Claiborne School Board Opts Out Of Agreement With Junction City Schools

The Claiborne Parish School Board has opted to terminate its 90-plus-year-old intergovernmental agreement with (JCT) Junction City, Ark. Schools.

Under the agreement, Claiborne students who lived closer to Junction City would attend school in Junction City. Reportedly, the arrangement was the result of not having adequate transportation in the area.

The recent decision is slated to go into effect at the end of the current school session. However, Claiborne Parish based upcoming seniors already attending JCT, will be allowed to complete high school at JCT. All other students participating in the intergovernmental program will be transferred to Summerfield schools beginning the Fall of 2013.

Over the past years, CPSB has doled out MFP funds for at least 112 Claiborne students to attend Junction City schools at more than $5,000 per pupil, while picking up the tab of salaries for six Junction City teachers and three additional support persons, while providing supplies to JCT upon request, and pitched in on transportation costs as well.
As a result of the agreement termination, JCT teachers employed by CPSB through the agreement will also be affected. Those employees will either return to Claiborne Parish schools, be hired by JCT or be forced to seek other means of employment.
However, CPSB will continue to dole out MFP funds to JCT on a monthly basis for students who remain at the facility throughout their senior year of 2014.

During the 2012-13 school session CPSB was slated to pour more than $530,000 into Junction City, Arkansas schools. According to CPSB documents, CPSB was to provide $5,189 per pupil based on the 2010-11 MFP amount with a total funding of $581,184 including instructional and support staff as well as transportation costs.