Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel and Dollarway talking merging.

[zebradynasty]

It helps to know former school board members. The enrollment didn't drop that much, it was never as high as it was reported during the 6A years. When it was discovered that the former assistant Administrator was falsifying the numbers, he was terminated and WC immediately dropped down to 5A.  WC has lost some students but not close to 600. The Pine Bluff District has been losing students for years. That's why they had to close 2 Elementary schools and the 7th grade school.

So this unnamed administrator lied about the enrollment for years. No one else from chapel caught this huge error even though enrollment numbers are public information. Pretty sure if someone knowingly falsify these numbers it's a criminal offense since school funding is based on them. Basically, the watson chapel school district committed fraud! No criminal charges, No sanctions from AAA...not one word in the local paper about any of this other than your word.

[friscokid]

Does Chapel still get of school for deer day and PB doesn't? That was a fun debate a few years ago.

[gameoflife]

So this unnamed administrator lied about the enrollment for years. No one else from chapel caught this huge error even though enrollment numbers are public information. Pretty sure if someone knowingly falsify these numbers it's a criminal offense since school funding is based on them. Basically, the watson chapel school district committed fraud! No criminal charges, No sanctions from AAA...not one word in the local paper about any of this other than your word.

From stories I hear a lot of schools falsify their numbers but many do it for lower enrollment numbers in the high school so they can stay in a lower athletic classification. 

[jsky14]

If they do that, they lose lots of money

[gameoflife]

that's what I thought but they claim there is a loophole in the system.  Maybe somebody knows what that is?

[AHS06]

The state has taken over Pine Bluff School District.  I really hate that for any community but the kids in the district deserve better.

[NEASPORTSFAN]

Just talk. Nothing in concrete.

But with a population of 55k in 2000 now at 43000....the once great city of PB is drying up.

its never been a great city. has been full of violent crime forever

[zebradynasty]

The state has taken over Pine Bluff School District.  I really hate that for any community but the kids in the district deserve better.

The problem is/was the school board so hopefully this will be began to solve the problems.

[friscokid]

its never been a great city. has been full of violent crime forever

Pine Bluff gets a bad rap but the main reason it's declining is no jobs.

I have never felt unsafe in Pine Bluff and there are parts of NLR that are far more dodgy.

[Grond]

Kind of rough reading all this. Grew up in Pine Bluff (near Central Park & Gabe Meyer school). Graduated high school from White Hall in 1984. I am currently in northeast Arkansas.

So, let me get my bearings straight:

Pine Buff High is somewhat centrally located in Pine Bluff.

Watson Chapel High is located in southwest Pine Bluff, although it was separated from central Pine Bluff by railroad tracks and a wooded region.

Dollarway High is in northwest Pine Bluff, and was separated from central Pine Bluff by undeveloped area & Hestand Stadium (rodeo arena).

White Hall is also northwest of Pine Bluff/Dollarway, and is separated from Dollarway by an industrial park. White Hall was it's own incorporated city, and a 30 minute drive from central Pine Bluff.

Sadly, Dollarway has had troubles since the 1980's. It seems the current thought on dealing with Dollarway is to simply eliminate it.

[zebradynasty]

Pine Bluff gets a bad rap but the main reason it's declining is no jobs.

I have never felt unsafe in Pine Bluff and there are parts of NLR that are far more dodgy.

Bingo!