NWA Life

14 • nwa life • 3.29.2020 those who want to enter the workforce after high school to be an asset to the business in our community." Northwest Arkansas school districts are committed to forging students who will be prepared for any challenge that may come their way. Every public school in Northwest Arkansas employs a common curriculum required by the Arkansas Department of Education, but that does not mean that every student's education is treated the same. On average, the student-to-teacher ratio in Northwest Arkansas schools is 14 to 1, which allows teachers the ability to really become familiar with each child's individual needs. School choice On top of the competitive and compassionate public school districts, parents also have the option to send their child to a number of excellent charter and private schools in the area, thanks to the Arkansas school choice initiative. School choice empowers parents by allowing them to choose the school which will be the best fit for their child. With school choice, parents can apply for inter-district transfers to send their child to any public school, a charter school, or enroll their child in private school. "The concept of school choice is that competition makes all school districts better," said Dr. Rollins. In Northwest Arkansas, the success with school choice is evident in each of the highly competitive, high performing districts. Charter schools Open-Enrollment Public Charter Schools are free public schools that can draw students from across district boundaries. Students who want to attend an open-enrollment charter school complete an application. Charter schools are prohibited from selecting students based on academic performance, student demographic characteristics, family income, or any other type of information. If more students apply to attend the charter school than there are seats available, the school must hold a public, random lottery to select students. Charter schools are publicly funded and part of their respective school districts, but operate with a level of autonomy independent of many of the regulations for curriculum that are imposed on public schools. The increased independence which charter schools have is dependent upon their high yields in performance and accountability. Northwest Arkansas charter schools offer plenty of options for the diverse range of students they serve. At charter schools in the area, students have the ability to learn professional skills for their future, like construction, health and medical occupations, information technology, industrial maintenance, and more. Charter schools in the area include Arkansas Arts Academy, Rogers; Haas Hall Academy and NWA Classical Academy. SPONSOR CONTENT A house, a condominium, an apartment… any of those could be the place you call home, and since disasters do not discriminate, you probably need some kind of insurance coverage so you don't have to face a great financial loss. Coverage for Your House Whether your house is paid for or not, you probably need homeowners insurance to rebuild if the worst happens, and our homeowners policy can help. Coverage for Your Condo Condo coverage is a little different from homeowners coverage. Most condo homeowners associations have insurance for the building you live in, but you'll need coverage for the section of the building you own, as well as all your personal belongings. Our condo policy is just what you need. Coverage for Your Personal Property If you rent, you might think you don't need any kind of insurance, but what would you do if you came home and your building was reduced to ashes? How would you replace almost everything you own? You might not think that stuff is worth much, but it adds up fast! Our renters insurance is inexpensive and can help. Coverage for Your Mobile Home Our mobile home insurance covers a wide variety of losses, but also includes coverage for underpinning, anchors, straps and tie-downs. Like our other policies, it provides some liability coverage, as well as optional coverages. Call your local Shelter Insurance agent to explore all the coverage options and discounts we offer for the place you call home. Coverage for the place you call home 14:1 $ 9,576 K-12 Per Pupil Spending (2017-18) Student : Teacher Ratio (K-12) (Office For Education Policy, 2019) CONTINUED FROM 12 CONTINUED ON 16

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