On Thursday evening, the board of the Little Rock School District approved a new sliding scale for pre-K fees and a new tutoring program; heard updates on AP testing and school facilities projects; and discussed a possible $200,000 contract with the Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation to continue running an existing career development program in LRSD high schools.

The new pre-K program fees were discussed in detail at the board’s work session earlier in October. Pre-K in the LRSD is funded largely by Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), the state’s pre-K program. Eligibility for ABC is determined primarily by family income and is limited to families at 200% of the federal poverty line.

Currently, about 200 families exceed the income eligibility limits for the ABC funding. In the past, the LRSD has made up the difference out of its operations budget, but given the financial realities the district faces, it must find a revenue source to make up the money that ABC does not cover in our school district. To address this gap, the district will implement a sliding fee scale for the 2026-27 school year, based on household income and family size. 

Separately, weekly rates are rising slightly in the district’s Infant and Toddler Program to reflect reduced funding from the state’s School Readiness Assistance child care program and growing operational costs. 

The board approved the change Thursday as part of its consent agenda.

The board then heard a report on the Advanced Placement (AP) and concurrent credit programs. Data show a rise in both participation and performance. In 2025, the district had 1,608 total AP test takers. Students took 3,829 exams, up 8.1%, and most of those scores (2,146) were a 3, 4 or 5. Participation rose among Asian, Black, Hispanic and multiracial students, while white students’ participation declined by 5%. Female students made up 59% of test takers, but male participation increased by over 4%. 

Central High ranked first in Arkansas for average AP scores in several courses, including 2-D Art and Design, AP Research, Biology, English Literature and Composition, Drawing, and Physics C: Mechanics. Parkview Magnet ranked first statewide for 3-D Art and Design. 

Next, the board voted to approve a new High Impact Tutoring (HIT) grant under a state program that provides funding to school districts to cover major costs for tutoring services in math and English Language Arts during the school day. Participating districts must use the funds to deliver tutoring, report student progress, and submit data to the Arkansas Department of Education. 

Our district received HIT grants during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 school years that were focused on foundational reading for grades 1-5 and college readiness for secondary students. For 2025–26, our administration is proposing targeting specific student groups for academic intervention: third graders identified as “at risk” for retention, middle school students scoring at level 1 in math on the state’s ATLAS test, high school algebra students also performing at level 1 on ATLAS, and a pilot group of high school English Language Learners. 

The tutoring will occur during the school day over 22 weeks, beginning in November and ending in May. As of Oct. 14, LRSD’s proposals were reported as “partially funded,” with $720,000 awarded for third-grade literacy tutoring and $1,396,530 for middle school math tutoring. The funding comes entirely from the state HIT grant, meaning there is no financial impact to the district. 

Next, the board heard a presentation on the Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation contract, a nonprofit spun off from the Little Rock Regional Chamber to keep running the career-prep “academies” model that began when the LRSD was under state takeover in 2018. No vote was taken Thursday because the district is still reviewing a set of proposals from the foundation. 

The Academies of Central Arkansas wants to charge the district for work the district is already doing: strategic planning, teacher training, curriculum alignment, employer partnerships, student internships, data tracking, and community engagement. They present it as a “regional partnership,” but at its core, this is a Chamber-backed workforce development program, not an educational initiative designed to nurture students as full human beings. 

While it is clear the majority of the board likes these academies, I wonder why we are allowing ourselves to be charged for this. Our budget is barely balanced as it is. Why do we want to spend this money when we do not have to? 

The Academies of Central Arkansas laid out four proposals Thursday that vary in scope from participation at a single school, Southwest High School, to participation at all LRSD high schools, which would cost $209,405 annually.

This supposedly would give the district access to strategic planning support, teacher and leader professional development, employer recruitment and work-based learning, curriculum alignment, data tracking, communication, and capacity-building services. But in reality, the district already does all of this work internally. It would be financially reckless to pay $209,000 for an unnecessary program when the district is barely in the black at the moment. The board has already overspent $50,000 to participate in a likely fruitless lawsuit challenging the Arkansas LEARNS Act, and adding this proposal would push the deficit higher. 

This is money that should go to programs that measurably improve reading, math, and the intellectual and moral development of students, not to a Chamber-backed foundation claiming credit for our labor. The Academies program funnels public dollars to create a workforce pipeline for local businesses, especially in schools with predominantly African American and Latino students. 

If the Chamber wants to run career-prep programs, they should do it on their own dime. The district should focus on truly educational initiatives that cultivate curiosity, imagination, understanding, and human flourishing, not just job readiness. 

The issue before us is not whether we have Academies or not. The issue is: Will we pay this foundation an exorbitant amount of money for the work we already do? The board should pass on this. 

