Agenda Meeting/Board Work Session - Sep 11 2025

001All right, we're going to go ahead and get started. Good evening. Here we are on September 11th, 2025 at 5:30m. Let's go ahead and get started. Um, let's go ahead with schools and academics seven yellow mornings contracted service proposal. This is a Hamilton Learning Academy AL program enhancing its elective course offering by offering an arts integrated career focus credit course supplemented by arts related content provided by seven yellow mornings. >> We'll go ahead and have that presentation by Dr. Wright. >> All right, we have uh >> assisted by >> Miss Morning is here along with um I was getting ready to say principal Joe Clark. Uh but it's I've said it so much now I can't even remember. Chrissy Strong, if you guys can come up while they're coming. Um, in response to many of

002the concerns that were uh expressed. >> Can you guys come up to the mic? Okay. They were confused, but you >> Well, in response to uh all of the concerns that were brought up the last time that we uh brought this item to the board, we have made some substantial changes which um I hope will hope will have alleviated many of the concerns that were raised um and discussed the last time. And so uh because we have several of our campuses that um are below their projected enrollment, we have moved some teachers around uh the district to places where we needed uh additional teachers and we have moved um a teacher to Hamilton to serve as a teacher for this particular course. And so um before we were trying to use a contractor to kind

003of take the place of a teacher. Now we actually have a teacher who meets the lensure requirement um for the courses being offered. And now um uh we are still wanting to contract with seven yellow warnings to provide um additional programming and supplements uh to this particular course. And I know that she and the principal are here. Um so before I get to them so they can give you some insight in terms of what actually she's providing you have the proposal um you have the document that shows the difference between uh the services that she will be providing and then what the teachers responsibilities are um and if there aren't any questions about that I did want to have an opportunity for them to kind of share a little bit more detail about what exactly

004she's offering although it's here on paper um because they she has been um in place there since the school um year has started and just kind of wanted to share some of the experience experiences um at the school. So before we get to them, I don't know if there's questions about the proposal or um what she will be doing versus what the teachers responsibilities are. >> Any questions for members? >> Okay. Okay. Thank you, director. Anything? Okay. Okay. Very good. Okay. So, I would love for uh Miss Strong and Miss Morning to kind of give us some insight in terms of what's actually happening and and what um this service will provide for the students. Well, I can start by saying I want to thank Miss Morning for volunteering her time thus far with our

005students. Um she came in and met with me and when I told her my vision, it just kind of aligned. As you know, we're a program and not a traditional school. And our students in the high school on the high school side are really showing progress. We have minimal anything bad to like. It's really amazing. I was thinking that was going to be the hard part, but it's really not. Um, Miss Mourin has come in. She's built relationships with teachers, with the students as well. To this point, I have not had one discipline problem out of her classroom at all. She's not called. Nobody said anything about discipline because her f focus is on the arts and she's looking at all of our students based on their need. Like we have a program coming up

006October 2nd. I hope you guys can come out. We're going to be send out invites. Um the students came up with the name Misunderstood. And so uh we're also collaborating with our middle school teacher, Miss White. So we're going to have a lot of things going on that night. So we're inviting the community and everything out. Um, I'm just impressed with what she's done thus far with her uh building relationships with everyone and me not having to have any issues with her thus far. Hey y'all, it's so awkward to be on this side. Oh my gosh, now I see how people feel. But I just want to say, you know, I'm so grateful for this opportunity. I think it's something just so poetic to be in this position right now because I did spend my

007foundational years through LRSD. Although I did not walk the stage, I did K through nine, but I graduated from um East SEM. But the reason I left LRSD because I did get expelled and I was about to get sent to ALC for, you know, fighting. But um for me, the arts has always been that thing that really pushed me outside of my box. And you know, I'm just grateful for the opportunity to be able to use my skill set to reach students over at the AL. Um that is my area. And we, like she said, we've built great relationships. When I first met little Miss Dro Clark right here, I was like, "Yes, I can get an alignment with that vision." Because I can tell that there's just so much passion there. And even when

008I'm in the classroom, you hear the students and the teachers talk about how there's been just a major shift in the culture. So like just to be under that kind of leadership with someone who's passionate about the youth, um, that makes what I do even easier. So basically what I'm offering is just arts integrated learning. Um, as you see in the packet, we have like four different tracks. So, what I do, I customize all my experiences to the students. Like, I purposely go in and get to know them. And depending on what they talk about, that's the route that we follow. And what I found out about the kids at AL, they are they ready to get to the money. They ready to get to the money. And they they love being able to use

009their voice. They like to talk. I got some who will talk me till they walk in until they walk out. Okay. And we've been working, like you said, on this showcase that they're wanted to call misunderstood which the whole purpose of that is to flip those negative stereotypes of kids who are in ALE and turn it into positive affirmations. So like she said on October second we will have that showcase. It's a student led um showcase and they'll be doing poetry, fashion, music, the arts, everything. We just want to showcase them in a positive light because they have something to say and um again I'm just grateful to be here. >> We are so grateful to have you missing. Thank you. >> Any other questions? Any questions? Yes. >> Question, >> director. >> Yes. >>

010Go ahead. >> So, uh, the next step is certification. >> I've already been certified by the Lord. >> Oh my goodness. Director Adam. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Strong. Thank you, Miss Morning, for for being here. Um, M. Mr. Strong, I wonder if if you would elaborate some when you talked about your vision and if you would elaborate some about what that vision is. >> First of all, my vision is to not have peers. You know, first thing you have students that come in and out all the time in the program. We are working on teaching them how to you know how to behave in a regular classroom in a setting. If someone approaches you how to deal with them, you know, different things like that. And then having Miss and looking at

011how kids are making portrait and they're getting their words out on paper. So those things like that my just to also have our students, you know, look at the track of what they want to be in life because, you know, students they think that when they come to this is jail and this is a like a last not let them know, no, we have a second chance, third chance. We have to make sure they're our future. So call me selfish if I want them to be able to take care of me when I'm old. >> So we look at them and try to figure out like she said, they want to get to the money. need to know what they want to do, what they want to be. And I will tell you, >> letting

012the students know their exit dates and what we are asking of them on a daily basis, >> it helps them to remember. I've created little cards and given it to them, tell them this is your exit day. As long as you have this criteria met tomorrow, we have an interim exit program for nine students that are exiting back to their schools. Now, in them exiting back to their schools, just like you would say if somebody got out of rehab, when they get out, they still have to have support. So we have Mr. D from the hearing officer, my social worker, Miss Christopher, who I already started going out to see kids from last year and talking with them and, you know, interacting with them. We're trying to keep them from coming back. We're trying to

013get them strong out of a job. That's what the point is for us. You know, we want to get that crime. >> I'm trying to talk myself out of a job if that's what it takes to get our students on track and to help the crime rate in Little Rock. What she's doing Right. You know, everybody. So, there's naturally these connections that are being built. Um, and we know with that some students they cling to that and might try to stay, but we're teaching them, hey, you know, I know you're having a good time with me, but you still got to go back out there into the real world and know how to conduct yourself. So, um, with her leadership, I see that's what's being implement implemented now for the students. >> And I like

014to piggyback on that when she say students, I want to leave. I do have a particular student that does not want to leave Ellie. And so, what I've told him is that you cannot get everything you need here. You have to go back to a traditional high school. So what I have done with him is I've talked him into let's do some visits. You know how they do college visits. So I'm going to meet up with him social worker. We're going to go out to the high schools. I'm going to set it up with the principles so he can go out to those schools and kind of visit those so he can select which school he feels that he'll work out best with because he has anxiety in those different situations. So in order for

015him to be able to go back to regular high school, I want to give him the opportunity to go out and visit and you know choose where he wants to go because is not it's outside the box. So, whatever I have to do outside to make the kids successful, that's what I'm going to do. >> Another question. >> I'd like to ask one more question and make a a brief comment. So, Miss Strong, would could you elaborate also? Thank you for your elaboration on on the vision and could you say a little bit more about how what Miss Mourin is doing and bringing how that fits in the vision that that you have? Well, my vision is to make sure our students are successful. So, what Miss Morning is bringing, she's bringing a rare sunshine

016to our students. She's coming in, she's dealing with them onetoone. Like, she doesn't have a group of kids and say, "This is the lesson we're going to do today." She's dealing with them on a onetoone basis. We have certain kids that may want to do poetry and they're getting their words out. I've looked at it. She's showed me, look at what so and so written right here. And we didn't know they're writing from their pain and everything they're putting on paper. So, things like that, she's able to get that out of them. that's really an intervention >> because they're able to talk to her through these poems that they're writing, through their artwork like that they're drawing, different things like that. So, like I said, it's not a traditional school. This is a program and

017whatever it takes to get our kids for us to be able to understand them and for for us to know where we need to go with them, the things that she's doing, it's helping because like I said, she gives it to me. I don't even tell the kids that I've read what she's giving me. I'm just this is helping me to get to know them even better by reading what she's given or different things that she's doing activities with the students. So like I said that's like an intervention. >> Thank you. So so the the comment that that would make is for Dr. Wright I think we've talked about this somewhat in the year in years past but really would like particularly this year with this new um imagined approach in in AL which is

018sounds incredibly encouraging to me. But if we could get at the at the semester or um at the end of the year, you know, some data about >> it, >> you know, students who are there, >> the the things that m that M. Strong was saying about the recidivism, you know, how successful are students when they go back to whatever school they're going back to and and get some outcome measures like that. I think that would be really helpful for the board. >> I think I saw that, right? Is that right? >> We don't we don't have those measures yet because we're just at the beginning of the school year, but >> No, no, no. I mean in the um in your uh paper in the uh >> there are some measures in her partic

019in the course that she's particularly working with that I think he's talking about like larger program like the the overall program. >> Yes, we are working on that as well because I need data myself because I need to see what I'm doing as the principal of the building. So like you said we're Peters different things like that and also at the beginning of next school year when the convocation is on I need Hamilton to be up there for positive things just like everyone else was named this year. So, I'm going to make sure we have data to go with that. >> Dr. Lauren, are you here? >> Is she on Zoom? >> Yes, I'm here. >> I know you text me, but can you just say what you just text me so I don't have

020to repeat it for you? >> Sure. Hi, everybody. Um, just in reference to what uh, Director Adams said, we do have um, as part of our profile of a graduate for LRSD high schools, we're collecting data on components of all of our programs. So we're right now collecting data on our recidivism rates um the stu the percentage of students that are meeting the criteria um immediately how many of them we have to extend criteria for um doing uh starting to work on surveys to collect data around um the impact of special programs not just the program that Miss Morning um has brought to the building but also tendagi um our calming space the exertion room that we're putting in um the incentive programs that we have in place. So, we have a number of components

021um to help support the whole child and we're putting um data collection tracking methods with each one of them. So all of those things will be part of our reporting for AL at the end of the year, but also as part of our overall network one reporting for our profile of our graduate statistics and things we're trying to implement for college and career readiness in all of our high schools and our alternative learning environments, which includes AOE, >> right, Miss? >> Hello, ladies. >> You know what? I really appreciate what you're doing and um children have never really been able to express themselves so it it kind of stays inside. But what you're doing, you're giving kids a way to express themselves. My mom always told me life is going to happen. You're going to

022have circumstances, but she always told me it's the way you respond to your circumstances. Everything is not going to always be perfect, but if you know how to respond, life will be a lot more better and it will be a lot positive. So, it sounds like to me that you're trying to instill these skills in these young people. And I think that's a great thing because they need that. They need to be able to express themselves without being, oh, you just mad cause this or no, this is the way I feel and this is how I need to express it. And I think you guys are doing a great job with that. And I am just so proud of your program. And Miss Sria, good job. >> You're welcome. >> Any other questions? Yes, sir.

