Stories by Cynthia Howell

Charter school names top graduates Conley Edwards, 18, is the Class of 2022 valedictorian at eStem High Public Charter School.Leah Bragg, 18, is the salutatorian of her graduating class.Edwards, whose parents are Jana and Kevin Edwards... May 22, 2022

Little Rock School Board appoints leaders, sets some pay rates The Little Rock School Board on Thursday made Holly Brown the principal of Terry Elementary, a job she has held on an interim basis this school year.At a special meeting and agenda meeting covering se... May 13, 2022

Arkansas education board approves two new online charter schools The Arkansas Board of Education on Thursday approved the establishment of two virtual charter schools -- each of which can serve students statewide.The 7-0 votes for each of the schools -- one a ninth... May 13, 2022

Arkansas education board approves 2 new virtual charter schools The Arkansas Board of Education on Thursday approved the establishment of two virtual charter schools — each of which can serve students statewide.The 7-0 votes for each of the schools came afte... May 12, 2022

Jonesboro band director named Milken Award winner JONESBORO -- Grant Harbison, band director and supervisor of instrumental music for the the Jonesboro School District, was more than surprised Wednesday with a $25,000 award from the Milken Family Fou... May 12, 2022

Jonesboro band director named Milken Award winner JONESBORO — Grant Harbison, the band director at The Academies at Jonesboro High School, won a $25,000 Milken Educator Award today.Harbison, a Jonesboro native who returned to his alma mater to ... May 11, 2022

PCSSD defers vote over raise for Superintendent Charles McNulty till June The School Board for the Pulaski County Special School District voted 5-0 Tuesday to postpone until June a decision on a raise and contract extension for Superintendent Charles McNulty.The vote in pub... May 11, 2022

Lighthouse High School Academy names top two students Anaiah Banks, 18, is the Jacksonville Lighthouse High School Academy Class of 2022 valedictorian.Javar Walker, also 18, is the school's salutatorian.Banks, the daughter of Dr. Teresa Baker-Nation,... May 10, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: 780 students earn Seal of Biliteracy | Property purchase for school finalized | Jacksonville grads receive an offer 780 students earn Seal of BiliteracyA total of 780 Arkansas high school students -- a record high for a year -- have earned the Arkansas Seal of Biliteracy for showing proficiency in English and in on... May 8, 2022

Little Rock School District readies site for second new school within five years in southwest part of city The site of the Little Rock School District's next new school -- the Dr. Marian G. Lacey K-8 Academy -- is right now a mix of old school debris with signs of a new building to come.On a day procla... May 5, 2022

Jermall Wright’s contract to be Little Rock School District superintendent gets final approval The Little Rock School Board voted 6-0 at a special four-minute meeting Wednesday to approve a final contract for new superintendent Jermall Wright.The action on the 2022-25 contract came after the bo... May 5, 2022

Little Rock school board approves contract for new superintendent with first-year pay of $240,000 LITTLE ROCK -- The Little Rock School Board on Thursday conditionally approved a three-year contract with Jermall D. Wright that will make him the district's superintendent beginning July 1, 2022,... May 1, 2022

Little Rock district’s summer school teachers will get higher pay for this year only, board supports Principals, teachers and other staff in the Little Rock School District's summer school programs are on track to see one-time higher rates of pay this year.The Little Rock School Board board voted... April 30, 2022

$92M OK’d for 58 school projects in Arkansas The Commission for Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation on Thursday approved the distribution of $92.2 million in state aid for 58 building projects in 45 Arkansas school districts.The... April 29, 2022

Little Rock School Board approves contract for new superintendent with first-year pay of $240,000 The Little Rock School Board on Thursday conditionally approved a three-year contract with Jermall D. Wright that will make him the district's superintendent beginning July 1, 2022, and going thro... April 29, 2022

$92M OK’d as state’s share in funding building projects for Arkansas school districts The Commission for Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation on Thursday approved $92 million as the state’s share in funding nearly 60 building projects in Arkansas school districts.... April 28, 2022

