1. Authorization
AOA received permission to move forward as an Arkansas public charter school.
Our road to opening
We chose more time over opening before we were ready.
AOA was preparing to open for the 2026–27 school year. After receiving charter authorization, we moved into the next formal stage: working through the charter contract with the Arkansas Department of Education, while completing the work required to open a school responsibly.
That contract process is nearing completion. The remaining facility, financing, staffing, and pre-opening work needs more time, so AOA moved its planned opening to Fall 2027.
The work did not stop.
The timeline changed so the school could be built well.
Current target: Fall 2027
The process
Authorization was the beginning. The Arkansas Department of Education contract is the stage we are in now.
In December 2025, AOA received charter authorization. Schools are authorized first, then complete and sign a charter contract with the Arkansas Department of Education before opening.
2. Arkansas Department of Education contract
The contract turns the approved vision into defined commitments, accountability, and operating expectations. AOA is nearing the end of this process.
3. Opening readiness
After the contract stage, AOA must complete the systems, facility, staffing, and safeguards required for students to begin.
Authorization gave AOA permission to move forward.
The Arkansas Department of Education charter contract defines the commitment.
Why the timeline changed
An authorized school still has to be built.
Once the charter was authorized, the work became specific. AOA had to advance the Arkansas Department of Education contract while building the systems needed to operate a safe, accountable public school.
Facility
Prepare the school site, including financing, accessibility, safety, inspections, and opening readiness.
Academics
Turn the approved model into curriculum, field learning, assessment, intervention, and daily student experiences.
Student services
Prepare special education, 504, counseling, health, MTSS, Student Success Plans, accommodations, and support across classroom and outdoor settings.
Operations
Build transportation, meals, technology, field logistics, safety, records, scheduling, and communications.
Finance
Establish sustainable operating plans, startup budgets, facility financing, controls, and stewardship of public funds.
People
Recruit and prepare the educators, leaders, specialists, and operational staff needed to deliver the model.
Governance & compliance
Complete contract obligations, policies, oversight, required approvals, reporting, and pre-opening requirements.
We made a hard decision: give the school more time.
What is already in place
Moving the opening did not erase the school we built.
The additional planning period builds on years of charter development, academic design, community engagement, financial planning, facility work, student-support planning, and authorization.
The academic model
Standards-aligned academics, structured field learning, EAST, meaningful technology, intervention, enrichment, and career-connected pathways.
Student support
Advisory, Student Success Plans, MTSS, counseling, health services, accommodations, and intervention built into the school design.
Career pathways
Pathways connected to Outdoor Conservation Sciences, Outdoor Tourism & Recreation, and Outdoor First Responders / EMT & Emergency Services.
Public purpose
A tuition-free public school model designed around outdoor learning, strong academics, and preparation for what comes next.
Community
Families and community members have already demonstrated substantial interest in the school and its mission.
What the additional time is doing
Building the school behind the idea.
The extra planning period gives AOA time to work through what students and families will actually experience every day.
A connected student experience
Classroom instruction, field application, advisory, EAST, pathways, intervention, enrichment, and reflection working as one learning experience.
Meaningful technology
Technology used for research, GIS, mapping, environmental measurement, data analysis, design, communication, and problem solving.
Stronger support
Special education, 504, MTSS, health services, counseling, advisory, Student Success Plans, and accommodations prepared across settings.
Family readiness
Practical planning for weather, safety, health needs, transportation, meals, accessibility, communication, and everyday life at AOA.
Stigma-Free Gear Closet
Forgot it? Need it? Borrow it. Students should be able to participate without being defined by what they have or do not have.
Current status
Fall 2027 is the target. Readiness is the standard.
The Arkansas Department of Education contract process is nearing completion. The remaining pre-opening work is still in progress.
Arkansas Department of Education charter contract
Nearing completion
Facility
In progress
Financing
In progress
Academics
In progress
Student services
In progress
Staffing
Up next
Operations
In progress
Transportation & meals
Up next
Outdoor-learning readiness
In progress
Technology & EAST
In progress
Enrollment
Up next
Family readiness
In progress
Statuses are intentionally broad. AOA will not mark the contract or another workstream complete until that milestone is confirmed.
Our commitment to families
You should not have to guess where things stand.
Starting a public school requires decisions, approvals, systems, safeguards, and people working together. Some pieces move quickly. Others take longer than expected.
AOA will communicate meaningful progress, unfinished work, important changes, and major milestones as we move toward opening. Sign up for progress reports.
We would rather tell you the truth about where we are than pretend everything is finished.
The next chapter
We're building toward Fall 2027.
Explore what an AOA school day is designed to feel like, learn about the academic model, and stay connected as we reach the next milestones.