023I don't have a question, but um I think this is a a good positive step, you know what I'm saying, for the alternative school. Uh like you mentioned earlier, Miss Morning, you know what I'm saying? Uh arts can be therapeutic. So, I look at this as a a great way to work on social and emotional learning with the students and the kids and conflict resolution. And so I just look forward to I know you I know you're good at what you do and so uh but I look forward to uh the positive aspects that it can bring to this school and and like you mentioned earlier u uh helping ease that transition back into the high school environment and so they're successful and they graduate out of those high school environment. So thank you. >>

024Okay, any other questions on this? Uh okay with that. >> Thank you. I just thought of one other that just came up in in the discussion. M strong later in the evening we're going to be talking more about uh the hall campus and one of the ideas that's been suggested if um for the future would be to move the LA campus to the program to the hall campus and I wondered if if you had any thoughts about if that would be helpful and if so how. Yes. Um I feel that having all of our programs together is a great idea. Just having all the alternative programs in the same building. Plus, you know, Hamilton the building is kind of, you know, old and um I feel like just having a little freshness for the students.

025I think it'll be a a great asset as well as being able to be in the same building with the ACC and everybody. So, if I have a question or something, I mean, we can just kind of collaborate right down campus. we have a kid that say, "Oh, this kid may need need to go to ACC or they need this." We can go ahead and communicate and do all those things right there in one building. So, I feel like it's going to be a great asset to the district if all of us are in the same location. >> Thank you. It's a great question. I just wanted to say that I love it. I think it's just a tremendous asset to us. And the piece that I love was that that attachment that sounds like

026it's taking root in that space. So, I think it's so important that you have that clinician in place to work to assist with the transition because it sounds like they're experiencing something perhaps they have not previously. And so, just transitioning them is so clinically therapeutic for them to ensure that they have a transition that's smooth and that they grow from it. And so, I love what you guys are doing. Anything else that >> I just want to close with? >> It's one thing to hear um about what's happening there. will encourage our our board members if you have a chance to go and visit because visibly visually like I I know what the building looked like. I mean I know what the physical condition of the building is. Very little that we can do about

027that. But just to see the transformation inside the building, the way that teachers have set up their classrooms, the way that the hallways look. I mean it actually looks and feels um like a real school. And so just I I really really appreciate um all of the intentional effort and work that you and your staff have been put into making that place um honestly for it to be an alternative school. It feels like what all of our schools should feels like because it's a place where students regardless of what they're bringing absolutely >> they are fully welcomed um and they're fully supported. So thank you for the great work that you guys have done. >> Absolutely. >> One more director's trial. >> I just think that maybe we need a field trip. >> Let's go.

028Where's the key? Okay. All right. If there's nothing else, we'll go ahead and allow you guys to leave podium. I'm sorry. Thank you so much. All right. So, let's go ahead and move forward. All right. Okay. So, the status of Paul uh West High School. So, we're going to be the presentation by Mr. Adams who's sponsoring this is Dr. Right. >> Yeah. I just want to Yeah. open up um the discussion of this. I know this is a um >> every time you have conversations about declining enrollment and what to do about schools, it's always um has contentious capabilities. And so I I that part is not lost on me. But I kind of wanted to start today's discussion with um framing this with with two questions. Um because I think when we so the

029ideas that we had for how to repurpose Hall's building weren't necessarily new. We just um provided a whole lot more detail and did add some new components to it so that people would have a better understanding about what we were uh proposing to do. But so the questions the question that we really need um the board to kind of grapple with is do we continue to operate Hall West School of Innovation as a as a traditional high school of innovation at the end of the current school year? And if the answer is no, then what we did as an administration was try to get ahead of um whatever decision the board would make because in the we would make decisions and then we would be scrambling trying to figure out what exactly we need to

030do and we sometimes didn't have the full um picture in terms of um every every decision that needed to be made and the implication for those decisions. So if the board ultimately decided that we were going to cease operating that building as a traditional school at the end of this school year, we put together this exhaustive list of timelines and all of those different activities. That was not to suggest that that is the recommendation we are making. Um, we just wanted the board to have a full big picture uh to understand like everything that would be invol everything that would be involved with that including like the timing of that decision and the timing of that decision would need to happen quickly because we start open enrollment and the recruitment season in October. Um, and

031in order for us to be able to adequately prepare for all of that, you know, that decision would need to be made kind of quickly. But I think in thinking about um so so if the answer was no, we're not going to continue that school then you've got that long list of things you know all the things that we have to do. If the answer is yes, we're going to continue operating it then I think there are a couple of things that we need to seriously take into consideration and number one is in 20 what year is this? 25 26. So in it will only be 11th and 12th graders at hall. With only having 11th and 12th graders if we continue to operate the school, I don't think that we will be in a

032position to offer um like athletic programs or a full array of extracurricular activities just because of the number of students. Um so I think that I just want people to fully understand that. But if students themselves were okay with going to a non-traditional high school where they didn't have like the full array of athletics and the full array of extracurricular activities, there is nothing that is stopping us from providing that for students who want that small environment. We could do that in a non-traditional way. It won't we won't staff the school in a traditional way. Um, I think the unique thing about having potentially having ACC, our virtual programs all on that same campus, there are many different ways that students could complete their high school requirements without having to leave the school if they

033wanted to be in a small environment without all of the, you know, extra amenities of a traditional high school. Um we did have conversations in the past because of its school of innovation status that students could actually play sports on another school's team um if they wanted to. So those options and things um are available. So I kind of want to expand the conversation discussion so it doesn't have to be a zero sum game like we don't necessarily have to do away with whole school of innovation. it will just transition to a non-traditional school setting where and we currently don't don't have that type of option for high school students currently in our district. So if a student may not be concerned about playing on a football team or basketball team, they may not be

034concerned about all the different activities that a traditional high school offers, but they just want a smaller high school unique environment. Um financially, there is nothing stopping us from offering that in a non-traditional way. And so I just kind of wanted to put them on the on the table. Um, as we have these these discussions, >> I I think I made it clear in the last meeting. I want to keep Hall open and uh operating it as a non-traditional school is a great way to do that. I think u you said that in the next school year only uh juniors and seniors. Can't we open registration there for freshmen as well? I mean, wouldn't new freshmen be able to come in? >> I think we Yes, we can. I think we just need to have

035some discussions internally on like the number >> Yeah. >> Um that that that that we could allow for because there's nothing stopping us from going ahead and moving to that full non-traditional high school setting in a 9th through 12th. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I I don't know why I didn't think about that, but yeah, there I mean there's Yeah, we just haven't as a team, we just haven't >> talked about that yet, but but that definitely seems realistic. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> Um I just want to tell Dr. Dr. Wright and I had a good long conversation. Is that yesterday? It seems like it's been a lot longer than that. Um but we had a really good long conversation about um just some of some of my questions. And I am really excited to

036see the expanded PowerPoint in in the deck um with some more detail. >> Thank you for making me work very late last night. >> I did make you work very late last night. We were texting while I was at soccer and Dr. Wright was uh I guess still at the office or working. But thank you for that. I really think it um it helps me better understand the number of students we're talking about in the building which is several hundred. Um and I know we clarified too the number of students which I believe was um a little confusing between a spreadsheet that was sent out and then what was in the the agenda. And um I know you said about 90 of the students that were in the spreadsheet or so, right? No, 80 of

037the students were either CBI or virtual, so they weren't actually in the building. And so the total population in the building is 246. >> The total gened population, the CBI students, they are there. They're physically there. Okay. Um but anyhow, I really appreciate all of that clarification. I also love the idea of since we will have all of the resources there that we need to have a high a small non-traditional high school for those who want I mean I I have heard that many times through the course of this that some students in LRSD want the option of a small high school and as long as they're okay with you know if we can allow them to play sports at a different school or something like that I think it is a great idea to

038have a high school of I don't know what we could hold 250 300 kids there if they wanted to be there. So, and we might not be that. Maybe it' be a hundred, maybe it be 200. I don't know. >> Too far. Um, but I do think that is an option that some kids I mean, I know we were just talking about kids transitioning from AL out back into a big high school and this could be a really great next step for those kids to go into the same building but into a more >> uh a smaller a little bit less um >> overwhelming environment um as they as they move up. So, um, that that is one thing I wanted to say. Um, one thing I would really love to see before we vote

039on this, and I know we talked about this, I'd really like to ask the juniors what they think. Um, for me, I I want to let the juniors finish. Like I feel like if you're a sophomore, you can still get in a couple more years at another school if we don't end up doing that um the non-traditional high school or that's not the right fit for some of those kids. But if we are if we have some juniors who really would like to continue that out, I think we should give them opportunity. But I think that it would need to be done with some clarity about like would we have enough kids for a football team? Would we have enough kids for a basketball team? That kind of thing. So I think that really helping

040the students understand I mean these are kids who are about to be adults. I think it would be nice to hear from them about what they think should happen in their schools. >> So absolutely >> um that is really important and then I also was just want to say out loud that I was really excited about um >> as you're thinking about the repurposing that you added back in the zero to2 early childhood. I know that there in the central part of Little Rock, there have been a ton of closures of early childhood programs and I could start naming them. Um, but there have been a lot of closures, hundreds of seats for zero to two year olds and I love that you're thinking about building capacity there and I hope we can do it

041in other parts of our city as well, but um I know prek three and four seems to still have a little capacity this year, but thank you. Those are my comments. >> Okay, director Mason. Yes, I too would like to see halls stay open and >> in a non-traditional sense if if if possible um also the to add to the campus the whole campus you know >> you know I played against Sydney so I would like to see the gym I know you we we're talking about repurposing and putting Park View in that gym but you know if you have Sydney Monre's name on that gym that's still hall to me but uh and also So, uh, General Wesley Clark's name on the campus just to make it, you know, still have that whole feeling

042about it. Also, uh, that repurposing includes the adult education piece too, right? Yes. So you have that that whole campus just a microcosm of just the whole LRSD right there on that c on that campus, >> you know, from from the from the preschool, elementary, early childhood all the way up to adult education. Wow. So I can somebody just go in that campus and get educated all the way through. If if I may, >> if I may, you also said something that I think is really important for us to say aloud in this meeting, and that is that nobody is talking about closing the doors of hall. I don't think anybody in this room is talking about closing the doors of hall. It's about repurposing the building. And I love the idea of what Dr.