Jermall Wright is Little Rock School Board’s unanimous choice for superintendent The Little Rock School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to enter into contract negotiations with Jermall D. Wright to be the next superintendent of the 21,000-student school system.The board voted 9-0 ... April 27, 2022

Little Rock School Board chooses Jermall D. Wright to be district's next superintendent The Little Rock School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to enter into contract negotiations with Jermall D. Wright to be the next superintendent of the 21,000-student school system. The board vote... April 26, 2022

Pulaski County school district sets job fair The Pulaski County Special School District is hosting a job fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, at Maumelle High School, 100 Victory Lane, in Maumelle.The district is seeking applicants for a variety... April 26, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: School chief search on Little Rock board agenda | Board association part of consortium | LISA system set for festival in Little Rock School chief search on Little Rock board agendaThe Little Rock School Board has scheduled a special meeting for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to determine the next steps in its search for a new superintendent.The... April 24, 2022

Little Rock School District superintendent candidate says school work a mission George "Eric" Thomas, one of two finalists to be superintendent of the Little Rock School District, said Wednesday that his role as a leader is to bring people together to achieve the missio... April 21, 2022

4 Arkansas teachers named state finalists for Presidential Awards in math, science Four Arkansas teachers have been named as 2022 state finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching:• Stephanie Long, Walter Turnbow Elementary School, S... April 20, 2022

Charter panel OKs two statewide virtual schools for Education Board review The Arkansas Charter Authorizing Panel on Tuesday endorsed proposals to establish two statewide virtual schools, one for high school students and the other for kindergarten through 12th grades.Both of... April 20, 2022

Charter panel OKs two statewide virtual schools The Arkansas Charter Authorizing Panel on Tuesday endorsed proposals to establish two statewide virtual schools, one for high school students and the other for kindergarten through 12th grades.Both of... April 19, 2022

Mississippi candidate for Little Rock superintendent says the job is a good fit Jermall Wright, a finalist for superintendent in the Little Rock School District, said Monday that his research and visit have convinced him that he is a good fit for the 21,000-student system.At the ... April 19, 2022

Seven Little Rock high school seniors and six teachers are recipients of the 2022 Stephens Award Seven Little Rock high school seniors and six teachers are recipients of the 2022 Stephens Award that is made possible by The City Education Trust.The program this year is providing $5,000 scholarship... April 19, 2022

Arkansas PBS to show high school ‘Quiz Bowl 2022’ finals Saturday Arkansas PBS will televise the "Arkansas Quiz Bowl 2022" conference championship competitions beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.The annual event will also be livestreamed at myarpbs.org/watchlive... April 19, 2022

Board, resources a plus for Mississippi educator seeking to lead Little Rock School District Jermall D. Wright, one of two finalists for the job of Little Rock School District superintendent, says he is a people person who is focused on literacy, numeracy and the social and emotional skills o... April 17, 2022

Little Rock School District superintendent candidate from Atlanta puts emphasis on change, community George "Eric" Thomas, a finalist for the role of Little Rock School superintendent, started college as a business major but a boring summer in a corporate cubicle steered him into education.... April 17, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: National anthem rules receive OK | Heringer named state ombudsman | Charter requests on panel's agenda National anthem rules receive OKThe Arkansas Board of Education last week approved rules calling local school boards to require the performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at least one tim... April 17, 2022

Arkansas education leaders back Pine Bluff School District leadership Arkansas education leaders on Thursday voiced support for Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Barbara Warren and the work Warren, her staff and state partners are doing in the state-controlled P... April 15, 2022

New Little Rock school to bear name of longtime local educator Marian G. Lacey The new kindergarten through eighth grade school built on the site of the old McClellan High School at 9417 Geyer Springs Road will be known as the Dr. Marian Glover Lacey K-8 Academy.The Little Rock ... April 15, 2022

Little Rock School Board to consider name for K-8 school in city’s southwest The selection of a name for the Little Rock School District's newest kindergarten-through-eighth grade school is on the agenda for a special School Board meeting at 5:30 p.m. tonight.Options being... April 14, 2022