Next, the board discussed the LRSD’s facilities master plan and the 2027–2029 application to the state Department of Education for financial help with construction and improvements. The state’s share of funding is based on a legislatively determined “wealth index,” which calculates local financial capacity. Once approved, the district will be responsible for its local match to the state’s contribution. 

The LRSD does not plan to seek new voter approval for new bonds but instead intends to allocate existing funds from existing bonds, with a target date of May 2027 for providing its financial match.

The district continues to make improvements across every campus. Over the past decade, numerous “Warm, Safe, and Dry” projects have been completed to maintain basic building systems and ensure safe learning environments. Recent major facility investments include several large-scale projects: 

• Little Rock Southwest High School opened in the 2020–21 school year. The new 400,000-square-foot campus serves grades 9–12 and replaced two aging high school facilities. 
• Rockefeller Early Childhood Center reopened in 2024–25 following a complete renovation of its 64,600-square-foot building.
• Dr. Marian G. Lacey K–8 Academy also opened for the 2024–25 school year, consolidating students from Cloverdale Middle School, Baseline Elementary, and Watson Elementary. 
• Central High School recently completed construction of a new math and science wing and a fieldhouse addition. The project eliminates the need for multiple portable classrooms and modernizes core instructional spaces. 

Major ongoing projects include the new Pinnacle View High School construction, which will serve grades 9–12 with a capacity of 1,200 students. It is scheduled to open in fall 2027. 

Other ongoing projects include lighting and baseball field improvements at Central High’s Quigley Stadium; Parkview Magnet High School auditorium renovations; districtwide intercom replacement; installation of electric bus charging stations for the transportation department; and more.

In addition to those committed projects, the plan identifies numerous “planned” projects for future years. They include HVAC renovations and upgrades at Mabelvale Middle School, Pulaski Heights Elementary and Middle Schools, and Forest Park Elementary; roof replacement at Fulbright Elementary and M.L. King Elementary; parking lot resurfacing at Rockefeller Early Childhood Center; and the conversion of Baseline Elementary to a prekindergarten facility 

Both partnership projects and self-funded projects are supported through new bond proceeds secured by the district, allowing work to continue even when state funding is partial or delayed. 

There was no immediate funding required to adopt the resolution. The resolution itself does not authorize spending but signals the district’s intent to commit local resources to match any state partnership funds received in the future. The board passed the resolution unanimously. 

The board also voted to sell the old Meadowcliff Elementary School to Carter’s Crew Youth Recovery Center for $530,000. This building had been vacant for many years. If this sale goes through, the money will go to the capital improvement budget. This also passed unanimously. 

The board then heard a presentation on finances from the district’s chief financial officer, Kesley Bailey. Tax revenue continues to be steady, but there is some worrisome news about the small fund balance the school currently has.

In the context of a school district budget, a fund balance refers to the difference between a district’s total revenues and its total expenditures over time. If, at the end of each fiscal year, the district spends less than it receives, the leftover funds accumulate in what is called the fund balance. 

The fund balance provides a safety net that allows the district to pay for ongoing expenses while waiting for revenue from property taxes or state aid, which often arrives at different points in the year. A healthy fund balance is critical in avoiding a cash flow crisis or resorting to short-term borrowing. Beyond ensuring day-to-day operations run smoothly, the fund balance also acts as a reserve for emergencies. Unexpected costs might arise from natural disasters, sudden building repairs, or spikes in student enrollment. Maintaining an adequate fund balance is also seen as evidence of sound fiscal management. 

Our current operational fund balance is at $1,166,623. This is very low. At this time last year, the fund balance was $10,511,262. In September 2023, it was $15,361,641. 

The board has to start paying attention to spending. If you look at projected student enrollment declines, we cannot continue to spend above our budget. I am told that the district has a number of unfilled positions and is using this money to pad the budget, but this cannot go on indefinitely. We need a plan to reduce expenditures.

The district is also moving forward with an in-depth review of its public relations, marketing, and branding strategy as part of a broader effort to strengthen community engagement and boost student enrollment. The district has partnered with mhp.si, a communications and strategy firm selected earlier this year.

The scope of mhp.si’s contract includes strategic planning, public relations, brand management, digital and social media strategy, and graphic design. The assessment phase, which cost $19,505, is nearly complete. The district has also allocated up to $200,000 for post-evaluation work once recommendations are finalized. 

To date, mhp.si has conducted eight focus group sessions involving more than 50 participants, including classified staff, teachers, principals, and department heads. Upcoming sessions will include students, parents, community members, and board members. After analyzing focus group findings, the firm will meet with the district’s communications team in November to review a preliminary draft of the plan. The full marketing and communications strategy will be developed and presented to the board by December 2025.