043Wright put in here, the Hall alternative education campus, um, that houses the variety of things that are listed on here. So, I just want to say that one more time. Nobody is talking about closing the doors of hall or or shuttering a building. We are all talking about finding new ways to use this building. Thank you. >> I love it. I would love to see that alternative word perhaps changed. However, um I I do like the repurpose. It has for some people it has a negative connotation and so just you know ensuring we have a name that is reflective of what the purpose and the vision is. And I think we could we could um >> we could use students we could open it up for suggestions in terms of what we call I mean

044yeah it doesn't yeah it doesn't have to be that was >> this is all drafts. >> Oh yeah absolutely absolutely more questions or comments. >> We're coming director Johnson next please. >> No no no after you director Adams after you. >> No I was just saying I was just prompting you. Well you got what you guys >> you know Dr. Wright um we do need to keep open. We need to actually stop giving up our buildings. We do need to step out and do something different. And that's what you're doing. Now, Mr. Mason said you can go from A to Z in your education. Do you think we could put some college courses in there as well? That way we know you'll be well educated. But I think it's a good thing that we're stepping

045out because you know what? I do feel strongly that one day our students are going to come back and we are going to need a place for them. So yeah, we need to hang on as many buildings as we possibly can and we need to just step out there on faith and take the chance and do what we need to do. >> Thank you very much. I so appreciate the work that's been done and and creatively thinking about this and it reminds me of what happened a few years ago when we were looking at Western Hills and the question was keep it open or or to close it and then there was another idea. What if we could do something creative and different and and meet a need that we're not meeting already and also

046try to take care of the students, you know, who who really were involved and wanted to be there and um and And the idea of being able to have maintain a high school for that's not mean may not not the traditional sense of high school but an innovative small high school is one of the most helpful things that I think that's still a loss for people who known for a long time and and you know and remember different things about it you know with football games and basketball games and band and that type of thing you know it's a change in a loss but it does hold on to something that I think is vitally important and that that was really to me one of the saddest things when we had when we needed to

047talk about this is that um that we were that we could possibly lose a small school option because I think there are some students who in our district who want to be in a public traditional public school or they want to be in the LRSD and but it's just not a fit for them to be in a bigger school. And and it was a really great thing to me when we thought, well, we look, we could have these other schools have their strengths, but this is a place if if that's not not a good fit for you, but but if we could still maintain that as a good fit, um I think that that could be a real win win while acknowledging that it's still a change, but but some of the cool things that

048could happen. And just to put on my my social work hat for just a second, in my world, in my day job, we talk about grief and loss things a lot because that's the area that I work in. And there are three questions that one author has talked about that this reminds me of. And he said whenever there's a big change, a big loss, that the three questions are what is lost, what is left and what is possible. And it seems like that that fits this situation so much because in some ways what is lost we we've already see what is lost because the community in some ways has spoken and said that there's not enough interest you know to have a full comprehensive traditional high school. What is left is we still have some

049people who want a small school and and we might be able to do that. And what is possible? Well, there's all these things that are possible once we open up that you know, that view to think about what else could happen and what other needs do we have in the district that need to be met and it excites me about what Miss Strong said about how that could be a plus for our AL students to be there and um and as we're looking at budget things and if we have another building that's not a good building, but we could have students in a better building and then we we could reduce our footprint in another way. Anyway, it just opens things up. So, so thank you for this discussion. Thank you board members and and

050and Dr. Wright administration for helping us to continue to think creatively about this. >> There are still some possibilities of 250 kids. Let's say they're, you know, 125 boys, 125 girls. 125, you can make a basketball team. There'll be enough boys who want to play basketball that we could actually have basketball. It would be a, you know, a single A school or even a B school as far as athletic place goes, but that could be done. And you probably could do a girls volleyball team, too. So, athletics don't have to be completely eliminated. There's probably, you're probably right, there's not enough kids there to play football. There won't be enough, I don't think. But, we could have small athletic teams. Um, there's one thing that we not touched on and Mr. Bailey mentioned it last

051time. Hall's old and as soon as we start putting more programs in it and start using the space more, we're going to wind up having to spend some maintenance money that we wouldn't have had to spend if we just let it go. So, that's it's going to cost money to do this. It's not it's not just a free program. And I I'm all for spending the money. I just wanted everybody to be aware of it to to think about that for a second. Um I'm enthusiastic about this. I haven't been in hall in a long time. I'm going to know go next week or the week after uh just to look around, see everybody. Um I think this is the right thing to do for that community and for our larger community having those extra

052options. You also have a band. I keep thinking of things that you can't that the sort of extracurricular things that are bound into a school, band and athletics and stuff. Those things can still be done. It might just be a jazz trio, but you could have a band. You know, the small a small performance group, uh maybe a choir. I mean, there are lots of things that we don't need to just dismiss and say it's an alternative school. We're not going to have these kinds of programs. If we have enough kids who want those kinds of programs, we need to do that. staffing becomes a problem and it'll be non-traditional staffing. You might have to I don't know somebody they wouldn't like it but you might have to run somebody from another school over there

053for an hour a day and that's uh you know something we have to look at but it's not free but I think he's good with spending his money good way to spend the money. >> Thank you director Bali. Yeah. Um I'm glad that you know saying we're having conversations about hall and keeping it open. Um and I think some things about a traditional non-traditional schools uh would be ways to uh generate some new enrollment and some interest uh with you know saying unique programs, courses or whatever. Uh and but I also like um Director Johnson mentioned, I think we need to hold on to our historical landmarks in the district. And um even though we're talking about now with a school that you know has less than 300 kids or students right now uh the

054possibilities of what happens you know that we don't know you know uh in the future like we didn't know the pandemic was going to happen and students would leave the district or go to virtual learning or you know whatever. And so there's always opportunity just by us promoting the uniqueness of a school, things that they offer. It might be the flexible curriculum. It might be a small classroom setting. It might be uh additional services to support mental health. Um but there's always opportunity to bring students back in and re-engage the community. Where it's at in the community is a the location is great. >> You can get to Hall High from anywhere in the city basically. And so I I do think it's a lot of value in the building and holding on to it.

055Uh I'm not really in favor of calling it alternative school. I think we need to uh keep it as close closely connected to other school names as possible. Um you know, we we got a bunch of unique names to our schools now, but I want uh people to not feel like uh you get sent there, you don't enroll there. We won't want people to enroll in the school school. A lot of I think a lot of parents were unaware of how small how how high it was. And had they known, we might have a little bit more students over there. We like, hold on, it's not 30 students in that class. Oh, it's only 10 15 students in that class. Okay. I think my child is thriving that environment, you know. Uh they got a

056lot of great staff and faculty over there. Uh that uh uh this I'm not endorsing anybody, but I I know they got a great career coach over there that gives their students a lot of uh information on scholarships. And uh I know it because I send that information to students at other schools because it's great information on scholarships and I always want students to go to schools and and not have to pay for it. But I think about us exploring the possibilities but also promoting the positive aspects in the school could definitely increase enrollment. And then who knows what 10 years from now they might be on the same level as a Park View or Hall of South High because we've generated that much good publicity about the school that it gets back up to

057that u that same standard. So, I'm all all in favor of supporting Hall, keeping it open, not closing it, but also just thinking about it with an open mind and looking at it in the positive ways that we can push it back to where it once used to be. And maybe and maybe uh like director Mason was mentioning talking about athletics. Maybe we can start having that uh what the battle of the bell again. You know what I'm saying? Maybe we can have football games over there again and all of that type of stuff, but just building it back up to that point where it could uh sustain and be supported. Yeah, that reminds me of the the warrior will still be there. So, we're not gonna we're not going to take the warrior away.

058You know, I'm I'm a Little Rock Central graduate, but I respect the warrior. >> So, we're going to keep the we're going to keep the warrior there. >> I said, just a warrior. He not warrior. He's not an Indian. He's a warrior. >> A Native American warrior. Absolutely. >> Okay. But anyway, we just keep that we make sure that the warrior is still there and and I agree with director Bley about uh everything that that that's happening and uh what he said about everything. >> Absolutely. Director Adam. >> Yeah. I just want to add that, you know, we've I think appropriately we've we've tried to be sensitive and and think about the students who are there and and the families who are there. I I just want to acknowledge that, you know, the teachers who've

059been at Hall these last few years, five, 10 years, some of them been there for a long time, the pe teachers who stayed with the district when the when we moved in the school of west, you know, the innovation there that um you know, this has not been an easy thing to be in a place where where your future is uncertain and and you're and you're you know, working to do the best you can for the students you have and not knowing where what's going to happen. And so just wanted to acknowledge their service there and and thank them for their faithfulness of of hanging in there and um and and I hope that that whatever comes from this, you know, that that they will many of them will still find a way to to

060continue to serve in ways that they can feel good about. >> Absolutely. Thank you, Director Strong. >> One last thought. Um and I I really appreciate the positive energy in the room tonight. it makes me feel happy um about Hall and supporting Hall um in its future. So, one other thing, a two other things I just wanted to put on the radar that I did talk with Dr. Wright about that I want the rest of the board to know since this is a work session. Um we did talk I've talked briefly at the last meeting about uh Plaskky Heights Elementary and Plasky Heights Middle Schools. It sounds like there is not any right now capital funding improvement um to because the for those of y'all who have not been in PH or PHMS they are

061not um they are not accessible for students with disabilities who require a wheelchair for example um they're like PH to get the only way to get to a kindergarten class that is not downstairs is to go outside and around the building outside in a non-covered walkway um so there is no way like that there are just a lot of um improvements that because of the age of the building have been grandfathered in under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that we're not able to um start working on that unless we kind of overhaul which is my to my understanding. So, one of my thoughts with this was that we take one school at a time, move it out of the building there and into Hall the Hall campus for a year and do some renovation,

