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Little Rock School District, Arkansas

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Little Rock School District
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Little Rock, Arkansas
District details
Superintendent: Jermall Wright
# of school board members: 9
Website: Link

Little Rock School District is a school district in Arkansas.

On January 28, 2015, the Arkansas State Board of Education voted five to four to dissolve the district's board of education following poor academic performance in six of the district's schools.[1] Three of the board members and one community member initiated a lawsuit against the state board and Arkansas Commissioner of Education Tony Wood, claiming that the decision to dissolve the board was "arbitrary, capricious and ... in bad faith." While the school board was dissolved, Dr. Dexter Suggs Sr. was retained as acting superintendent of the district. He reported to the state board until his resignation in April 2015.[2]

In 2019, the state board of education voted to return the school district to local governance. In 2020, voters elected the school board's nine members.[3]

Click on the links below to learn more about the school district’s…

Superintendent

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 		This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates.

Jermall Wright is the superintendent of the Little Rock School District. Wright was appointed superintendent in June 2022. Wright's previous career experience includes working as a school teacher, assistant principal, principal, instructional superintendent, superintendent, and chief academic and accountability officer across the United States.[4]

Past superintendents

  • Michael Poore was the superintendent of the Little Rock School District from June 2016 to June 2022. Poore's previous career experience includes serving as the superintendent of the Bentonville School District.[5][6]
  • Baker Kurrus was the superintendent of the Little Rock School District from 2015 to 2016. Kurrus' previous career experience included working as a lawyer, businessman, and Little Rock school board member.[7]

School board

The Little Rock Board of Education consists of nine members elected to five-year terms.[3]

Prior to 2020, the school district was controlled by the state. The election of a new nine-member board in 2020 was part of the process of the state returning control to the district. As part of that process, Education Secretary Johnny Key approved a plan to create nine school board districts prior to the November 3, 2020, election that reconstituted the school board.[8] You can see those districts in the map to the right.


Elections

See also: Little Rock School District, Arkansas, elections

Board members are elected the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.[9] Board elections are held annually.[10]

Three seats on the Little Rock School District school board in Arkansas were originally scheduled to be up for general election on November 11, 2025, but were postponed due to changes mandated by Act 503. Under this law, school districts with fewer than 20,000 students are required to reduce their boards from nine to seven members and create new election zones. As a result, Little Rock's 2025 school board elections were postponed, with elections for the restructured seven-member board scheduled for March 2026.[11]

Prior to 2015, the Little Rock Board of Education consisted of seven members, all of whom were elected to three-year terms. All board members represented a specific geographical area or zone. Board member terms were staggered so that at least two members, but no more than three, were elected each year on the third Tuesday in September. The last election was held on September 16, 2014.[12]

Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.


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Public participation in board meetings

The Little Rock School District school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[13]

“

District patrons wishing to have an item placed on the Board meeting's agenda must submit their requests, in writing to the Superintendent, at least five (5) calendar days before the regularly scheduled agenda meeting The written request must be sufficiently descriptive to enable the Superintendent and Board President to fully understand and evaluate its appropriateness to be an agenda item. Such requests may be accepted, rejected, or referred back to the individual for further clarification.

The Superintendent shall notify the Board President of all written requests to be placed on the agenda along with the Superintendent's recommendation concerning the request. No item shall be placed on the agenda that would operate to prejudice the Board concerning a student or personnel matter that could come before the Board for disciplinary or employment considerations or that is in conflict with other District policy or law.

Patrons whose written request to be placed on the meeting's agenda has been accepted shall have no more than3 minutes to present to the Board unless specifically granted additional time by a motion approved by a majority of the Board. The speaker shall limit his/her comments to the approved topic/issue or forfeit his/her right to address the Board. The members of the Board will listen to the patron's presentation, but shall not respond to the presenter during the meeting in which the presentation is made. The Board may choose to discuss the issue presented at a later meeting, but is under no obligation to do so.[14]

”

School board meetings

The following articles were produced by Citizen Portal using artificial intelligence to analyze public meetings. Citizen Portal publishes articles based on the availability of meeting broadcasts, so the number of articles provided may vary by district. Although these articles are not produced or edited by Ballotpedia, they are included here as a supplemental resource for readers.

