Three Harrison, Arkansas, elementary schools are so small the state may step in and start forcing the district to make changes without voter approval.

State officials say the schools are deficient because they lack space for physical education, music and even core classrooms.

The district is asking voters for help.

Officials would like to extend the current debt service millage with no increase in taxes. Instead, the district would like to extend the current millage, or property tax, from 18 to 30 years.

Essentially, the current property tax would last 12 years longer than originally approved.

Supporters of the extension say it is the cheapest way taxpayers can create 19 new classrooms in three different elementary schools.

The extension would construct 19 classrooms:

Forest Heights Elementary- 9 classrooms
Skyline Heights Elementary- 6 classrooms, additional restrooms and storage
Woodland Heights Elementary- 4 classrooms

Currently, elementary schools are holding classes in trailers, hallways and stages.

“You can imagine how distracting it would be for a student to learn music when they can hear 200 students eating lunch on the other side of the curtain,” Harrison Elementary School District Superintendent Dr. Jerry Moody says.

Concerned parents say the overcrowding also causes students to be shuffled.

"We enrolled our son who is now a 4th grader, but they didn’t have any room for him,” Woodland Heights Elementary Parent Lisa Holt says. “So, he went to another school for only a week then came back to Woodland Heights."

"We have art on a cart,” Forest Heights Elementary Parent Ann Lemley says. “The art teacher goes room to room with a cart."

"We don't have room for P.E. Sometimes it’s in the library, and sometimes it’s in a classroom," Skyline Heights Elementary Parent Marisa Keylon says.

If voters don't approve a property tax extension, the state could sanction the school district.

Dr. Moody says it's unclear what those sanctions would be.

"They could do away with the school board, do away with the superintendent and bring in state officials to run the school for awhile," Dr. Moody says.

Programs not required by the state could be cut.

“There is a lot of misinformation that the current millage will end soon, but 18 years is not soon. That's a long way out,” Keylon says.

Supporters say any opponents should come walk the schools and see just how small they are.

"We are just adding 12 more years onto the 18,” Keylon says. “We looked at what is the bare minimum we can do to meet state mandated requirements, and this is the bare minimum.”

Some opponents say this is just an attempt to push the same issue that failed last March.

Last March, the district wanted to increase the property tax to raise $15 million. This special election, officials are asking for an extension to raise about $4.3 million.

Anyone registered in the Harrison School District can vote on the issue.

Early voting starts March 3, 2009.

The election will be held on March 10th at the First Christian Church.

The project is estimated to cost nearly $5.2 million. The Division of Academic Facilities would contribute $862,448. The district must raise about $4.3 million to pay its share of the costs of construction and equipment.