062but I think it sounds like we would have to pass another millillage to do that. So, um I just want to say that out loud though. So, I mean, there are still window air conditioner units in in the Plasky Heights room, very very loud radiators. There are a lot of capital improvements that need to be made in those buildings to keep them healthy and happy in the long term. Um, so that was one thing I wanted to mention. And then the second was as we continue thinking about Hall um and just its great location um joint use agreements are something that are used across the state to help build a partnership between a community and a school district. They are um they come you can get help and support on this through the department of

063education but um through their school health services office. But joint use agreements help to make sure that school facilities are available to the community or vice versa in communities like where you have a community pool and you need a place for your swim team to practice or you have a community gym and your local AAU basketball team needs a place to practice. And we may already do some of that in the district but the joint use agreements are a way that help reduce our liability as a school. uh to help make our our spaces more available to communities. Um so I just want to say those two ideas out loud and ways that we could continue to think outside the box for home. >> That's more use. >> I mean we will have to come

064up with some more money. >> Mr. Bailey, >> did you have something? >> I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just wanted to make sure he was online. >> You good? Okay. >> Okay. >> I just hit on a few things because I might have misspoke. Y'all might have misunderstood what I said about hall, the condition of it. So we spent a lot of money over the past few years on mechanical upgrades at halls. So I mean over the facility plan forever we never had any ideas of even when we talked about closing what three years ago we were going to keep the campus. So one of the things was at that point so we have building Oakhurst if y'all never been over to adult that was one building we don't want to

065seek any more money into that building and the one that currently houses Hamilton is Wilson used to be Wilson Elementary. So it's one that we really don't need to put any more money. So, I mean any funds that we would be using for those facilities would go to Hall for some of the beautifification pieces on there. Mechanically is good out there, but there's some beautifification that can be done around if you walked around hall in in the past. So, uh Flasky height thing. We actually have some uh partnership money for uh HVAC renovations if we can have the other matching. We have some funds we have to match it. But that's you're looking at probably $6 million on a mechanical system throughout that for the older building there. But I think the hall concept is

066good, merging some of those other buildings into one and having everything there. Right now we're spending well last year we're spending about $7 million or so on on staff and I just ran the staffing right before here. I need to pull it and kind of see where we are. But when you get to that small a level of a school, it's going to be uh very uh inefficient to run uh and affordable. Uh and coming from a meeting I just we just met this past week with the kind of the leaders at Desi on the finance area and they were concerned about our fund balance and uh direction we were going on different things and they looked at I mean they have all the reports out there. They can see everything we submit because we

067cycle reports and client enrollment. And I think taking actions like this is going to show everybody's watching us. So we know that everybody's watching. So it's going to take we taking proactive actions, you know, ahead of time to start thinking about those facility footprint that we need to look at. But definitely never get rid of that campus in the middle of the city and it's I mean we put a lot of money in it. We have two campuses, high school campuses only have one gym. One is central and one is Park View as well. Uh so I mean facility could always be used for, you know, for other team to practice over there when they need to. So yeah. even if it it's not just dedicated to one of the high schools. So, >> you

068you said something. Look what Well, let me tell you what you said that what burned into my head. I understand what you're saying now. Okay. What you said was, "Well, we don't want to spend any more money on hall." >> It's just that's that's a quote. Go back and look at the tape. You sort of threw it out there and I thought, "Well, okay." >> I wouldn't probably mean I might Yeah, I might have said that. I said might have misspoke. So, I started off that. So, if I did say that. So, we we don't want to we we won't mind spending money on hall. We don't want to throw money away at those other buildings that we know we don't we're not going to utilize. Well, if we were going to if we had

069if we decided, which I don't think we're going to do, if we decided we were going to close it in two years, then we wouldn't spend any more money on it. >> Yeah. We we never I don't think we'll ever decide to close. Hopefully, y'all wouldn't decide. >> Well, I don't think we do. And I don't really think we're going to need to vote on this. It's operating now and there I don't see any reason for us to vote. It'll just continue to operate. >> You'd like a vote? >> No. Well, I always like a vote because I always like to get the the responsibility off of me. So um >> I love the trans >> but yeah it it will in in essence just be a program change. I mean the the school will

070keep it LEA. We were just moving from uh staffing it like a traditional high school and running it like a traditional high school to a non-traditional high school. >> If we get feedback about what they wanted to call the school the kids >> uh what we could vote on >> you need to vote on that. >> We'll vote on some name stuff. It could be the uh General Clark Education Center and Hall High School of Innovation is there and the AL is there and other things are there at the Clark Education Center. Uh and we could name the gym after Sydney Monree who you know that's fine. Uh those will be things we'll have we will need to vote on but as just continue to operate school we don't need to vote. >> Question. Yes

071sir. >> Anna thinks we do. I I I guess I just I think it would be prudent for our board, especially if we are going to be engaging new staffing models that include some >> partly virtual, partly in person, as was in the presentation. I think it would be prudent of us to have a vote on the overall plan and timelines. >> I understand that. Don't we already have schools that have kids there and operating virtual stuff? I mean kids kids go to virtual classes. I know. >> Yeah. But just not not a not not in the current school at all. But we do have schools. >> Not in elementary. We don't have kids pulled out for special virtual lessons. >> We have a virtual we have a virtual program, but it's only for 6th

072through 12th grade students. >> Okay. Well, >> okay. >> Anyway, I just I think I think it would be prudent for us to to give a >> You can't lose. That's for sure. more of a formal plan so that we I think writing down a formal plan so that we and the community understand what is happening and the community has an opportunity to provide feedback to us >> and to make sure that we have the opportunity to share that information in a very clear standard way would be prudent for us as we take next steps on home >> and in that plan I would like you know it's going to take us a little time but we need to think about this from a financial perspective too and so we don't want uh we just

073want to make sure that whatever approach we take is not going to put us in a financial binding. So we need to sit down and think about how many how many kids in immigrate level we could take in terms of having virtual versus so we just need to think through some things but yeah >> yes >> sounds great so um >> so in in this discussion did we decide if we are ending the traditional high school at the end of this year or not? I think that's what Dr. Wright wanted us to do. I don't know that we decided that. >> Well, I don't think >> you're gonna get the juniors feedback, right? >> I think Yeah, I think still in talks. Go ahead. >> I mean, it it sounds to me that >> I

074think we're transitioning to non, you know, an alternative setting structure. I think that's across the board, but >> that's why I didn't see I didn't think that's where we were necessarily. I I mean I think if the junior I think if the juniors want to be able to continue like if there are juniors who on the football team who are seeking scholarships and things and they want to continue playing with their team for one more year and there is a team and if they're enough kids to make a team I mean I think that's worth asking those kids what they want and so I I mean I >> if they say yes I want to stay here and I want to play on a hall football team for the next year then we can't say

075yes we are moving away from a a traditional high school program at the end of this year. I think even if and I'm not being insensitive to kids or anybody that we ask for feedback, but I think we also need >> to be realistic in terms of like what like what we can do. >> I think I think that we need the numbers then I think that's what we need then is the numbers of what what it would look like for us to continue for do we have is that's not in that pros and cons is it the exact numbers of what we are talking about now? I don't ask that question again because I'm not sure what >> Okay. We we are what what the pros and cons of operating a small high school

076does have some financial numbers in there. >> Yes. >> But we are now talking about not just a small high school but an entire campus with an array of programs and offerings under a single administrative oversight. And that >> is no that's not no we're not I'm not we won't have one person on that campus in charge of all those. Oh, >> yes. >> These are these are >> these are >> so they would have different people in charge of them but maybe some shared services across them. >> We will share administrators where we can. Um but but yeah, that's not what we're trying to do. Yeah. >> And I So I think really for for me I don't understand enough about this to say yes or no on the end of 2526 school year.

077I think I would need to see that plan. And what the if you could ideally st like break out if you could staff hall as we're describing it tonight for 26 27 what would that be? And is it hit your financial target that we need to hit per student? And if not then do we need to go back to square one and do something different? So this is what this is what I think >> I think either way from a financial perspective in order for us to have in order for Hall to work to stay open it has to be it's going to have to be a non-traditional school which means it's going to have to have nontraditional staffing which means that we will have flexible options of helping kids take the type of courses

078they need. If it's not if it's if it's that traditional model, then we're going to have to, you know, master scheduling, having staff all of the different courses that people need. And if we got 10 nth graders and 11, you know, that makes it so we we need to move away from thinking about hall as a traditional high school. I think so. After this school year, >> I see what you're saying there. And you're talking about Hall High School as the high not not the whole building not all the I'm not talking about all the different you're talking about what is not whole west school innovation program. Yes. >> And so that program shifting from what is Hall West Hall West School of Innovation programming into a non-traditional programming that would lose some of the

079potentially some of the attributes that it has. >> Yes. That in in my belief right now that is the only way that we can move forward with keeping that part the whole high school open. Yes. >> That hall. Okay. >> Yes. >> After this school year. >> Yes. Just because of the number of students. >> Okay. >> Just because of the sheer number of students. >> That feels like a little bit of a different question than we were originally talking about tonight. So, because we talked about closing in the when we opened Pinnacle View, the the high school part of it, the traditional high school part of it. When we opened Pinnacle, it was like 2526 school year or 2627 school year. And those were the two options. And if I just had those two

080options for just the high school, I think I pick the second year if we could afford it. >> I would give them one more year >> that's what I hear. But >> that's what I think. >> I think that's what I would like to see those numbers. >> I mean, I think Yeah, I think those numbers. >> Director Bing, did you have >> Go ahead. >> I'm sorry. Did you need to speak before? Director >> Bali, >> I was just going to give you I ran some numbers over there now. So, last I think last year when got the uh numbers was 495 485. came out to about 15,000 or so per pupil, which is significantly higher than most of the high schools. Right now at 246, we cut a million dollars out of out

081of that what it was costing. It's 5.9 million right now. This is just salary and benefits that include utilities and things, but we're at 24,000 per pupil now at a traditional. So that's the the cost you're looking at. So >> per student Yeah. Um, so, um, however we decide to move forward as a board with Hall, I think there needs to be, uh, some type of statement made publicly soon about what what's going to happen or what could happen. Uh so that parents in particular of parents who have 10th graders and 11th graders right now that want to keep their children at hall can go ahead and make that decision and already in their mind be committed to staying at home so that it's so that the numbers don't dwindle down for next year because

