Voters in four of eight school districts approved property-tax increases in special elections Tuesday, with most of the districts planning to renovate aging buildings or erect new ones to accommodate growth.
Benton, Norphlet, Cabot and Viola schools will move forward with construction projects, while Harrison, Bentonville and Twin Rivers districts will begin talks with state officials on how to address the districts' most pressing needs.
Plans to start a football program at the 850-student Harmony Grove schools were blocked after a proposal in Saline County failed by 10 votes.
Harrison Superintendent Jerry Moody said Tuesday night that he was disappointed by the overwhelming margin of defeat and intends to hold another millage election next year.
"The crowding issue at our schools will not go away," he said. "Any solution we may have requires money."
The districts where proposals failed, with the exception of Harmony Grove, will be contacted by state officials in the next 10 days to begin looking at how those districts will move forward with facility improvements to comply with state-required master plans, state education officials said.
Act 996 of 2007 for the first time authorizes the state to step in when school districts fail to pass on a first try any tax increases necessary to comply with each district's master plan for facilities.
All Arkansas districts must develop facility master plans to ensure schools meet state adequacy or suitability requirements and can accommodate projected enrollment growth.
Those rules are among those passed in response to the 2002 Arkansas Supreme Court decision that found the state's public education system - including buildings - was inequitable.
If an additional property-tax increase fails, then the state's intervention becomes more heavy-handed. Districts could be forced to cut athletics and other activities that aren't considered essential for an adequate education. The state could replace superintendents and school boards, and ultimately, could consolidate districts.
Many districts that raised their tax rates stand to get state funds for some projects.
The Benton School District, for example, is expecting to get between $7 million and $14 million in state partnership funds to use toward facility improvements in the growing district.
Tuesday's vote was the second since May for Benton schools.
"We really had to work hard to get those votes," Superintendent Tony Prothro said.
Viola voters approved the largest millage increase - 10.8 mills.
"The people of our district wanted to have a school here," Superintendent John May said Tuesday evening.
If the millage had failed, the school district might have had to consolidate with either Salem in Fulton County or Mountain Home in Baxter County, he said.
One mill generates $1 of taxes for every $1,000 of assessed valuation. A property's assessed valuation is equal to 20 percent of its appraised value.
Unofficial results from county clerks were as follows:
m Voters in the Benton district approved a 6.5-mill increase to raise the rate from 35.4 mills to 41.9 mills. The district sought the increase primarily to renovate all of its schools.
For ... 1,901
Against ... 1,734
m Voters in the Bentonville district rejected a 3.99-mill increase to raise the rate from 40.1 mills to 44.09 mills. The revenue was for $209 million in construction, including six schools to be opened within the next five years.
For ... 1,699
Against ... 2,435
m The Cabot district approved a 3.9-mill increase to raise the rate from 36 mills to 39.9 mills. The district sought the increase for construction projects.
For ... 1,190
Against ... 1,086
m Harmony Grove School District in Saline County rejected a 2.3-mill tax increase to raise the rate from 39.4 mills to 41.7 mills. The district sought the increase to start a football program.
For ... 472
Against ... 482
m Voters in the Harrison district rejected a 2.6-mill increase to raise the tax rate from 34.3 mills to 36.9 mills. The increase was to construct new classrooms at its four elementary schools.
For ... 558
Against .... 1,720
m Voters in the Norphlet district approved a 5-mill increase to raise the rate from 37 mills to 42 mills. The district sought the funds to update electrical equipment and plumbing in its two buildings.
For ... 153
Against .... 85
m Voters in the Twin Rivers district in Randolph and Sharp counties rejected a 9-mill increase to raise the rate from 31.09 mills to 40.09 mills. The district sought the funds to build a new school for kindergarten through 12th grade.
For ... 141
Against ... 464
m Voters in the Viola district approved a 10.8-mill increase to raise the rate from 29.82 to 40.62. The increase is to add 18 classrooms and a physical-education facility to the high school.
For ... 351
Against ... 141
In other special elections, voters in Hempstead County approved a 1 percent sales tax to build an auditorium and conference center at the University of Arkansas Community College in Hope.
On the question of raising the sales tax by a quarter percent:
For ... 696
Against ... 633
On the question of raising the sales tax by three-quarter percent:
For ... 681
Against ... 649
On the question of the bond issuance:
For ... 698
Against ... 627
In the Ashley County city of Crossett, voters approved extending a quarter-percent sales tax to be used toward economic development issues. The funds would go to the Crossett Economic Development Foundation. The extension is for eight years.
For ... 340
Against ... 148