2 sue to open all Little Rock School Board seats for November election Two Little Rock School District residents asked a Pulaski County circuit judge Monday to order the district to hold elections in all nine School Board election zones later this year.Clarissa McWherter... April 12, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: 2 Little Rock School District finalists schedule visits | 3,300 students got gift cards for shots 2 Little Rock School District finalists schedule visitsThe two finalists for the job of Little Rock School District superintendent will visit the capital city school system for in-person interviews wi... April 10, 2022

Pulaski County Special district must pay legal fees in desegregation case soon, with interest, judge says Thousands of dollars in legal fees due to intervenors in a long-running Pulaski County school desegregation lawsuit are to be paid in full and not in installments, a federal judge said Friday.Chief U.... April 9, 2022

2 finalists for Little Rock School District superintendent's post will visit city starting April 18 The two finalists for the job of Little Rock School District superintendent will visit the capital city school system for in-person interviews with the school board and others during the week of April... April 8, 2022

Two candidates for Little Rock School District superintendent are invited for 2nd interviews The Little Rock School Board voted Tuesday to extend invitations for second interviews to two applicants for the superintendent's job in the 21,000-student district.The two finalists are George &q... April 6, 2022

Little Rock School superintendent search narrowed to 2 candidates The Little Rock School Board voted Tuesday to extend invitations for second interviews, which would be in-person, to two applicants for superintendent of the 21,000-student district.The two finalists ... April 5, 2022

Extra pay of $11 a day going to Jacksonville school system employees Employees in the Jacksonville/North Pulaski School district who were already scheduled to receive a bonus payment this spring are getting another extra payment.On the recommendation of Superintendent ... April 5, 2022

Federal and state funds directed to Arkansas teacher academies in specialty fields The Arkansas Department of Education is bringing back and expanding the teacher academies that it started last summer, enabling teachers to earn graduate credits at no cost to them.The academies, firs... April 5, 2022

For Arkansas teachers, online learning, car parades, stress all part of job in global pandemic The difficult profession of teaching was made harder by the covid-19 pandemic, but there are some positives to come out of the crisis.That is the conclusion of four award-winning classroom teachers fr... April 3, 2022

Arkansas extends options for spacing out ACT Aspire test-takers The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education intends to offer schools and districts some flexibility in how they conduct the upcoming ACT Aspire tests for grades three through 10.The wi... April 3, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: Superintendent at Benton chosen | Davis to step down at Mount St. Mary Superintendent at Benton chosenKim Anderson has been selected to be the superintendent of the 5,600-student Benton School District, the district announced on Wednesday.Anderson, an assistant superinte... April 3, 2022

Little Rock School Board concludes initial interviews with superintendent candidates The Little Rock School Board on Wednesday concluded initial interviews of four candidates seeking the superintendent's job in the 21,000-student school system.School Board President Greg Adams sai... March 31, 2022

Arkansas Education Association names interim executive director after Tracey-Ann Nelson resigns teacher leader role Liz Picone, a 28-year teacher organization staffer in multiple states, has been selected as interim executive director of the Arkansas Education Association.Picone's appointment follows the recent... March 31, 2022

Little Rock School Board sets times for superintendent interviews The Little Rock School Board will conduct online interviews tonight with the first two of four candidates for the job of superintendent in the 21,000-student district.Two more candidates will be inter... March 29, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: Teach Arkansas receives new push | Subgrants open to charter schools | Student artistry on display online Teach Arkansas receives new pushThe Arkansas Department of Education's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and Forward Arkansas, a statewide education nonprofit organization, are dustin... March 27, 2022

Charter school planners submit early plans for nine new campuses in Arkansas Seven organizations have submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education letters of their intent to apply to operate nine open-enrollment charter schools starting with the 2023-24 school year.The sc... March 21, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: 5 teachers finalists for computer honor | Composer's name to grace auditorium | Jacksonville debt refinancing OK'd 5 teachers finalists for computer honorFive educators from Central Arkansas are the newly selected finalists for the fourth annual Arkansas Computer Science Educator of the Year award.The competition ... March 20, 2022