, https://adedata.arkansas.gov/statewide/Schools/PrivateSchools.aspx
Private Schools: Little Rock Christian, 1,403; Pulaski Academy, 1,328; Episcopal Collegiate, 763; Catholic High School, 753; Christ The King, 657; Baptist Preparatory School, 655; Our Lady of Holy Souls, 505; Mount St. Mary Academy, 489; The Anthony School, 360; Southwest Christian Academy, 274; Miss Selma’s School, 232;North Little Rock Catholic Academy, 201; St. Theresa, 165; St. Edward’s, 147; Christ Lutheran, 134; The Huda Academy, 114; Agape Academy, 37; Embassy Academy, 15; Aspire Christian Academy, 13; Immaculate Conception, 3.
2 http://www.arkansased.gov/contact-us/charter-schools/charter_school_categories/open-enrollment
Open Enrollment Charters: Estem Little Rock (Elementary, Middle & High School) 1,968; LISA Academy (Elementary, Middle & High School) 1,572; Academics Plus (Elementary & High School) 1,050; Arkansas Virtual Academy High School, 737; Jacksonville Lighthouse College Prep , 377; Exalt Academy of Southwest Little Rock, 375; Little Rock Prep Academy Middle School, 213; Capital City Lighthouse Lower Academy, 191; SIA Tech (Little Rock) 188; Quest Middle Schools (Little Rock)188; Rockbridge Montessori Charter School, 169; Covenant Keepers Charter School, 141; Premier High School of Little Rock, 114.
3 ADE Home School Report, 2016-17, http://www.arkansased.gov/divisions/learning-services/home-school/home-school-reports
4 ADE, https://adedata.arkansas.gov/statewide/State/SchoolChoice.aspx
The three percent (3%) cap established by the Public School Choice Act of 2015 limits expansion of this market component. http://www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/Public_School_Accountability/Equity_Assistance/Three_Percent_School_Choice_K_12_10_01_16.pdf
Little Rock School District, 683; Pulaski County Special School District, 366; North Little Rock School District, 252