School board meeting articles (click to collapse)


District map

School district map

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[15]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $57,245,000 $2,649 17%
Local: $191,475,000 $8,860 56%
State: $95,814,000 $4,433 28%
Total: $344,534,000 $15,942
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $334,449,000 $15,475
Total Current Expenditures: $302,313,000 $13,988
Instructional Expenditures: $168,493,000 $7,796 50%
Student and Staff Support: $47,806,000 $2,212 14%
Administration: $33,857,000 $1,566 10%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $52,157,000 $2,413 16%
Total Capital Outlay: $18,376,000 $850
Construction: $12,702,000 $587
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $2,709,000 $125
Interest on Debt: $7,185,000 $332


Teacher salaries

The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.

Year Minimum Maximum
2024-2025[16] $50,000 $101,904
2022-2023[17] $45,500 $99,283
2020-2021[18] $36,000 $83,190

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[19]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 23 74 11 17 <=20 35-39 59
2018-2019 35 75 24 29 30-39 50-54 73
2017-2018 36 79 25 31 30-39 45-49 73
2016-2017 37 79 27 35 40-59 55-59 72
2015-2016 33 70-74 23 30 40-59 40-44 68
2014-2015 19 60-64 10 18 20-29 35-39 51
2013-2014 59 90-94 51 57 70-79 PS 86
2012-2013 58 90-94 49 59 80-89 80-84 87
2011-2012 61 90-94 52 63 70-79 80-84 88
2010-2011 61 90-94 52 63 60-69 80-84 86

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 26 73 15 17 21-39 40-44 64
2018-2019 34 73 23 25 30-39 45-49 72
2017-2018 33 73 22 24 30-39 45-49 72
2016-2017 41 80 32 33 60-79 50-54 77
2015-2016 37 70-74 28 29 40-59 45-49 73
2014-2015 34 70-74 25 27 40-49 50-54 70
2013-2014 64 85-89 58 57 80-89 PS 88
2012-2013 66 85-89 60 60 80-89 80-84 89
2011-2012 68 90-94 62 63 70-79 85-89 89
2010-2011 62 85-89 54 56 70-79 80-84 86

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2019-2020 78 >=90 77 70-74 >=50 >=50 85-89
2018-2019 78 >=90 79 60-64 >=50 85-89
2017-2018 82 >=90 82 70-74 >=50 >=50 90-94
2016-2017 80 >=95 80 65-69 PS 60-79 86
2015-2016 80 90-94 80 70-74 >=50 >=50 80-84
2014-2015 74 90-94 71 60-64 >=50 >=50 82
2013-2014 78 85-89 77 65-69 PS >=50 85
2012-2013 75 80-89 74 65-69 PS >=50 83
2011-2012 82 >=90 79 60-64 >=50 >=50 92
2010-2011 66 70-79 63 50-54 >=50 >=50 76


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 21,456 -2.8
2021-2022 22,054 2.0
2020-2021 21,612 -7.5
2019-2020 23,237 -0.6
2018-2019 23,368 -2.9
2017-2018 24,048 -1.4
2016-2017 24,383 -1.7
2015-2016 24,797 0.1
2014-2015 24,770 -1.4
2013-2014 25,110 0.1
2012-2013 25,097 -1.8
2011-2012 25,537 -0.6
2010-2011 25,685 -0.6
2009-2010 25,837 -1.2
2008-2009 26,146 -3.6
2007-2008 27,084 0.8
2006-2007 26,879 1.6
2005-2006 26,462 2.8
2004-2005 25,720 1.5
2003-2004 25,346 -0.7
2002-2003 25,526 0.6
2001-2002 25,367 -0.5
2000-2001 25,502 0.8
1999-2000 25,308 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE Little Rock School District (%) Arkansas K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.5 0.6
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 3.4 1.8
Black 59.7 19.4
Hispanic 16.4 14.2
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.1 1.0
Two or More Races 0.7 4.3
White 19.3 58.8

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Staff

As of the 2022-2023 school year, Little Rock School District had 1,424.57 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 15.06.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 69.00
Kindergarten: 98.51
Elementary: 703.97
Secondary: 447.70
Total: 1,424.57

