Stories by Cynthia Howell

National Guard delivers water to Bald Knob School District while pipes are repaired Two guardsmen from the Arkansas National Guard are delivering potable water to the Bald Knob School District this week while repairs are being made to district water pipes.The guardsmen from the 39th ... September 29, 2022

Pulaski County district's budget gets OK in School Board vote The School Board for the Pulaski County Special School District on Monday voted 6-0 for the 2022-23 school year budget -- but not before questioning employee travel expenses from the year just ended.T... September 27, 2022

Little Rock solar switch led by students The Little Rock School District is taking beginning steps to tap the power of the sun.The School Board for the 22,000-student school system last week directed Superintendent Jermall Wright and his sta... September 26, 2022

Little Rock School Board approves 2022-23 budget, works toward $5,000 retention incentive for employees LITTLE ROCK &sbquo; The Little Rock School District will send a 2022-23 budget plan to the Arkansas Department of Education by the end of next week after the School Board unanimously approved it Thurs... September 25, 2022

Education notebook Ballots won't list four unopposedThe names of the four unopposed candidates for election to four open seats on the Little Rock and North Little Rock school boards won't be listed on the Nov. 8... September 25, 2022

Little Rock School District board says yes to member visit rules Little Rock School Board members in a series of hard-fought votes late Thursday established parameters for their individual visits to school campuses.The newly approved policy -- offered by School Boa... September 24, 2022

Year’s budget approved by Little Rock School Board The Little Rock School District will send a 2022-23 budget plan to the Arkansas Department of Education by the end of next week after the School Board unanimously approved it Thursday night.The School... September 24, 2022

Joyce Walker Wesley sworn in to Little Rock School Board The Little Rock School Board voted Thursday evening to appoint Joyce Walker Wesley to represent Zone 9 on the board.Wesley fills the seat vacated by Jeff Wood, who was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson... September 22, 2022

Little Rock School Board to weigh campus-visit proposals The Little Rock School Board is going into tonight's monthly business meeting with at least three options for a policy that will set the parameters for board member visits to school campuses.Schoo... September 22, 2022

Attorneys for Black students challenge changes to Mills University Studies campus Attorneys for Black students in the Pulaski County Special School District are balking at changes the school system has made in its initial plans for enhancing the Mills University Studies High School... September 19, 2022

Springhill, Emerson are 2022 Blue Ribbon Schools Springhill Elementary School in the Bryant School District and Emerson Elementary School in the Emerson-Taylor-Bradley School District are the state’s latest Blue Ribbon Schools as announced Fri... September 18, 2022

Education notebook Chief of computer education pickedKelly Griffin is Arkansas' new director of computer science education, replacing Anthony Owen who resigned this summer from the Arkansas Department of Education p... September 18, 2022

Campuses in Bryant, Emerson-Bradley-Taylor districts named National Blue Ribbon Schools Springhill Elementary School in the Bryant School District and Emerson Elementary School in the Emerson-Taylor-Bradley School District are the state's latest Blue Ribbon Schools as announced Frida... September 16, 2022

North Little Rock school board approves 2022-23 budget of $114.4M The North Little Rock School Board on Thursday approved a 2022-23 budget that anticipates $114.4 million in revenue and $111.1 million in expenses.The board adopted the new budget without discussion a... September 16, 2022

Districts in Arkansas' care see progress The School Board for the Helena-West Helena School District -- a system classified in July as needing the highest level of state support -- is continuing to exist but under the close scrutiny of state... September 12, 2022

Struggling School Districts in state’s care see progress HELENA-WEST HELENA -- The School Board for the Helena-West Helena School District -- a system classified in July as needing the highest level of state support -- is continuing to exist but under the c... September 12, 2022

Little Rock School Board debates rules on campus visits A week after the Little Rock School Board considered censuring one of its members, the board debated into the night Thursday on how to clarify its policy on board member visits to schools.The board to... September 11, 2022

Education notebook: Education panel’s seat goes to Zook Education panel's seat goes to ZookDiane Zook, an educator and former member and chair of the Arkansas Board of Education, is Gov. Asa Hutchinson's latest appointment to the Southern Regional ... September 11, 2022

Monkeypox ID’d at Southwest High School in Little Rock The Little Rock School District has notified parents, students and employees at Southwest High School that a case of monkeypox was identified within the school.District leaders on Thursday sent out tw... September 10, 2022

State appointee Jeff Wood ends Little Rock tenure A day after his appointment by the governor to the Arkansas Board of Education, Jeff Wood on Wednesday resigned from the Little Rock School Board seat he held for almost two years.The remaining Little... September 8, 2022

Rethink Little Rock district, new school chief tells leaders Jermall Wright, the new superintendent of the Little Rock School District, called for "re-imagining" the state's second-largest district as a way to benefit students.Speaking to about 12... September 7, 2022

Hunter, Wood named to state Education Board Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday appointed Lisa Hunter of White Hall and Jeff Wood, a current member of the Little Rock School Board, to seven-year terms on the Arkansas Board of Education.Wood said Tue... September 7, 2022

Survey indicates Arkansas parents support school choice, underestimate teacher salaries Parent views on their child's school, state-backed school choice programs and teacher salaries were among topics addressed in a newly released survey by the University of Arkansas' Office for ... September 6, 2022

Little Rock School Board weighs censure, backs resolution on role of members LITTLE ROCK -- Little Rock School Board members at a special meeting Thursday took the rare step of considering the discipline of one of its members but, instead, recommitted themselves to consistentl... September 6, 2022

