The number of migrant students in Craighead County is on the decline, but Buffalo Island and Jonesboro continues to have the most migrant students.
In 2016 data obtained from the Arkansas Department of Education by the Jonesboro Sun, 276 migrant students are attending school in the county, which is almost 100 students less than the 370 students recorded in 2011. Buffalo Island Central School District reported the most in the county with 114 migrant students. Jonesboro School District had the second highest with 80 migrant students.
Buffalo Island West Elementary School Principle Kima Stewart told the Sun the reason behind the district's high migrant student population is because the district's boundaries extend into Mississippi County where there are large cotton gins.
Craighead County Extension Agent Branon Thiesse said that increasing technology in agriculture could be a cause for a decline in migrant workers. Thiesse said as migrant worker families’ move into the area, they decide to stay. He said that as the number of jobs in agriculture decline for migrant workers, they look for more permanent work causing them to not be migrant workers.
