A Case Study on the Consolidation of Two Schools in the Arkansas Mississippi River Delta

As schools have been required to provide more and more services and as more and more people have left rural areas, school consolidation has become the answer. During the 1990s, it was ruled that the state of public school funding was unconstitutional. To solve this problem the state legislature passed Act 60 of 2003. Act 60 set the minimum enrollment for a school district at 350. This has led to the consolidation of many school districts. These consolidations have been prevalent in the Arkansas Mississippi River Delta. After dropping below 350 students in 2015, the Cookville School District was ordered by the state to be consolidated with the larger Moorestown School District. The effects of this consolidation on the students, parents, teachers, and communities were examined. Subjects who were students, parents, teachers, or community members in Cookville or Moorestown were interviewed. The researcher also examined archival data and physical artifacts. Using thematic analysis, eight themes emerged from the data: disconnect between the communities, fewer economic opportunities, academic improvement, teacher alienation, lack of parental engagement, anger from the parents, increased locations, and more and better opportunities. This study is important, because more Delta schools are likely to face consolidation. The Delta is the poorest area of Arkansas, and its population is on a rapid decline. Districts facing consolidation must engage all stakeholders in the process, consider all options, and come to a decision that is ultimately best for the students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]