Reminder Regarding Opportunity School Choice Act

Please be advised that LRSD students’ residence-assigned to Level 5 - Intensive Support school districts and/or 'F' schools are eligible for Opportunity School Choice, including support for transportation. Applications are on a first applied/first accepted basis by May 1st.

The application period runs fron Jan 1st to May 1st and a link will be here to the online application website.

If you are new to the LRSD and would like to apply for a magnet or specialty school, you can contact Student Registration (sro@lrsd.org or 501-447-2950 or send a message using our contact form - Espanol) to sign you up through maintenance.

Educational choice provides parents with options on how best to educate their child, including school transfers and magnet school programs. Parents and students can take advantage of unique curriculum offerings, special emphasis programs and other activities. LRSD parents may apply for their child to attend a school outside of their attendance zone during a designated time period.  The other options for requesting new assignments are detailed below.

What are our assignment options? 

Each parent has an opportunity to request for their child an assignment to a school outside of their attendance zone. It is recommended that parents explore their options before processing requests by visiting the schools in which they are interested and gathering information about those schools. Staff in the Student Registration Office are available to assist parents who are seeking information about assignment options.

Magnet school and transfer applications for the following year may be submitted during designated registration period and at times thereafter. These transfers are approved for entry at the start of the school year or at the beginning of second semester with few exceptions. Once a student has been placed at a school of choice, he/she may remain through the completion of that organizational level (elementary, middle, high school).  

What magnet schools and programs are available?

Magnet schools - schools with a themed program designed to attract students from throughout the central Arkansas area were introduced in the LRSD during the 1987-88 school year.  The magnet schools are:

• Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
• Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School
• Booker Arts Magnet Elementary School
• Carver Math and Science Magnet Elementary School
• Gibbs Magnet Elementary School of Foreign Language and International Studies
• Williams Traditional Magnet Elementary School

How are magnet school assignments made?

LRSD parents interested in one of these schools must complete an online magnet school application.  

School Feeder Patterns-Please note: Sibling preference* will only be granted to students who are currently attending the school of interest and the student (sibling) has maintained enrollment.

*Sibling preference will not be granted during Open Enrollment periods for students who are terminating an organizational level, i.e., siblings who are at the 5th, 8th and 12th grade levels, with the exception of 5th grade students at Forest Heights STEM Academy.

Students will be assigned based on a computerized random selection process (scramble).  Therefore, no numbered waiting lists will exist.  When additional seats become available, students will be assigned and another scramble will be initiated to fill available seats. 

The popularity of the magnet schools prompted the LRSD to create specialty/magnet programs at certain attendance zone schools. Parents may apply for their children to attend these specialty/magnet programs:

• Central High School International Studies Magnet School
• Parkview Arts & Science Magnet School
• Dunbar Gifted & Talented  / International Studies Magnet Middle School
• Horace Mann Arts & Science Magnet School

​How are transfers granted?

Parents may request a transfer for their child to attend a school other than the families' attendance zone school. Ample seats must be available at the requested school (a certain number of seats are set aside for attendance zone students).

What types of transfers are available?

TNT (Transfer/No Transportation) Transfer
TNT is an intradistrict transfer for students wishing to transfer from one attendance zone school to another attendance zone school. Ample seats must be available at the requested school (a certain number of seats are set aside for attendance zone students).  A student is allowed one (1) TNT transfer per school year.  Athletic eligiblity may be removed for one calendar year.

Student Assignment Appeal
Student Assignment Appeal is an intradistrict transfer for students wishing to transfer from one attendance zone school to another attendance zone school. Ample seats must be available at the requested school (a certain number of seats are set aside for attendance zone students).  A student is allowed one (1) TNT transfer per school year.  Athletic eligiblity may be removed for one calendar year.

Staff Preference Transfer

LRSD employees who reside in the LRSD may request that their children attend the school in which they work with the exception of stipulation magnet schools. Transfers will be granted if space is available and all attendance zone students have been assigned. Staff Preference Transfers are granted to students whose parents or legal guardians are LRSD staff members. No transportation is provided by the district. Click here to download the resident staff transfer application. - Español

LRSD employees who reside outside of the LRSD boundaries may apply for an ACT 624 transfer. Employees must present their work badges and two proofs of their residence (30 days). Click here to submit the outside of LRSD staff preference application (ACT 624 Transfer. Español

Arkansas School Choice

Families in the state of Arkansas may apply to attend a district other than the one in which they reside, subject to certain restrictions. Applications will be available at the Student Registration Office for students from various counties in Arkansas. If granted, no transportation will be provided by the district. Seats are subject to availability. Interested parents must come to the Student Registration Office to apply. For more information on the Registration Process - Click here . All required documentation must be submitted with an application. The application must be time/date stamped. The application window is from January 1st - May 1st. 

Arkansas Opportunity School Choice

Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-227, a student may only transfer from a public school or school district that has been classified as a public school or school district in academic distress. A student may choose as an alternative to enroll in a legally allowable public school or school district that is not classified as a public school or school district in academic distress and that is nearest to the student’s legal residence. Applications will be accepted from January 1st to May 1st. Seats are subject to availability. To peruse the law, please visit The Arkansas Government Website