🎉 School Choice Applications Are Now Open! 🎉

Be a part of something GREAT—become a Bismarck Lion! 🦁💙💛

✅ Why Choose Bismarck?
📆 4-Day School Week
👩‍🏫 Devoted, Supportive Staff
📚 Rigorous Instruction & Exemplary State Test Scores & Ranking
🎶 Home of the Show Band of Hot Spring County
🏆 Variety of Sports, Clubs & Activities – including 2024 3A Girls Golf State Champions & 2024 3A Football State Runner-Up
🎓 College Credit Courses through the DEAL Program with ASUTR
🔧 Career Technical Center Classes with ASUTR

🗓️ Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2025
📄 How to Apply: Fill out the application here

➡️ https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/School_Choice_Transfer_Form_May_2024_OSCPE_updated_approved_1-6-25_OSCPE.pdf
Don't miss your chance to join the Lion family! Apply today and experience excellence in education! 🦁✨

SCHOOL CHOICE ANNOUNCEMENT

This is a public announcement.  Public School Choice in Arkansas allows students to attend a public school in a district other than the one in which they reside.  Applications for students in the following counties: Clark, Grant, Hot Spring, Pike, and Saline must be made by May 1, 2025 to qualify for provisions under the Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 2013.

Pursuant to standards adopted by a non-resident school board, a non-resident district may reserve the right to accept and reject applicants based on capacity of programs, class, grade level, or school building.  Likewise, a non-resident district’s standards may provide for the rejection of an applicant based upon the submission of false or misleading information to the above listed request for information when that information directly impacts the legal qualifications of an applicant to transfer pursuant to the School Choice Act.  However, a non-resident district’s standards shall not include an applicant’s previous academic achievement, athletic or other extra-curricular ability, handicapping conditions, English proficiency level, or previous disciplinary proceedings, except that an expulsion from another district may be included pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 6-18-510.  Priority will be given to applicants with siblings attending the district.  The non-resident district shall accept credits toward graduation that were awarded by another district and award a diploma to a non-resident applicant if the applicant meets the non-resident district’s graduation requirements. Applications must be postmarked or delivered to the Superintendent of Schools no later than May 1 for a child to be able to enroll for the fall semester.  Transfers shall be granted on a non-discriminatory basis.  Students who have been accepted and enrolled in previous years do not have to reapply as approved transfers remain valid for as long as the student attends that public school. 

Superintendents of both school districts must be notified by the parent of their school choice request. 

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) waiver that provided free meals to students due to the COVID-19 pandemic expired on June 30, 2022. This means that school meals will no longer automatically be free for everyone.

Did you know that it’s more than a meal? Free and Reduced lunch applications affect funding in many areas. All families are encouraged to complete the new meal benefit application to ensure continued funding to support ALL students in our district.

Qualifying for the meal benefit plan allows for two free ACT tests, a Waiver for College Admission Fees, and a Waiver for NCAA Clearinghouse.  

Please submit an application to qualify for free/reduced meals at Bismarck School District during the 2024-2025 school year by clicking the following link: https://linqconnect.com  Please contact Alexis Pennington at alexis.pennington@bsd-lions.net with any questions.

Click here for more information about the 2024-2025 Free and Reduced Lunch Application.  https://www.bismarcklions.net/291095_2

Click image below to apply

New Online Payment Link for School Meals  

Bismarck Schools is now using a new online payment system for school meals.  Please go to https://linqconnect.com/ to create your account and connect any student accounts you wish to be able to add funds.  Make sure you choose Bismarck Arkansas as your district.  You will need the birthdate and grade for each student you wish to connect.

Tri-Lakes School Nutrition Consortium is accepting bid proposals for food, milk, produce, and paper beginning May 2, 2025.  For more information, contact Lee Ann Hampton at lee.hampton@goknights.us