Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Community members and school officials met on Tuesday to discuss the proposed millage increase for Nettleton Public Schools.
The millage is in response to the district’s growth and would fund various improvement projects across its campuses. If passed, the 4.8 mill increase will take the total school tax levy to 43.38 mills. The last millage increase was in 2012.
According to Arkansas Department of Education projections presented at the meeting, in five years, the district will have 4,403 students, 509 more than its 2024-25 enrollment of 3,924. In 10 years, enrollment is expected to reach 4,717, or 793 more students than in 2024-25.
“We are now currently in 2025-26, and our student growth is continuing to increase. So, I believe this is going to hold true for Nettleton Schools in 10 years. If that’s the case, we have to have more facilities to house our students,” said Nettleton Public Schools superintendent Dr. Karen Curtner.
Curtner explained various benefits and improvements that would result from the millage, such as new classrooms with safe shelter areas, expansions and remodels throughout the district, an arena for school and sporting events, and a new end zone facility.
After the presentation, Curtner opened the meeting for audience questions; however, no one spoke up. With that, some school board members and millage committee members added their thoughts.
Nettleton Millage Committee member Shunquetta Cunningham said people need to be aware that many people are distrustful of voting and taxes.
“Our school base is changing, but that change is great because our children are the number one thing. We’re Raider Nation and a militant family. We care about all of our children,” Cunningham said. “We want to see our children have great classrooms. As a sports mom, my daughter went to state. I want to see her be able to compete here on our fields and not go to another school district to see her run in her hometown because we don’t have a track field.”
Nettleton School Board President Mark Belk said it was important from the school board members’ perspective that if the district’s growth isn’t planned for, everyone will be in a cramped and not as ideal learning environment.
“We recognize that this is truly a unique millage ask because it will impact every level of our campus… high school, junior high, intermediates, elementaries,” he said. “We’re not asking you to support some of our kids; we’re asking you to support all of our kids. There is a tremendous opportunity for all of our kids for many, many years to come if we will simply rally the troops and, all who are eligible, go vote for the millage for the Nettleton Public School on Nov. 18,” Belk said.
Early voting will be Nov. 12-14, and 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Election Annex, located at 315 W. Jefferson Ave. in Jonesboro, and the Lake City Courthouse, located at 107 Cobean Blvd. in Lake City.
Election Day voting will be Nov. 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the STEAM Safe Shelter, located at 2305 Vera St. All other school millages will be renewed on the March 3, 2026, ballots.
To see the official ballot, click here. For more information about the millage, click here.
