Arkansas Initiated Act 2, Criteria for Public School Student Assignment Initiative (1956)

Arkansas Initiated Act 2
Election date November 6, 1956
Topic Public education governance and Race and ethnicity issues
Status Approved
Type Initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

Arkansas Initiated Act 2 was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in Arkansas on November 6, 1956. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported this ballot initiative to: require school boards to assign students to public schools within this districts based on "any and all other factors, except the factor of race;" permit school boards to consider the following factors in assigning students to schools: geographic location of the student's home; teaching capacity; suitability of established curricula; scholastic aptitude and relative intelligence or mental energy or ability; psychological effect upon the student; effect of admission upon prevailing academic standards; "possibility or threat of friction or disorder" or “breaches of the peace or ill will or economic retaliation within the community;" and request or consent of parents or guardians.

A "no" vote opposed this ballot initiative to: require school boards to assign students to public schools within this districts based on "any and all other factors, except the factor of race;" permit school boards to consider the following factors in assigning students to schools: geographic location of the student's home; teaching capacity; suitability of established curricula; scholastic aptitude and relative intelligence or mental energy or ability; psychological effect upon the student; effect of admission upon prevailing academic standards; "possibility or threat of friction or disorder" or “breaches of the peace or ill will or economic retaliation within the community;" and request or consent of parents or guardians.

Election results

Arkansas Initiated Act 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		214,713	63.93%
No		121,129	36.07%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiated Act 2 was as follows:

“

INITIATED ACT NO. 2 (By Petition) SCHOOL PUPIL ASSIGNMENT LAW FOR INITIATED ACT NO. 2. AGAINST INITIATED ACT NO. 2. An Act to declare the public policy of the State of Arkansas with respect to assignment of pupils in public schools; to prescribe the method of making such assignments by the local school boards; and to provide for appeals from the decisions of local school boards in making such assignments.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Arkansas

Signatures were collected to place the initiated state statute on the ballot.

See also

1956 Measures

• 1956 Measures
• Race and ethnicity issues on the ballot
• Public education governance on the ballot
• 1956 legislative sessions

Arkansas

• Arkansas ballot measures
• Arkansas ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls