Pulaski County's four school districts on Thursday officially became part of the Ford Next Generation Learning network of communities that have established high school career academies that link core academics to the college and job interests of students.
The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce -- in collaboration with the Little Rock, North Little Rock, Jacksonville/North Pulaski and Pulaski County Special school districts -- began in 2019 to carry out the Ford Next Generation Learning model to transform 12 public high schools in Pulaski County into themed academies offering specific career options or pathways.
Each of the schools has now put in place freshmen academies for ninth-graders and most have identified the career-focused academies they will feature -- both components of the model. The schools are in various stages of developing career-related coursework for the upper grades.
"This is the day of the dawning of the academies. Let the sun shine in," a jubilant Jay Chesshir, president and chief executive officer of the Little Rock chamber, riffed on an old song before an audience of about 200 business, education and political leaders.
Earlier, Chesshir had described how chamber leaders had searched for ways to enhance business and industry and the quality of life through education in central Arkansas. They were stymied by costs and complexities, he said, until people like businessman Patrick Schueck and Pulaski County Special School District's former interim Superintendent Janice Warren said it had to be done.
On Thursday, Cheryl Carrier, executive director of the Ford Next Generation Learning initiative, officially welcomed the four districts and business leaders into the network of more than 40 communities that have used the career academy model "to change the future of students."
As part of the network, educators and others will be able to draw on and provide support and ideas to other Ford Next Generation Learning communities, such as Nashville, Tenn. and Louisville, Ky.
Speaking to an audience that included Gov. Asa Hutchinson and local mayors at the Statehouse Convention Center, Carrier said the educational approach is going to "improve student outcomes, it's going to improve workforce outcomes and it's going to improve community prosperity."
The career academy model in Pulaski County -- known as the Academies of Central Arkansas -- replaces the ineffective assembly line method of education with the opportunity for all students to learn in a relevant way -- through the lens of a career, she said. Carrier said the model is one in which every student can thrive.
A handful of Arkansas companies have provided financial support for the planning and initial stages of the Academies of Central Arkansas, dating back to early 2019 and going through Thursday when Jim Cargill, president and chief executive officer of Arvest Bank, announced a second $100,000 contribution to the initiative from the Arvest Foundation.
Also at Thursday's event, the first 13 "cornerstone" business partners for the school academies were announced.
They are: Arkansas Children's Hospital, Arvest Bank, AT&T, Baldwin Shell, Baptist Health, Central Arkansas Water, Entergy Arkansas, First National Bank, Haas Factory Outlet, Mainstream Technologies, McLarty Nissan, MHP/Team SI and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
James Reddish, executive vice president of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the initial business partners will each be matched to one or more high schools where the career academy theme is appropriate for the business or industry.
The businesses will be help "build out" the curriculum and classrooms for the career academy courses, Reddish said.
"We have told them that we will need some runway in terms of investments," he said of the partners. "So, it may be cash; it may be donated equipment; it may be hours in-kind. But they have all committed at a six-figure level for the first two years and then additional years beyond that at a lower level because we won't need as much investment."
The support from the cornerstone businesses to the high schools will focus particularly on the development of the junior- and senior-year courses for the different academies, he continued. The high schools, with one exception, have identified career academies and at least some career pathways within the academies for their campuses.
Jacksonville High School is already offering some sophomore- and junior-level courses. Little Rock Southwest High is offering some sophomore course work in the career area.
Academies for Little Rock Central High are still to be determined, according to planners for the Academics of Central Arkansas initiative.
The schools and their academies, according to the Academies of Central Arkansas website, are:
• Jacksonville High -- Academy of Building, Automotive & Design; Academy of Health & Safety; and Academy of Service, Sales & Marketing.
• North Little Rock High -- Academy of Business Management & Communications; Academy of Leadership, Justice & Teaching.
• North Little Rock Center of Excellence -- Academy of Engineering Technology & Computer Science; Academy of Health Professions.
• Pulaski County Special, Maumelle High -- Academy of Business, Technology & Social Services; Academy of Science & Construction.
• Pulaski County Special, Mills University Studies High -- Academy of Digital Communications & Fine Arts; Academy of Leadership & Social Services.
• Pulaski County Special, Robinson High-- Academy of Science & Technology; Academy of Business & Design.
• Pulaski County, Sylvan Hills High -- Academy of Engineering, Aerospace & Design; Academy of Small Business, Product Marketing & Cosmetology; Academy of Medical Science & Human Services.
• Little Rock Central High -- Academies to be determined.
• Little Rock Hall High -- Academy of Health Sciences; Academy of Engineering.
• Little Rock Parkview Magnet High -- Academy of Health & Applied Science; Academy of Arts & Applied Design.
• Little Rock Southwest High -- Academy of Aerospace & Medical Sciences; Academy of Business & Computer Science; Academy of Leadership & Public Service.
• Little Rock West High School of Innovation -- Academy of Agriculture Business & Innovation.
Students still take all their core academics, as well as have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement courses and participate in extracurricular activities.
More information about the Academies of Central Arkansas is available at the initiative's website: academiesofcentralarkansas.org.