Friendship Education Foundation Arkansas is set to take over another educational system in the Arkansas Delta.
In a historic move Friday, the state Board of Education voted unanimously to direct Commissioner Jacob Oliva to enter into a three-year contract with the Washington, D.C.-based charter management organization, which operates Friendship Aspire schools in Pine Bluff and will soon acquire Lighthouse Charter Schools in the city, to manage the Marvell-Elaine School District, a state-run district in Phillips County. It will mark the first time a CMO will supervise a traditional public school district in the state.
The vote, during a special meeting in Little Rock, came nearly five months after the Education Board denied Marvell-Elaine's request to be exempt from a state policy that requires school districts with 350 or fewer students to be annexed without a waiver.
Already a consolidation of two former districts presently with 306 students, Marvell-Elaine was denied a waiver for a third straight year, as it was identified as needing more rigorous intervention and comprehensive support and improvement, placed under Level 5 support under the state Education Department and received a letter grade of F for its elementary and secondary schools under the department's Report Card system.
"This opportunity to become part of this era of transformation is important work," foundation CEO Joe Harris said in a news release. "We think what we learn here will help school districts in similar situations across the state."
Friendship will hold a teacher and school staff job fair from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday at the Friendship Aspire Academy Pine Bluff campus at 3911 S. Hazel St.
The foundation's immediate priorities for the district are to improve the academic outcomes and ensure the district is financially stable, according to the news release.
Friendship was selected as the day-to-day operator of Marvell-Elaine from an open-bid process that drew only two other interested organizations, Grassroots Arkansas and Charter One. State deputy education commissioner Stacy Smith said Friendship was selected based on its experience of managing schools in Arkansas.
Phong Tran, who has served as superintendent of the Friendship schools in Pine Bluff, will take on the same role at Marvell-Elaine.
The district will not be renamed to reflect Friendship's operation in any way, Smith told board members, and Marvell-Elaine schools will still belong to the community. Additionally, the district's athletic identity will remain the Mustangs, with blue and gold remaining the colors. The identity dates back to the former Marvell School District.
Speaking of activities, Harris said new school features are being planned including student uniforms, expanded arts and athletic programs and an on-site Parent Community Resource Center.
The impending contract would result in Marvell-Elaine schools going back to public control, Smith said, but that is a decision the state board would have to make.
"We're in a partnership," Smith said. "We've got kids getting hurt because we're not providing an adequate education."
The state's LEARNS Act, an educational overhaul policy under Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, was signed into law in March and calls for poorly performing public districts to partner with a state-approved entity such as Friendship. Marvell-Elaine was previously considered for consolidation with nearby Barton and Lee County districts.
"We must think differently how to rethink operating school districts and not let them go into takeover," Smith said.