AR SB844

The State Board of Education shall not deny a petition for voluntary annexation of two or more school districts unless one petitioning district is under Department of Education administrative control for academic accountability or accreditation violations, in fiscal distress, in facilities distress, or will be placed at risk of such conditions as a result of the annexation.

The Department of Education must provide evidence to the State Board supporting any recommendation to deny a voluntary annexation petition under these conditions.

Identical provisions apply to voluntary consolidation petitions, with the same four conditions that would allow the State Board to deny a consolidation request.

The subsection does not require the State Board to deny annexation or consolidation petitions for the specified reasons, only permitting denial under these circumstances.