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Dumas Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Dumas, Arkansas. It serves territory in Desha and Lincoln counties, including Dumas, Gould, Mitchellville, and Winchester. It also serves Arkansas Department of Corrections prison property (Cummins Unit).

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2013)

The Wells Bayou district merged into the Dumas district in 1969.

In July 1993 the Desha-Drew School District dissolved, with portions going to Dumas Public Schools and to the McGehee School District.

In 2004 the Arkansas Legislature approved a law that forced school districts with fewer than 350 students apiece to consolidate with other districts. As a result, on July 1, 2004, the Gould School District was merged into the Dumas district. At the time of the merger, according to a June 30, 2004 audit report, the Gould district had a $322,873 deficit. The Dumas district inherited the Gould district's deficit. Thomas Cox, the superintendent of the Dumas district, opposed the merger; in May 2004 he told the Arkansas Board of Education that it would increase the racial imbalance in the school district as African-American percentage of the Dumas district would increase from 64% to 68%; at the time the Gould district was 99% African-American. The former superintendent of the Gould district became an assistant superintendent of the Dumas district.

Attendance area

Within Desha County, it includes Dumas and Mitchellville.

Within Lincoln County, it includes Gould. It also serves Arkansas Department of Corrections prison property (Cummins Unit).

The district extends into Drew County, where it serves Winchester.

Schools

Its schools include Central Elementary School, Dumas Junior High School, and Dumas High School.

In previous eras, Central had grades PreK-1, Reed Elementary School had grades 2-6, Dumas Jr. High had 7-8, and Dumas High had 9-12.

After the merger with the Gould School District, the Dumas district inherited the Gould school facilities. The 2004-2005 Arkansas School Directory listed Gould Elementary School and Gould High School as being a part of the Dumas district. The Dumas district planned to, effective fall of 2005, move all Gould students in grades 7-12 to the Dumas schools, and considered doing the same to the elementary school students from Gould. The 2005-2006 Arkansas School Directory did not list any Gould school facilities.

References

1. "Dumas School District Administration Offices Archived August 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Dumas Public Schools. Retrieved on March 6, 2011. "213 Adams Street Dumas, AR 71639"
2. Goatcher, Truett (January 1999). "School District Consolidation Will Save Millions of Dollars: Fact of Myth?" (PDF). Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators. p. 13 (PDF p. 16/27).
3. ^ "Consolidation/Annexations of LEA's (1983-2010)." (Archive) Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
4. ^ "Dumas inherits Gould district’s deficit." () Arkansas News. May 11, 2005. Retrieved on March 7, 2011.
5. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Desha County, AR" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
6. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lincoln County, AR" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
7. "Maintenance & Transportation Department Archived August 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Dumas School District. Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
8. "ARKANSAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND EDUCATION COOPERATIVES EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010." (Archive) Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on March 7, 2011.
9. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Drew County, AR" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
10. "Central Elementary School Archived August 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Dumas Public Schools. Retrieved on March 6, 2011. "101 Court Street Dumas, AR 71639"
11. "Dumas Junior High School Archived August 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Dumas Public Schools. Retrieved on March 6, 2011. "315 South College Dumas, AR 71639"
12. "Dumas High School Archived 2012-11-29 at the Wayback Machine." Dumas Public Schools. Retrieved on March 6, 2011. "Dan Gill Drive Dumas, AR 71639"
13. "2002-2003 Arkansas Education Directory." Arkansas Department of Education. 54 (60/157). Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
14. "2004-2005 Arkansas Education Directory". Arkansas Department of Education. Archived from the original on May 25, 2005. Retrieved December 27, 2019. - Grady High is not listed in this directory.
15. "2005-2006 Arkansas Educational Directory" (PDF). Arkansas Department of Education. p. 77 (PDF p. 87). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 24, 2006. Retrieved December 27, 2019.

Further reading

• 2004-2005 School District Map
• Map of Arkansas School Districts pre-July 1, 2004
• "Arkansas Department of Education school district maps, 1952-1954 Desha County, 1952-1954". Arkansas Digital Archives. Arkansas State Archives. (Download) - Includes maps of predecessor districts
• "Arkansas Department of Education school district maps, 1952-1954 Lincoln County, 1952-1954". Arkansas Digital Archives. Arkansas State Archives. (Download) - Includes maps of predecessor districts

External links

• Dumas Public Schools

• School districts in Arkansas
• Education in Desha County, Arkansas
• Education in Drew County, Arkansas
• Education in Lincoln County, Arkansas