082of the uncertainty. Um, if I was if I if this happened already or if it was talked about last time, I I apologize. But I do think uh when Director Strong was mentioned in talking to students, that's a great idea. But it's a it's it's it would be even better if we talk to the students, the parents, the community, and have some type of town hall discussion publicly that that um hopefully will get ran or facilitated by some community members so that they can express their thoughts, opinions, talk about some of the things that they think the school uh should happen at the school because uh if we don't have the support of the community, then Hall will not thrive and succeed in my opinion. And so it's important that I think we have some

083type of town hall discussion similar to how we did uh last maybe it was earlier this year last year I can't remember u when we were over at um man uh I I forget the name of it cover Washington that's where we was at Washington and so so that parents can uh you know what I'm saying talk uh staff faculty can talk as well so that we can listen to their concerns and um make sure that we have the best situation moving forward. So, we need that community input. We definitely need youth input. Uh we need that staff and faculty input as well because honestly, I think that they will say some things that we might need to consider as far as what the school structure should look like and uh things that we possibly

084might be missing out on that we could include as well too. >> So, m Mr. Mr. B made the points up and and covered the ground that I was hoping to cover. Thank you, Mr. Body. forward in the future and what would you like the school to look like >> the structure and those types of things. Okay. Yes, ma'am. I was just going to say there's a really great facilitation technique um that you can put in place um around kind of this idea of keep add keep add or change or um and it is a really nice way that we can have a couple of concrete proposals with the understanding I think the budgetary I mean with our enrollment numbers where we are I mean we're looking at that's what four and a half million

085dollars We're looking at losing in enrollment dollars or so. I know our budget comes coming next. >> Okay. >> So, I mean, just as we're looking at reduced budget, I think understanding how that plays along with if you know, >> not the cost per kid is less helpful to me than the overall cost of running, >> okay, >> a building like this or running a building like this with the with these amenities or these a kind of like on Price Line or something if you're comparing two hotels, right? you know, what this one has and what this one has. Um, >> being able to have those comparisons and then looking at those options and saying maybe which one the community is leaning toward and then taking the one the community is leaning toward and saying

086doing a keepad change of like how can we get it to work with the constraints that we have to fit it in. >> Okay. Dr. Rose, anything. >> All right. No problem. >> Adams or Mason, you guys have anything you'd like to share on that? Well, I I just my sense is that part of the feedback, Dr. Wright, to me would be that I think there's a general consensus in the room tonight. You know, we haven't voted. >> I feel like that there's a general consensus. >> We can poll, >> right? And but I think that I think that's one thing I would really like to hear from people is this general consensus of keeping hall um >> restructure, >> you know, having a having it as a small >> non-traditional school and having these

087others things there and we're not sure exactly how many, but we we think >> we know at least some of them that we'd want to have there. >> That's what I'd like to hear people's thoughts on. >> Okay. about how to what do they think of that idea and how could it work and what would be the challenges of it and would they want to tweak it in some ways and that that's my >> Mr. Johnson, anything? Okay. >> I do understand um community feedback, but I also understand that um we did have >> I would basically just present the public with the plan that you have >> and see if there's any feedback on that instead of trying to introduce something that you had really thoroughly thought out. >> Okay. >> So, I can

088see that. >> Okay. Sounds good. And I would agree. I would agree, Miss Johnson. I think um what we have uh or at least what it appears that we have a consensus around just getting insight and um feedback around, you know, the feel for um the openness and um acceptance of that um as well as the other pieces that we've talked about around names and things like that might be nice as well if we have an opportunity to capture that information. Um, and then, uh, I think, uh, Miss Strong mentioned the 11th grade piece. Uh, just kind of getting some insight. And honestly, for me, um, I just, I like to give people an opportunity to speak, especially when you're, uh, making a huge shift. Um, people want to be heard. So, I get that

089and I think it's important for that to take space. So, >> um, anything else? Yes, >> I agree that that's important. It's important to hear from the community. the problem will come out >> if we ultimately decide to do what they don't like. >> Well, that's just a part of life community. >> I mean, I mean, that happens. I mean, that's just >> Well, yeah, it happens. But if we would just decide what we're going to do. >> Yeah. Well, I think we have a consensus around, you know, the general idea. >> Yeah. That the, you know, and the I agree with that plan. What plan are we talking about? When you say, "I agree with that plan," just put the plan forward. What plan are we talking about? >> I think the plan that

090I'm thinking of that sounds like we've uh spoken on is to move to a nontraditional uh structure after this school year. Um >> after this school year. >> Yes. After this school. That's what I heard. >> That's exactly what Anna wanted. >> That's what I heard. >> Okay. >> So, yeah. >> Just a you know, and you don't have that planned. >> Well, no. I mean, we we have >> you can put it together. >> Yeah. I mean, we have we have the meat of it. >> Um I don't want to I don't want to sty hearing from anybody about um what ideas or suggestions they have because I always go back to that Western Hills um because that wasn't on anybody's radar and we had a community meeting talking about some other things and

091that came out. Um, and so I I don't ever want to say like what we have is what we're going to do, but >> also don't want to make people feel like they're getting their hopes up when I'm really looking at our financial situation and what we can do and what we can't do. And I know what we can't do. Um, >> operate as a traditional school. >> We cannot operate as a traditional school with these numbers. >> Yeah. >> And I don't see those numbers, they haven't they're going to change next school year. um you know, >> anything can happen, but but if those numbers stay around like they are now, we there's no way that we can financially be >> make financial good decisions operating a traditional high school with those types of

092numbers. >> There's not going to be $20 million just drop in our laps anytime soon either. That's just not going to happen. >> Okay. M I would say that would when when we're talking about the naming and I I'm I'm sympathetic to at least considering things like honoring Cindy Monreef, but I I I think and somebody who knows the Hall campus better than me, I think that there is a name on that arena. I think it's a George Cirs arena. circ and and and so so we want to be sensitive to that and and so there may be a way to you know I know that some places like at the University of Arkansas they've named the floor like the Nolan Richardson floor and you know sometimes you know there there are different things to

093do if you wanted to try to do that but I just want to to be sensitive to the the present hall community to know that there is I think there is a name there somebody else knows that and tell yeah >> all right so we'll move forward to 3.1 1 safety and security update. Uh, Mr. Elamine, >> is that Elamine? Is that Elamine? I think you did. >> So, tonight I just wanted to really give an update on where we are uh with our current partnership with Little Rock Police Department and uh moving forward as it's time for the memorandum of understanding uh between the district and the city. And one of the concerns uh that has been voiced from parents to my office is the use of OC spray uh in the schools. And

094I just wanted to ensure that you know our staff as far as uh safety, security and um Paris are trained with safety care so that we are using techniques to uh you know break up fights and address those issues. And when and and although the SRO's are definitely appreciated uh in our schools, I just wanted to make sure that they are not using uh OC spray as a way to stop fights rather than to um you know use it for officer protection or protection of students and staff. So, we're working on theou to clarify language uh that's going to hopefully um uh address that. But I just wanted to make sure that you all are aware that we we are aware as a safety security department of the concerns and that we are addressing it

095to uh the best of our abilities. >> Questions? Questions that we have? Any questions? >> I'm sorry, Dr. strong and then director Johnson >> reading it also says the use of pepper spray on school campuses and the handling of student arrest. Are we having problems with student arrest? >> We are having an uptick of student arrest. Um I think I can't just blame it on LRPD. I think that we have to also train our administrators on when is the proper time to uh utilize our SRO's in the discipline proc in a disciplinary process. So, I think it's it's going to be a twofold u uh situation that's going to uh be able to address that, which is okay, you know, um administrators, let's see if we can handle the discipline um to to the best

096to the to the effect of the student handbook compared to uh let's just bring in our SRO's to uh uh to also interject an arrest. >> Okay. Thank you. Are these arrests occurring generally across the high schools and the middle schools or >> Yes. I mean it's it's usually >> there's not a trouble spot. >> Right. Correct. >> Correct. >> Um thank you for being here. Um I just want to say out loud I thought LRPD was supposed to be here. What a do I have two questions. So what happened with LRPD joining us? >> We extended an invitation. Uh, I know that the >> Thanks. I I requested that. >> Right. No, no problem. No problem. Uh, I think the public information officer was here. Uh, but I think he left. So, okay. Um,

097we did our part. >> Okay. >> You know, to extend an invitation for them to come and uh answer questions. I would like to reextend an invitation from the board to LRPD to come join us because I think it's really important that we understand the role of your team versus the role of SRO's versus community police in our school buildings. Um I know because we just went through all of the policy revisions last year, I know pepper spray is not allowed to be carried by our staff. Correct. On campus, nor weapons. Correct. Um the weapons have to be securely stored in your vehicle if you have them on campus and I think that's state law that you can have them on campus in your car. >> Correct. Um but I I guess my question is

098how often are incidents with pepper spray for example um how often are those the SRO's versus outside LRPD that are called to come to campus to assist an SRO and who is responsible for making that call for bringing additional folks beyond the SRO onto campus. >> So that would be the school resource officer. So the school resource officers are the ones that are initiating or um >> they are the ones that are saying that it is necessary for pepper spray to be used. >> Okay. >> Uh and if they feel that more officers are needed then they make the request for other officers as far as patrol to come into the schools. >> That is not safety security >> uh or our staff making that determination. I know that director Rose has asked for some

099reports. Have we gotten those report? I would really go ahead. >> Yes. So, we are working on getting those numbers. School just started. So, we just received our current numbers. Okay. >> And so, we are um getting that report ready for you for the next by the next board meeting. >> Thank you. I really appreciate you. And I know that I would rather you be taking care of our schools. I mean, I know we probably all saw the news yesterday with the shooting in Colorado and I I am very glad you're there focused on that and I also think it's important for us to be able to see data to help us guide future decisions. So, thank you for uh whoever is helping make the time to do that. It may be you, but whoever

100it is, thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Just so that the board is aware, we do have um uh dashboard uh I don't forgot what we're calling it, but it has all the things uh Mr. roles several of you have asked for um that will be available for um the board so we don't have to we won't have to like give you reports you can just click on it and see >> um so it is scheduled we're scheduled to I think Melissa's coming October but the is the issue we're having now is we're having a somehow between our CIS system and the dashboard it is reporting our enrollment wrong and so if we were to make this data available we didn't want people to get all all freaked out, but it but but the safety