Pulaski County school district plans partnerships with businesses Pulaski County Special School District leaders are in talks with local businesses and at least one utility about locating parts of their operations on high school campuses not only to benefit the busi... September 5, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: Central High used as filming location | $11.3M heading to 84 programs | Education Board to meet in Rogers Central High used as filming locationIt can be told now, Little Rock Central High Principal Nancy Rousseau announced Saturday in an email to parents and others: Apple TV used Central late last year as... September 4, 2022

Little Rock School Board weighs censure, backs resolution on role of members Little Rock School Board members at a special meeting Thursday took the rare step of considering the discipline of one of its members but, instead, recommitted themselves to consistently fulfilling th... September 2, 2022

Forward Arkansas adds directors The Forward Arkansas organization which has worked to improve academic outcomes for the state's students since 2014, announced on Monday the appointment of three new members to its board of direct... August 30, 2022

Little Rock students’ test scores up from ’21 Little Rock School District students showed achievement gains on the ACT Aspire exams in a majority of grades and subject areas in 2022 compared with the district's 2021 results, but they continue... August 28, 2022

Education notebook: Education agency to get $2.1M grant Education agency to get $2.1M grantThe Arkansas Department of Education is one of 10 state agencies selected by the U.S. Department of Education to receive a multimillion-dollar award through the fede... August 28, 2022

Crisis alert badges get Little Rock School Board OK The Little Rock School District is adding "wearable technology" to its safety and security system.The School Board at a lengthy meeting Thursday night authorized district leaders to enter in... August 27, 2022

Little Rock School District board votes to raise starting teacher pay to $45,500 Beginning teachers in the Little Rock School District will earn $45,500 a year -- up from the last year's starting salary of $43,000 and $36,000 the year before, as the result of School Board acti... August 26, 2022

Mills University High School upgrades to cost over $19M Pulaski County Special School District attorneys told a federal judge in a long-running school desegregation lawsuit last week that it is going to cost more than the $19 million previously expected to... August 22, 2022

Education notebook Health academysets up at schoolThe new Baptist Health Academy of Medical Sciences at Little Rock's Southwest High School will provide its students with curriculum, guest lecturers and medical faci... August 21, 2022

North Little Rock arena to stop hosting graduations NORTH LITTLE ROCK -- Operators of the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock have notified school systems and higher education institutions that they will no longer make the large venue available for... August 20, 2022

North Little Rock arena to stop hosting graduations; venue cites shootings, safety fears Operators of the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock have notified school systems and higher education institutions that they will no longer make the large venue available for graduations."It... August 19, 2022

Schools can extend claim on state funds Arkansas school districts faced with completion deadlines and growing costs for partially state-funded construction projects can ask the state for flexibility.Tim Cain, director of the state Public Sc... August 18, 2022

Keefer named state’s safe schools coordinator Jerry Keefer, a long-time law enforcement officer, will be the state's safe schools coordinator, effective Sept. 6.Keefer's appointment was announced Wednesday by Arkansas Education Secretary ... August 18, 2022

Cabot charter school denied Arkansas' Charter Authorizing Panel on Tuesday denied an application for the 2023 establishment of an open-enrollment charter school in Cabot, citing gaps in the planning for the Omni Classical Pr... August 17, 2022

Panel turns down proposed charter school in Cabot Arkansas’ Charter Authorizing Panel on Tuesday denied an application for the 2023 establishment of an open-enrollment charter school in Cabot, citing gaps in the planning for the Omni Classical ... August 16, 2022

Education notebook Wesley only filerfor LR zone seatJoyce Walker Wesley is the soon-to-be new member of the Little Rock School Board.Wesley was the only person to file last week as a candidate for election Nov. 8 to the... August 14, 2022

Face masks now optional for start of school, Little Rock School District says LITTLE ROCK -- Students and staff in the Little Rock School District will start the school year this month with the option of wearing masks to defend against the spread of the covid-19 virus, the Scho... August 14, 2022

Face masks now optional for start of school, LRSD says Students and staff in the Little Rock School District will start the school year this month with the option of wearing masks to defend against the spread of the covid-19 virus, the School Board voted ... August 12, 2022

5 school board seats on Pulaski County’s ballot A total of six people have filed as candidates for election in November to five seats on three school boards in Pulaski County -- with only one seat being contested.Lindsey Gustafson and Wendy Potter ... August 11, 2022

File cutoff for Arkansas public school boards draws near Noon on Wednesday is the filing deadline for candidates seeking election to open seats on Arkansas public school boards that hold annual elections in November.In Pulaski County, the seats open for the... August 9, 2022

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK: Academics Plus Charter Schools opens new Maumelle Charter High School campus Maumelle charter opens to studentsAcademics Plus Charter Schools Inc., opened its newly constructed Maumelle Charter High School campus to high school to students last weekin advance of an Aug. 29 gra... August 7, 2022

Little Rock school board approves using some livestreamed teachers at Mabelvale Middle School Short on teachers to fill vacancies, the Little Rock School District's Mabelvale Middle School will incorporate the use of online instructors for some courses this coming school year.The district&... August 5, 2022

New Little Rock school superintendent asking the public what they want from city education system Little Rock School Superintendent Jermall Wright is marking his one-month anniversary on the job by hosting four community sessions and asking the public to identify top priorities for the state's... August 4, 2022

Two Pulaski County school board incumbents file for reelection on first day of filing period Two incumbent School Board members in Pulaski County filed Wednesday as candidates for re-election Nov. 8 in the Little Rock and North Little Rock school systems.Greg Adams, current president of the L... August 4, 2022

Higher pay for new, veteran Little Rock School District teachers still on table, officials say Little Rock School District leaders are continuing to hold out the possibility of pay increases to teachers for the 2022-23 school year despite lagging local tax collections.Kelsey Bailey, the distric... August 1, 2022