Little Rock School District employed 22.00 district administrators and 97.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 22.00
District Administrative Support: 132.00
School Administrators: 97.00
School Administrative Support: 124.00
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 400.00
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 135.00
Total Guidance Counselors: 59.50
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 26.50
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 33.00
Librarians/Media Specialists: 34.00
Library/Media Support: 20.00
Student Support Services: 451.15
Other Support Services: 272.50


Schools

The Little Rock School District operates 40 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Bale Elementary School403KG-5
Baseline Elementary School281KG-5
Brady Elementary School332KG-5
Carver Steam Magnet Elementary School325KG-5
Central High School2,3389-12
Chicot Elementary School867PK-5
Cloverdale Middle School6656-8
Don Roberts Elementary School1,004KG-5
Dunbar Magnet Middle School3206-8
Fair Park Early Childhood Ctr197PK-PK
Forest Heights Stem Academy739KG-8
Forest Park Elementary School379PK-5
Fulbright Elementary School551PK-5
Geyer Springs Early Childhood Center226PK-PK
Gibbs Magnet Elementary School284PK-5
J.A. Fair K8 Preparatory School898KG-8
Jefferson Elementary School413KG-5
Little Rock Hall Steam Magnet High School3359-12
Little Rock Southwest High School2,0148-12
Little Rock West High School Of Innovation3259-12
Mabelvale Elementary School520KG-5
Mabelvale Middle School5696-8
Mann Magnet Middle School6186-8
Mcdermott Elementary School296KG-5
Metropolitan Career & Technical Center09-12
M.L. King Elementary School341PK-5
Otter Creek Elementary School323KG-5
Parkview Magnet High School1,0819-12
Pinnacle View Middle School8786-8
Pulaski Heights Elem. School271KG-5
Pulaski Heights Middle School5486-8
Rockefeller Early Childhood Center263PK-PK
Romine Early Childhood Center186PK-PK
Stephens Elementary434PK-5
Terry Elementary School352KG-5
Wakefield Elementary School481KG-5
Washington Elementary School319KG-5
Watson Elementary School416KG-5
Western Hills Elem. School287KG-5
Williams Magnet Elem. School377KG-5

Noteworthy events

2015: State takeover and board dissolution

On January 28, 2015, the Arkansas Board of Education voted to take control of the Little Rock School District and dissolve its elected school board. The state board initiated the takeover after six of the district's 48 schools were labeled academic distressed by the state.[20] The decision came six months after the district became financially independent following 25 years of payment meant to boost integration. The state board voted 5-4 in favor of the takeover, following nearly four hours of testimony from community members who opposed it.[21] State board chairman Samuel Ledbetter cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the takeover and was joined by Kim Davis, Toyce Newton, Vicki Saviers, and Diane Zook.[22]

With its decision, the state also dissolved the district's seven-member school board. Superintendent Dexter Suggs was named interim superintendent and was directed to report to the Department of Education Commissioner. Suggs pointed out that while much of the rhetoric surrounding the takeover had been negative, it provided "an opportunity to write the next chapter in the Little Rock School District." State Senator Joyce Elliott (D), however, argued that six failing schools shouldn't have been cause to take over an entire district. "If I break my arm, you don't put my whole body in a cast," she said.[21] Little Rock School Board President Greg Adams voiced further disappointment about the takeover, but said that ultimately his "hope is the kids of Little Rock will be served well and that the leadership that's going to be there will be able to find effective ways for the kids."[22]

State board of education members who voted in favor of the takeover argued that it would provide more stability for students in the long run. Additionally, as the state's payments to the district were scheduled to stop in 2018, supporters also questioned the district's ability to budget effectively going forward.[20]

The state board of education voted in 2019 to return the school district to local governance following protests calling for a return to a locally elected board.[23]

2013: Arming employees

In early 2013, the Little Rock School District board addressed the issue of hiring armed security guards at district buildings in response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. School board Vice President Greg Adams urged further scrutiny of the issue, asking for "research on the use of guards in elementary school settings." On the question of the appropriate response to Sandy Hook, he said, "It concerns me that if we focus on something that is so unusual and so rare that we may take our eyes off of other areas."[24]