101security data part of it is already it's already ready. >> All right. So, two things makes me think two things. One, uh we'll probably need some training. >> Yeah, that's what the session would be. >> And two, uh I thought Aubrey was going to just drop everything and help us when there was something wrong. >> They are they're the ones who building the dashboard. >> They're on top of it. >> Yeah. All right. >> It's just that the files that they're getting from us isn't for some reason the the enrollment numbers aren't showing up right. And that's the first thing you're going to see on the dash dashboard. It says like 17,000 something and we haven't been able to figure out what the discrepancy is, which is why we haven't made it public yet. >>

102So sir, >> question. >> Why? Yes, >> sir. >> So Dr. Wright, you know, we talked about having our own uh security police force at some point. Is there is it I know it's costly, chief deputy, to create our own force, but at some point uh is there a a a study or cost analysis on the cost to create our own force? >> We could. I think we could do it. I know since I have been here, we had that conversation one time uh in front of the board and it was >> got run out the room. >> Yeah. We we didn't even get a chance to finish the conversation. It was like no, that's not what we want. So, so that's the board appetite we can start exploring. There's a lot of exploration in

103that as well cuz I think >> after that plan B was to at least give them some type of restraints and that wasn't approved by the board at that time because that would have quite a bit >> on uh even arrest if you can just get them out of the way so the police don't have to handle them. So uh so our safety and security officer don't don't have they don't have any restraints or of course they don't have any other >> well I mean I I think it's about time that we look into I mean in cost analysis to make sure you know it might be wise to look at our own uh I mean SRO's are you know I I'm not going anyway uh it it it's just it might be time to

104just look >> yeah it's relevant information there's commission officers around the state and district have gone that way. So, we can easily get it. So, we'll just have to see what it would cost. So, >> all right. Very good. Thank you. So, I'm sorry. Was there another question? >> I just was going to say on that, are there other options for who we might contract with for our SRO's and or others if >> you don't want to do this right now? Let's not have this. >> Okay. >> I just if we're gonna I I I struggle with our staff being the ones >> You're going to do it anyway, aren't you? >> I I struggle with the idea of our staff being the ones to um if a student needs to be put in handcuffs.

105I do not love the I love the idea of >> No, I agree completely. I don't want I don't want somebody who works for us putting kids in handcuffs. >> Thank you so much, Mr. Elamine. >> Well, I I got a question for Mr. >> You have a question? >> I do. Okay. Could we include in this memorandum of understanding that if we ask them to come, they're supposed to come? >> You know, I can always add that to the memorandum of understanding and they'll just delete it and exactly. >> Well, I I don't like it when people that are supposed to be working with us just throw up their hands and leave. I It's really really ticks me off. >> And he was here in this meeting. Is that what I heard you say?

106Okay. >> And said to go with it or did he get a call? I mean, >> we have no idea. invited multiple staff. So, >> thank you so much for the information. We're going to go ahead and move forward with 3.2 >> fiscal year 2026. Thank you so much. Board work session. >> Do we need a um break you guys? Are you guys okay? >> You guys okay? Okay, >> I think we're okay. >> We have a few things to pass out for you as well. We have Mr. Jack Trump here from Stevens. How many weeks started. >> Yes, sir. >> I'm gonna let uh invited Jack Trump here. It's been about three years, maybe four years since we actually done formal kind of presentation with our Steven Inc. partner here. So, it has a

107lot of good information. It's going to I'm going to jump in after this as well and cover some things, but want to make sure you all have all the relevant information you need. The public ever ask you anything or just out there when I'm I'm talking all these numbers and uh may get lost in some of the stuff I'm talking you you'll have a good background on what what I'm referring to. So, turn it over to you and I'm gonna be driving as well. So, >> thank you Mr. Bailey, Dr. Wright, members of the board. Great to be with you all. Mr. Rose, Mr. Bali, haven't had a chance to meet you all. I'm Jack Trump with Stevens. I know everybody else and it's great to great to be here. I guess Dr. Wright it

108was is right before you came on board. We did this last session in here and so what I have prepared for you all is u couple things. One of what we call a financial analysis which is going to kind of give you a breakdown of really kind of the assessed value of the district, your millage rate, some uh comparable data, your outstanding debt, things of that nature that we'll go through. And then we've got what we call school finance 101 that will go through just a couple of high points uh of the funding formula on how public education is funded in Arkansas. So really um I don't want this to be a one-way conversation. I'll start the process, but if anybody has any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to to to jump in

109there. But we'll go to section one, which is the financial analysis. And if you'll turn to page two, at the top of the page, you'll see a five-year history of the district's uh assessment based on its real personal and utility property. These numbers that you see here represent 20% of the market value of the real personal and utility property uh within the boundaries of the district. You'll notice that your 5-year average growth rate has been 4.3%. And so your next uh your last reappraisal year was 22. And if you'll look at that growth from 21 to 22 where you went from 4.1 billion to almost 4 billion449, that was a reappraisal year. Your next reappraisal year will take place next year. Uh in the legislative session back in I think it was 23 uh the

110uh the legislature said that all school districts uh or or excuse me, all counties will go through a reappraisal process every four years starting at a specific period of time. for Plasky County and several others. We will start next year. So, at that time, we may see another jump from your assessed value. Why that's important is because that's a revenue generator for the district. Uh it's not only a revenue for your local uh 25 mills and your mills above your 25 mills, but it's also a revenue generator from your debt service mills, which covers your existing debt and any uh future uh debt offerings that the district may have. Or it can also use be used for pay as you go projects. It can be used for operation and maintenance for any school purpose. And

111so 4.3% has been your growth rate the last five years. When you look at the when you look at the chart of course and this is common with most school districts there four or five well not four or five there probably two or three that have big power plants that may have a large utility uh presence but for most part your biggest uh um assessed value comes from your real property followed by your personal property and then of course your utility property. Any questions on comments on page two? Moving into page three, you can see that the district has 32 mills for maintenance operation. You're required by uh our constitution to have at least a minimum of 25. LRSD has 32. You also have two mills for dedicated maintenance operation that are used for specific

112purposes that are voted on every year when you all uh vote on your tax, which you're required to vote on uh once in a calendar year. Uh you recall that in this last legislative session, normally you all have a board race in November. That's been moved to March, but you still will be voting on your tax. And I think you all declared, Miss Welsley, I think you're the the one voter for the uh milligate for uh the 2026 November election. All that has all been taken care of with the Plaska County Election Commission and with the County Clerk's Office. So, we're in good shape from that standpoint. You also adopted and approved a proposed budget of expenditures which you have to do every year uh for what will be the next fiscal year that was

113also done at that time and that has also been published in the newspaper. And then you have your 12.4 debt service mills which are used to uh service your existing debt and to uh uh fulfill any other uh operating needs of the district. So you're at a total of 46.4 mills. The most recent uh number that we have for the average millage rate of Arkansas school districts is 39.25 mills. Now, when you look at a mill, a mill is onetenth of a cent. And so, if you wanted to determine, okay, well, what what would the assessed value be of $100,000 of real and personal property that would be 20% of that, which is $20,000. So, to determine what one mill would generate, you would multiply that by 0.001, one mil. And so what that would

114generate $20 a year on that one mill. If you look at what one mill generates in Little Rock School District based on a 95% collection rate, uh one mill will generate 4 billion no excuse me 4,622,220. Wish it was 4 billion, but 4,622,220 based on the $4.8 billion assessed value. I've got a slide in here coming up that will give you what your collection rates are based on the last five years. On pages three, four, >> don't jump over the bottom because they want to see similarities. >> That that's exactly what I on pages three, four, and five. This is some comparable data of looking at comparisons of districts with similar average daily memberships as Little Rock School District. And of course, uh, this district, uh, is unique from the standpoint that you don't have

115a huge large number of districts that have the the assessed values that LRSD has or from that standpoint even the enrollment. And so you can see that when you look at this, uh, you've got, of course, Conway School District at 1.7 billion, got 38.1 mills. Their third quarter, uh, average daily membership was, uh, 9804. You can look at Plasky County which is right under four four billion at 40.7 mills and their ADM uh or prior year 3/4er ADM was um 11,512. And the reason why we use that prior year three quarter average daily membership is because that's how you are funded. And when we get into the school finance 101 section, I've got the state aid print out uh for 2526 that will kind of show you what this funding formula means and how it

116equates to Little Rock School District. Oh, I I just saw that. Yeah, that's that should be 24 U that should be 2024 25. So, yeah, >> us to 20 54, Jack. >> Yeah. So, >> but this this is one thing on there when we're talking about the largest district there. You can see the ADM there and you can see Bendville barely beat us out there. So, that's why we're number three as far as ADM on phase three, the bottom phase three. >> And I can tell y'all I checked this thing about four or five times. So, sometimes your eyes see something and but anyway, it's 2024 2025. So, thank you, Mr. Bailey. Um, then going on page four, this is kind of comparing districts uh with similar uh assessed values. And again, it's really kind

117of all across the board because when you look at really the only district in my mind, well, similar would be uh Plasky County, uh, Little Rock, and I guess you could throw in there, um, Bentonville, of course, is everybody knows how northwest Arkansas how much they're growing. You could look at a Springdale uh but but there just not a huge amount of districts that are in the billion dollar assessment. But this is kind of the list of the districts that fall in that category along with their millage rates. Uh 2024 millage rate and then of course the 2024 2025 3/4 average daily membership. Uh and um it's kind of funny when we talk about uh training sessions, we're going to go through a lot of material here. And I always kind of mention that if

118you want to understand the school funding in Arkansas, it's pretty similar. You gain kids, you benefit, you lose kids, you don't. I mean, that's that's really the bottom line. And I know a lot of your discussions have been tonight with different schools and enrollments and things of that nature, but that's really what it's all about. And um uh is uh growing in the enrollment. On page five, this is kind of showing uh how Little Rock School District compares to uh the districts of course, not only in Plasky County, but the counties that surround Plasky County. And uh it of course includes Grant County, Perry County, Faulner, Seline, Jefferson, uh and Lono again district. So you've got small districts in here. Uh you've got larger districts in here. Your assessments are all across the board. kind

119of looking at I guess the smallest assessment it would be Poland in Grant County with an assessment of 18 million. They got 534 kids. Uh and then again uh you can see um with Plasky County um and Little Rock, y'all are well you're over the almost to the five billion and Plasky County almost to four billion. Any comments you want to add to that, Mr. Bailey? Any questions or comments? Again, this is just kind of some data just to kind of give you an idea of how the district compares from an assessment and enrollment and a millage standpoint. >> Y'all get board member hours for this session, too. >> Yes, you will. >> We're gonna test you. We're gonna test you at the end. >> Yeah. And I guess it was was it last year

120or the year before last? >> I think last year. I feel like it was very recent. >> Might have been Jacksonville Northwest. >> Well, North Lock North Little Rock passed a big village increase and I think it may have been in 2024. >> Um, but Dr. Wright, it could it could have been soon. I just But yes, to answer your question, they did. And so this is their most recent Miller rate of 48.3. >> Out of all the districts in the state, are they the highest in terms? >> Uh, no. Well, I actually um I actually think the high Well, you know what? It used to be Poland, oddly enough, in Grant County. Um it might be it might be. I'll check and and and let you know >> in May of May of 25.

