Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Voters will decide on a proposed millage increase for Nettleton Public Schools during the special election in November.

If passed, the 4.8 mil increase will take the total school tax levy to 43.38 mills. It is currently 38.58 mills.

Nettleton Public Schools superintendent Dr. Karen Curtner said the millage is intended to generate construction funds for various capital improvement projects across the district. The official ballot also says the millage would refund the district’s refunding bonds.

One of the projects she noted was adding 18 classrooms with Safe Shelter areas to several schools across the district.

“We’re growing. Our population of students is growing. We are almost 4,000 students right now in pre-K through 12th grade,” Curtner said.

In addition to the new classrooms, other proposed projects include an expansion of the band and choir classrooms, renovating the Family Health Offices space, a new arena at the high school, and a performing arts center for the elementary and intermediate schools.

“We are looking at the STEAM campus to include what we call STEAM Hall, which would be where we’d have a lot of fine arts and performing arts that can be utilized by all of our elementary and intermediate schools because our Performing Arts Center is heavily used right now, and we need another location to house our elementary and intermediate needs that we have all the time there,” Curtner said.

The school will be holding a Q&A night to discuss the millage on Oct. 21 from 5-6 p.m. at the Nettleton Performing Arts Center, 4205 Paradise St.

Curtner said a panel of community members who have been working with the district on the millage increase will be available to answer questions.

“We’re excited. There’s so much that we can do with this. If this millage passes, we can continue to provide the best that we can for our kids. So, it’s a good thing and it’s much needed. It really is,” Curtner said.

Early voting will be Nov. 12, 13, 14 and 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Election Annex, 315 W. Jefferson Ave., 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.

Craighead County election coordinator Jennifer Clack confirmed that only Nettleton’s millage will be on the Nov. 18 ballot. 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.