Ed board shoots down Weiner-Delight school merger (UALR Public Radio) - The Arkansas Education Board says the Weiner and Delight school districts are too far apart for a long-distance consolidation to work.

The panel voted unanimously Tuesday to deny a request by the districts to merge. The districts wanted to use distance learning to expand course offerings.

Board Chairman Naccaman Williams of Springdale said the panel was unconvinced that the merger would provide the best education for the children.

The Delight School District in southwest Arkansas is 14 miles from the Murfreesboro School District. That prompted Williams to ask what the problem was to prevent Delight from looking there first.

Both Delight and Weiner are below the 350-student minimum for districts to continue operating.

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