121Okay. >> I don't think anybody crossed the 50 mark. >> Not that I recall. I think they are the highest. >> Um, Cutter Morning Star passed a big millillage rate uh in Garland County uh either last year or the year before. They may be up close to that 48 as well. But but I'll check on that and let you know. That's a great question. >> Now you know the next question, the elephant in the room. What is is it time for us to increase ours? >> Oh, why you laughing? >> I already said it. >> Huh? >> I already said it 10 minutes ago. >> We'll look at some a few other slides. It's going to show some >> Mason. That's that's a question for the for the district and the board. >> No, it's

122good. I know >> the last millage increase for Little Rock School District, I bet it's been >> 199. >> I bet it's been 25, 26, 27 years. I remember it and it's been a long time. >> 2000. >> It's 2000. >> Was it 2000? >> Yeah, it was. >> It was on the board then. Okay. So, 25 years ago >> on page six and of course I think page six really I mean this is kind of really what y'all are talking about uh is the enrollment trend. And of course you really like to see that enrollment trend going upwards or you like it going you know sideways so to speak but not declining. But that's the case that it's been the last four years. And um so anyway, um that's kind of why I mentioned

123that that um since you're funded based on on enrollment in ADM, it is, you know, that's why you'll see here in a minute that you get declining enrollment funding, what you rather get is uh student growth funding because you're also getting additional funding in all the other categorial funding. But that's based on the prior year three quarter average daily memberships. You got a question? >> I'd like to say that probably the next time that Dr. Wesley will let me, I will probably make some kind of a formal motion about increasing exploring increasing millage like the next meeting. exploring being having somebody come out and tell us what a campaign would cost. >> I do wrong. >> I would I wouldn't encourage us to let us No, no, no. To I think we need to do

124a lot of community rebuilding and community trust. Uh which is part of what the viability process was about before we >> Yeah. Because because I don't think there's for that right now. I want to make sure we do the work necessary to make sure we get we get good >> uh moving into pages 7 8 N. This is a list of the district's outstanding debt. And these are all everything in here is current as of September 1. We list the date of each of your commercial bond issues. That's your bonded debt which is secured by your 12.4 debt service mills. We give you your current interest rates, uh the maturity date, uh who your trustee is, uh whether or not uh the call date has come or or is still ahead of us. And the

125call date when we say callable or we have a date uh going uh in the future, that's when the district could either prepay bonds early, you could refinance bonds if interest rates are lower to have interest call savings, or they could uh be restructured with an election to generate additional funds. I've also done a a background of what each one of these bond issues have done and some of them you'll find they go back quite a quite a ways. You know the interesting one about the the September 21 2017 was that was the second lean bond issue to built Southwest High School and that was maybe after the first election. Does that sound right Kelsey? >> So >> I think so too. Uh and then uh and it it some of these issues were used

126to refinance other issues. some of them were used to generate project funds. Uh you've got a good uh interest rate structure. Uh you're uh on page eight. Uh the December 28, 2021 series A that was from your election. It was the I guess it took three three tries. the third time the election passed and that was to restructure a couple of his existing bond issues the December 115 and the December 15, 2015 and then generate a little over $200 million for all the various projects. Uh and then um July of last year that was the series B that was the remaining voter authorized amount of that election back in 2021 um for uh the completion of those projects as well. And so, and then on page nine, you've got three what we call non-bonded debts.

127You've got two installment contracts and one uh lease purchase agreement. Those are typically the non-bonded debt are secured by your operating revenues. Your bonded debt are secured by your uh 12.4 debt service mills and your non-bonded debt is typically used for short short-term projects. You can see it's u energy conservation measures back in 17. uh then you had uh two lease purch or one installment contract for school buses and one lease purchase for school buses. And so when you look at your total debt of the district, it's a little over $490 million. And of course, obviously, that's a that's a substantial number. But when you look at what your debt is to your assessed value, it represents uh 10.08% where you can see as of June 30 of 2024, the statewide average debt ratio was

1288.94%. We'll probably get the 20 uh the June 30, 2025 debt ratio. I would hope anytime. Uh I looked for it from the Department of Education website, but it had not been posted yet. There there's another way I answer that question is >> Yes, ma'am. >> All right. I just wanted to mention one thing and a lot of times I would get asked, well, is that high or low? you know, is that which is and and so you know, when you look at the statewide average, okay, it's slightly higher than that, but but there used to be and I don't know if there's a statute or a rule to be honest with you, but districts could borrow 27% of their assessed value and with state board approval, it was over 30%. That rule got eliminated

129or law got eliminated uh during Johnny Keys uh tour duty as the commissioner and districts can basically now borrow whatever they can afford to pay back. So there's not a there's not a a a debt to assessment that is a cap. And so you have some districts in honestly that their debt to uh assessment is over 30%. Some of them there are handful of districts and I mean it's a small number that don't have any debt but I would say that 10% is really not a it's it's not a bad number at all. They're lot that are that are higher. There are a lot that are you know 15% 16% 20% 25% and so forth. Miss Welley, do you have a question? Um so if uh if if and I've got a savings page to

130show you here momentarily. So now on page 10, this is what your your bond payments look like. And you all have what we call a level debt service in our world. uh you know like when you borrow a house, you borrow money for a house or a car, you're going to pay the same amount every month, right? Well, in the bond world, bonds are sold in increments of $5,000. So, when you do a level debt service, your payment from one year to the next is going to generally be within a $5,000 range. You'll notice that on your September 21, 2017 issue, uh and your June 26, 2019 issue, those are all fairly level debt services. you know, right around 7 million uh one and 3 million one on those two issues. You'll notice on the

131December 28, 2021, the payments are much lower from 26 out to 33, then they increase. And that was done by design because when you came back with your series B, we we wrapped around each other. So, in other words, you can see where you can take those payments from the 21 and the 24, add them together, you level out your debt. you get to that$ 26.1 million range that was done to make it affordable to the district. And so that's and then once those two issues pay off in 2033, then you have that jump in debt service in 21, but your 24 debt service is fairly level. But then again, as I mentioned, when you add those together, your overall debt service is right there around the 26,150,000 range. >> All good so far. Yeah,

132if I'm going too fast, please tell me. I'm happy to slow down. Um I think page 11 kind of puts that that page in perspective and about um uh the affordability of the existing debt. So uh based on your 2024 assessment and your 12.4 debt service mills and a 95% collection rate, which is conservative for Little Rock School District, that generates a little over 57.3 million annually in revenue. your payments in that second column mirror what they were on the previous page. And so you see a coverage rate of about 2.19. What that basically says is for every dollar in payment that you have, you have $2.19 of revenue coming in. And and I use we use the word surplus, which a lot of times we would rather use the word coverage revenue because when

133you see the word surplus, it sounds like extra. I think Mr. Bailey would tell you not to put words in your mouth, but that column right there is very much used on the operation and maintenance of the Little Rock School District, but you'll notice on your ballot, Miss Wely, you'll notice your ballot, the very last sentence says surplus debt service revenue can be used for any school purpose. And so what's important about that is I showed you earlier that your assessed values grow every year. So that means those debt service revenues grow or increase every year. I have not done that on this page to present kind of more of a conservative picture, but I' I've got a slide in here that will show you what that means to the district. >> So, when we're

134looking at this page, it shows that we have enough revenue to issue a whole lot more debt if we cut back on what we're spending out of that surplus column there. So, the surplus is going to supplement our regular operations out there. So, I guess initially with that 12.4 was probably more level where paying off just the debt part, but as assessments grown and had grown as much as the other part of it. So, >> and and it it is it is really common practice, I think, for most school district to use that surplus debt service revenue to operate maintain the school. There are some that don't. They're the exception, not the rule. But you can see kind of at the bottom of the page that surplus is used for is for operation maintenance. It's

135used for building fund. It's used for pay as you go projects or just a combination of all that. And so that is one way other than an enrollment, other than a millage increase. An assessment growth is another avenue or or a reduction in expenses. The assessment growth is another avenue that generates additional revenues for the district from one year to the next. >> So when we ask for additional mill, I don't think we service me. I don't. So you ask for two additional meals and they look at that revenue there and they say you have excess revenue. So it need to be put on some I don't know if you could increase the dedicated. >> Uh you can only go three mills on dedicated maximum three but not on M. >> Just got to have

136a minimum of 25. >> So you're saying we have room for more debt if we needed it. >> But can you repeat? Can you just repeat that? >> So right now we would go to the voters and say well we need 14.4 mills for debt service. >> Then we need money from that surplus column into the bonded debt service. >> We can justify saying that because I mean we have enough revenues to cover our debt service. We have 57 on the 26. So, that's what we talked about going to increase. We just have to cut back on some of that surplus. >> But then, but then how do you pay your operations? Is that right? Because >> that's what we've been trying. >> Sorry. I'm just trying to make sure I'm getting the big picture.

137>> Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah. You have the ability. >> Sorry. >> You have the ability to levy three types of millages with vote approval. maintenance operation, dedicated maintenance operation which you all have which were maximum is three and then debt service and de then debt service mill >> it's uh dedicated dedicated m dedicated maintenance operation >> that's correct >> so that that right there dedicated maintenance operation >> we use one mill for capital improvements maintenance and one bill goes toward technology upgrades and software and things like that so that's kind of how that is split up. >> You could add one there. Max is three there. You can add as much as you want to 32. The minimum you got to have is 25 in the state >> on the dedic I'm sorry. Go ahead.

