BELLA VISTA, Ark. — Residents took the first step in what he said could be a long process on Tuesday: gathering signatures for a petition to create a school district in Bella Vista.
“Our children have to get on a school bus at 6:15 in the morning, some of them don't get home till five o'clock, for two hours of their education a day, they're just riding a bus," Parsons said.
According to Bentonville schools, of its 20,000 students, 2,662 live in Bella Vista.
"We've been paying taxes to [Bentonville Schools]," Parsons said. "We don't have a thing that's ours, no concrete or brick."
He said they need 1,180 signatures to take to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).
“The next step after getting the signatures is that we have to plead our case to the Department of Education. And when the Department of Education gives the green light, we can get it on the ballot in the general election for 2024 and let the people decide whether they want it or not,” Parsons said.
Some residents at the petition signing were for the movement, mostly because of commute times and the growing population.
"Every park is getting filled with kids. Families like mine are finding a better life here. And we need it," resident Blake Ogden said. "All the neighborhood kids; I see them getting home real late on that bus."
"The demographics in Bella Vista have changed. And there's so many families and young folks coming in here," Tim Verble said.
According to ADE, you need at least 2,500 students to qualify for an application to form a new district. Parsons said they have around 3,000 in Bella Vista.
Parsons said the group will be collecting signatures again at the Harps in Bella Vista on Nov. 9.
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