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Arkansas Ed. Board Approves Voluntary Bradley Annexation

The Arkansas Education Board has agreed to allow the Bradley School District in southwest Arkansas to merge with the adjacent Emerson-Taylor School District.

The Bradley School Board sought the change because it is hovering near the 350-student minimum that the state requires districts maintain to continue operating independently.

Bradley Superintendent Gammye Moore said merging with the Emerson-Taylor School District would bring no major changes, such as closed schools.

Emerson-Taylor Superintendent Gary Hines said the district's board voted unanimously in favor of taking in the Bradley district.

The Lafayette School District objected to the merger, saying it was willing to take in the Bradley students. But Moore said Emerson-Taylor was closer for its students and said the districts both have high achievement levels despite high poverty rates.