LITTLE ROCK—The state Board of Education on Monday decided to take over the financially troubled Greenland School District rather than annex it to a neighboring district after school officials pleaded for more time to save their school system.

The board voted unanimously to take over the 946-student district and deferred action on a proposal to combine the district with one of six surrounding school districts. Education Commissioner Ken James said the state will send out letters dissolving the school board and will replace its superintendent with a state-appointed superintendent.

“I think today’s scenario that was developed here was probably in the best interest of everyone involved and we will do our best to bring about the due diligence of fiscal solvency for the district,” James said after the vote.

District officials asked the state to consider the takeover rather than annexing it with another district. James said state officials will monitor the district finances during the takeover and may again consider annexation or splitting the district among two or more districts after a year.

“It’s better than the alternative, which would have been a forced annexation, which we would have lost our identity,” Greenland School Board President Bill Groom said. “This way, we’ve still got a chance.”

The decision to spare the district from consolidation—at least temporarily—came after parents and patrons of the troubled system pleaded with the board throughout the morning to save the district.

The district was classified earlier this year as being in fiscal distress after state officials predicted it would end the current fiscal year with a negative balance of $427,845. It was the second time the district had been placed in fiscal distress.

Greenland schools were put under that classification in June 2004 but were removed from the list nearly two years later.

Greenland borders Fayetteville, West Fork, Mountainburg, Elkins, Prairie Grove and Farmington. Monday, representatives from each of those districts asked the board to not annex Greenland into their districts. Randy Willison, superintendent of Prairie Grove, said a takeover would be the best option for the area.

“While it’s disruptive to think that the school board may have to be restructured or replaced, I think if these civic-minded individuals had the choice of leaving their district intact and remain a viable entity, they would choose to do so,” Willison said.

Greenland is the fifth school district to be taken over by the state education department. In April, the board voted to return Midland and Helena-West Helena school districts to local control after being taken over for financial problems.

James afterward said he was concerned about the cost of replacing the current superintendent, Ron Brawner, who is still under contract with the district.

“That could have some financial implications that we’ll have to deal with because there are going to be legal expenses incurred,” he said.

Also Monday, the board voted unanimously to classify the Decatur School District as fiscally distressed. The 577-student district did not appeal the state’s move to put it on the list.

The district was classified as fiscally distressed and is projected to end the fiscal year with a negative balance of $784,375. Decatur patrons have planned several fundraisers before July 31, including a car wash, catfish dinners, chili suppers, a softball tournament and a beach party.