LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- It's the first day of school for thousands of kids. Some in the central Arkansas area will be bussed to different school districts and attend magnet schools.
Communications is the theme at Crystal Hill Elementary Magnet School in Pulaski County Special School District.
"It's a good school. I love the teachers here. They're pretty nice," says fifth grader Kevin who actually lives within the Little Rock School District, but is bussed to the County district since he's attending a magnet school.
"The magnet concept is to attract students of the other culture. So there will be a more balanced student body in terms of racial composition," says Superintendent Dr. Jerry Guess who explains since the county district is made up of majority Caucasian, the district can bus in African American students to its magnet schools. Still, the curriculum attracts kids of all races as as seen through higher enrollment.
Donna Creer is the executive director of the Magnet Review Committee and hopes the success of magnet schools will be enough to keep them around even if desegregation funding goes away.
"Because of high test scores, low disciplinary incidences, the high school graduation rate. I'm sure we will continue to have magnet schools" says Creer.
Dr. Guess says all of his schools shined on their first day of school.
"We have worked hard to make the first day of school a success. It is coming together that way," says Dr. Guess.
The first magnet school started in 1981 after the three school districts entered into a lawsuit. The state originally wanted to create two school districts; instead districts came up with the idea of magnet schools. It allows students of different backgrounds to voluntarily go to these special schools.
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