Fort Smith district pursuing charter school

FORT SMITH — The School District is looking to open its own charter school in 2022 that would serve students interested in virtual education.

The School Board on March 8 unanimously approved the district submitting a notice of intent to apply for an Arkansas public charter school license.

This document will be sent to the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The license is necessary for the district to get the waivers to create a virtual option conversion charter school, according to a memo included in the meeting packet.

Samantha Hall, the district’s assistant director of innovation, said the goal of creating the Fort Smith Virtual Academy would be to meet the needs of the district’s diverse population.

“We could offer an option for homeschooled students, medically fragile students, students who would want accelerated or unique learning opportunities or just have whatever other circumstances that do not give them the opportunity for success in a traditional school structure,” Hall said.

A district conversion charter school is a public school that has been converted to a public charter school.

These schools can bring in students only from within a school district’s boundaries.

Hall said the notice of intent to apply form is due April 19. If other requirements are met throughout the year, and if approved by the state in November, the Fort Smith Virtual Academy would open in August 2022.

The notice of intent to apply states the Fort Smith Virtual Academy will be housed at the district’s Peak Innovation Center.

The district is preparing to open the center this August in collaboration with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

The academy would offer a “virtual learning experience blended with real-world experiences that are differentiated to meet the needs of a diverse population,” according to the notice. Its curriculum would include core classes and grade-appropriate electives.

Although the notice states the virtual academy will serve grades K-12 with an enrollment cap of 1,500, Hall said the district will decide later in the year whether it’s best to pursue a K-12 or K-8 model.

The district has about 13,800 students in grades K-12.