1982-2014: Desegregation settlement

In 1982, Little Rock School District sued Pulaski County School District, North Little Rock School District, and the state of Arkansas to create a countywide school district. The goal of creating a countywide district was to end racial segregation between the Little Rock School District, which primarily served Black students, and the two primarily white districts. In 1985, a federal circuit court redrew the boundary of the Little Rock School district so that it matched Little Rock's city limits. The decision resulted in a loss of almost 8,000 students and 14 schools from the Pulaski County School District. In 1989, the parties reached a settlement agreement that required the state to pay approximately $129.75 million over 10 years to the three districts.[25]

In 1998, the Little Rock School District developed a revised desegregation plan, which was approved in federal court the same year. The plan was designed to reduce segregation substantially enough that the district would be removed from ongoing federal court monitoring. It called for the creation of new elementary and middle schools, reduced busing of Black students, and scholarships for students in nearly all-Black elementary schools, among other provisions. The district was largely released from court monitoring in 2002, with the exception that courts would continue to monitor the district's effectiveness in raising the achievement levels of Black students. This last piece of monitoring was removed in 2007.[25]

In 2011, a court order relieved the state of most of its monetary obligation from the 1982 settlement agreement. State aid for majority-to-minority inter-district student transfers was still required. The Little Rock district appealed this decision.[25] A decision on January 13, 2014, approved the final phasing-out of state payments to the three school districts. The payments ended after the 2017-2018 school year.[26]

The majority of the funds were dedicated to desegregation projects, but they had also been used for teacher retirement and health insurance costs.[27]

Contact information

LRSD logo.png
Little Rock School District
810 W Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-447-1000


About school boards

Education legislation in Arkansas

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See also

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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Education Week, "Arkansas State Board Takes Over Little Rock School District," January 29, 2015
  2. ↑ KSL.com, "Lawsuit filed over state takeover of Little Rock schools," February 21, 2015
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Arkansas Times, "New Little Rock school board elects officers, talks COVID and exit plan," December 18, 2020
  4. ↑ Linkedin, "Jermall D. Wright, Ed.D.," accessed July 1, 2022
  5. ↑ KAUR, "Poore Looks Forward To Challenge Of Leading Troubled Little Rock Schools," June 10, 2016
  6. ↑ Little Rock School District, "Superintendent Mike Poore Announces Decision to Retire," accessed July 1, 2022
  7. ↑ Arkansas Times, "Baker Kurrus will be Little Rock's new superintendent," May 5, 2015
  8. ↑ Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "Arkansas Education Secretary approves Little Rock School Board election zone plan," February 28, 2020
  9. ↑ Little Rock School District, "Board Policy 1.21—Date of annual school board election," accessed May 20, 2021
  10. ↑ KAUR, "LRSD Board Votes To Extend Term Lengths, Chooses Leadership During First Meeting," December 18, 2020
  11. ↑ Arkansas Times, "Little Rock School District’s new 7-person board will not include at-large members," June 13, 2025
  12. ↑ Vote Pulaski, "NOTICE OF ELECTION: 2014 Annual School Election Notice - Little Rock School District," accessed May 20, 2021
  13. ↑ Little Rock School District, "Board Policy 1.14 Meeting Agenda," accessed May 20, 2021
  14. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  15. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
  16. ↑ Little Rock School District, "Little Rock School District TEACHERS SALARY SCHEDULE," accessed April 15, 2025
  17. ↑ Little Rock School District, "Little Rock School District TEACHERS SALARY SCHEDULE," accessed February 5, 2024
  18. ↑ Little Rock School District, "Little Rock School District Salary Schedule," July 23, 2020
  19. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 USA Today, "Arkansas takes over Little Rock School District," January 29, 2015
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 KSL.com, "State board votes to take over Little Rock School District," January 28, 2015
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "State votes to take over LR School District," January 28, 2015
  23. ↑ KATV, "Board of Education votes to return local control of LRSD," October 10, 2019
  24. ↑ Arkansas Times, "Little Rock School District closes down discussion on school guards" January 18, 2013
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "Desegregation in Pulaski County," accessed March 30, 2021
  26. ↑ New York Times, "With Ruling, Funds to Aid Desegregation in Arkansas Are Ended," January 13, 2014
  27. ↑ Facebook, "Secondary School Initiative," August 10, 2014
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