138>> Dedicated maintenance and operations can be used for what >> you have to you have to specify in your ballot what that money is being used for. And so like I said, the maximum is three mills. It used to be the term used to be called capital outlay. And the ballots actually used to read that authorized you know by by state statute but then and I can't remember when it started but now you have to put in your ballot what those dedicated mason operations >> used for >> I think it was it may have been a combination of of debt service and M >> I think the M was added I have to see forgot how many Mr. I don't remember it. >> I'll look it up. >> I can get my hands on that

139ballot and I can email it to y'all tomorrow if you want me to. >> I haven't. >> At the time it seemed like a lot. I don't remember what the number was though. >> I don't either. I remember the campaign. I remember there was a group that was hired to do it. Uh we had a lot of meetings about it. I just >> don't remember. >> So, okay. Can I just >> It's 25 years ago. We shouldn't be expected to remember. >> I could Can I just summarize out loud one more time? I'm sorry. This is like I'm really trying to absorb a list which page you want. >> Okay. So you what you're saying when I look at page three and page 11 which is that one the one you were just on page

140three the 12.4 debt service is more than covering all the debts we talked about on the pages in between there and that is outlined in the chart on page 11. So when we pay when we use that 12.4 mills. It brings in the 57 million and that pay that is divided between paying off our debt at 26 million and then >> 31 left for maintenance and operations even though there's a separate bill for maintenance on operations. Okay. >> So if we would cut 31 million out of normal operations, we could issue say I don't know 400 million another 400 million or $300 million of capital improvement funds renovations and we have enough >> uh coverage on our debt service. So that 31 million, if we could free up that 31 million, we could issue additional,

141just say another $300 million of debt service or funds to actually do capital improvement around the district and have enough debt service revenue to cover our debt service payment >> without having any more mills, >> right? >> So that's >> that's us and that's what we've been doing. So that's what we've been trying to free up to make these additional debt service payments. you know, leaning oursel back so we can free up some of that debt service revenue. >> That doesn't take a vote or is that >> anytime there's a millage change? It requires a vote, >> but the debt services takes a vote >> if you increase it, if you change it. And you can't you can't lower it because you've committed to your bond holders that you would never reduce the security. So,

142you could never lower it unless you restructured everything. >> So, If you want to increase it, it would require a vote. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Anytime there's a change, it requires a vote regarding the tax. >> But you have the ability to just those other one meal on the the dedicated on page three from two to three. And >> it's only two. It's only two meals. >> Yes, it's unlimited on the maintenance operation, I guess. Right. >> Unlimited on M. >> So, so back in 2003 when the uh Supreme Court declared that our funding form was unconstitutional, you had to have 25 mills voted. Most school districts that had dedicated M transferred them over to maintenance operation because either reduced or prevented a millillage increase, but there's still a handful that want that dedicated M

143because what it does, it restricts that revenue to only be used for certain items. And so it's kind of I kind of look at as a as a money management tool, so to speak. So even if we reduce operational expenditures from that 31 million still have to go to the public to get >> I thought this additional >> mill additional mills but if we if I think what he just said is if you if you take that 30 if we took that we're using that 31 million for operations. If we did not need that operations, we could use it for bonded debt service and so we could draw down more money for capital improvement and pay that off in the debt service column rather than it being in the surplus or operations column. So if

144we are more efficient with the way that we operate our our operational budget we have in our existing mills more room for debt service. Correct? >> Isn't that what we just said? >> Yes. >> Okay. But to do that that that doesn't require >> No, because you're not changing your mill, right? >> You're not changing your millage. All you're changing is how you're we would have to streamline our operations significantly to save 31 million. And could you do that in part like if you if we wanted to I know you said 300 million to draw down from that 31. >> Oh, we have that's why you see those other increments up there that you talked about on those issues. >> So you could just draw down a 100 million for example if you wanted and

145not be using all of that surplus. a little bit of it. >> That's what it's called. School districts have the ability to issue what they call second lane bonds. >> Okay, that's the second lane bond. Okay, >> you've already had your your millage rate has already been approved by the voters. So, and and so school Arkansas school districts can come in and borrow money, which you all have done. Uh when you go back and look at that debt, when you see the when it says mills pledged and it says none, those are what we call second lean bonds. Gotcha. And so, um, >> that does not require a vote because you're using a revenue source that has already been approved by the voters. >> But you have to let the voters know that you are

146doing this. You all have a second lean bond application that is in play >> is it is it we're working on as we speak and you'll recall that y'all approved that application. You had to put in the newspaper a notice of intention to issue second lean bond so that the the patrons could, you know, if they see that notice, they know that you're doing it. But it did not require a vote. But you had to do that and then it had to be approved by the state board. >> That's why I was confusing with >> Yes. >> So it does have a vote but not from the public. >> Not from not from the public. >> Yeah, that one's been delayed. We expected it to be voted on today, but it's going to be hopefully

147brought in October. >> I think October 9th. But yeah, that's that's a great to clarify that. Yeah, all new money, whether it's a second lean or a voted issue, has to be approved by the state board. a refinancing or what we call a refunding issue where you're taking higher interest rate where you're getting lower interest rate bonds paying off higher interest rate bonds to save money does not have to be approved by the state board but it does have to be approved by the loans and bonds area of the department of education. The only thing that doesn't have to be approved by the Department of Education is on your non-bonded debt. You can go do the non-bonded debt and then they're basically you're notifying the Department of Education that you have done these these non-bonded

148debt issues. That answer your question, I hope. >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay, great. Um, so, um, anyway, as I mentioned, as your assessment grows, those revenues grow and those surpluses grow each year. And the next page on page 12, I think really like this top of this slide. This kind of shows you the impact of your assessed value and your debt service revenues uh, going back from 20 to 24. And so you can see that from 2019 to 2020 your assessment grew at 2.5%. 2021 1.95%. 21 to 22 7.93 that was a reappraisal year. 22 23 5.72 and then 23 to 24 uh 3.42. And so that debt service uh revenue growth that you see there those are additional revenues from one year to the next. So 19 to 20 generated almost 1.2 2 million

149more in revenues. 20 to 21 927,000 21 to 22 uh 3,850 22 to 23 3 million and 23 to 24 almost a million nine. And your 2025 assessment uh it's going it will grow as well. We've already got preliminary um and um but those really don't get certified until really the first quarter of the next year. >> Jack. >> Yes, sir. What what sets the the assessment growth percentage? >> Uh just comparing it from one year to the next. Just comparing like 20 to 19 it grew at 2.5%. >> Go ahead. >> So the 7.93 Why is this so high? >> That was a reappraisal year. >> Oh, okay. >> And so and and you'll go through that again in 2026. Okay. >> And so that's when the county comes in and relooks at all

150the property and it's reappraised and Okay. >> things of that nature. you trying to buy a house in probably plastic county anywhere in central Arkansas really anywhere in Arkansas at that time you know interest rates real low market was high I mean houses at a premium price at that time so whenever we appraise and we assess those homes taxes went up so it was good for us so we'll see that again hopefully 26 I don't think you don't see that much growth but I think >> but but you said now is it new that we will reappraise every >> four years is that new >> yes as of yes >> okay so every four years We should unless the economy is really going. Can can it go down if the economy is looking bad? I

151guess >> well there there have been >> or does it generally go up? I would say it gen are there there are areas of the state >> that you have had assessments >> flat or declined but but that's really gener in my opinion it's generated around the economic activity of where you are located in the state >> or exactly thank you Mr. Exactly. So, >> gota >> and so 2025 your preliminary assessment which um as I mentioned 24 was um 4 bill865 the preliminary is 4 bill938. Now, you will still have changes in that because, you know, you're supposed to uh do your assessments by what, May 31, but a lot of times folks will not assess until it's time to renew their tags on their car. So, >> you got me. >> Yeah. >>

152Just told me that today. >> So, so you pay the penalty, you assess. So, you still have, you know, uh September, October, and November, and December that these numbers can change. And so, um, the, uh, Plasky County Assessor really does a good job and I can check with them anytime we want to and they will give us the updated information on what the assessments are. But 2025 at currently looks to be a little over 4 billion almost 4 billion, 940. So, another another >> growth. You got that%. >> Oh, I did. It's it's not a huge amount. Um >> um so back on uh that um page 12 that that's to me that's the importance of a growing assessed value because it is a revenue generator for the district. Now as I mentioned I've been

153suming 95%. I just do that to be conservative because I'd rather you have a positive surprise than a negative surprise. You can see uh your five-year collection rate though is 97.71%. And so you can see your school tax levy based on your total mills, the school tax that you collected, and then what those collection rates are. And so sometimes you kind of, you know, in a perfect world, you'd be at 100% every year, right? So naturally, if you're ever below 100% at some point in time, you know, when penalties and interest and land redemptions and things of that are taking place of, you may collect more than the 100%. But your average is 97.71. The >> um you know and th those can be economic question issues right there. The state is going to guarantee

154you on your first 25 MS 98%. So you know you're going to get 98% on that. And so that's why it's really important that everything above that 25 mills you collect at whatever your collection rates are. And that's why it is nice to have a higher collection rate like you had in 2021 and then in 22 23 because that's going to be generate more dollars to the district. >> But anything over that 98% on the first 25 meals you have to send it back to >> That's correct. So >> yeah, they're going to make it up to you, but if you collect over that, you got to rebate that part back to the state. >> Any other questions or comments on the debt service mills debt or anything of that nature? >> Every time you

155present I learn Good. >> So, page 13, I think, is a page that you all should really be proud of because the district has really done a great job of managing its debt that when you've had the chance to lower your interest cost by refunding or refinancing high interest rate bonds with low interest rate bonds, the district has done a good job. And you can you see you can save over the life at almost $29.3 million. >> Now, one thing that you'll notice you'll notice in each one of these savings that each one of these issues has been structured to have what we call accelerated savings. You'll notice that most of your savings is put on the front end of the repayment term. That's really done by design because one it gives you it gives

156you instead of spreading out the life of of the loan which is great and important for operation maintenance. You can see by pushing it up front, it really gives you some dollars that you can do some things with, whether it's equipment, whether it's uh re, you know, construction, whatever the case may be. U this was really kind of generated u Little Rock didn't participate in it, but there used to be a funding uh called bonded debt assistance. And what it was, it was a formula that the state helped based on based on a formula, and it's in the next section. uh the state would pay part of a school district's debt service, but Little Rock did not qualify for that. But when they came out and started the partnership funding, the state said, "Okay, look,

157we're going to do partnership funding, but we're not going to continue to do bonded debt assistance. Um, but what we're going to do is we're going to take a snapshot of your debt as of 2003, and whatever that bonded debt assistant was, we will continue to pay that till those bonds would have paid off." But then the state said, "But if you do refinance any of your debt for interest cost savings, you've got to use those savings to your academic facilities or academic equipment." And so that's why more and more districts, they structure their refinancings, their refundings to get more money up front so they can do something with it. Not only that, if you were to come back in and restructure any of these loans to generate project funds, you've already taken the majority

158of your savings out and you hadn't left it on the table if rates are higher at that time. But yes, done a great job. Uh, and you can really see, I mean, here we are in, you know, 2025, 2026, and the majority of that savings has already been realized even though it's still some substantial amounts for the rest of the year. >> We try to anytime. So, partner with Stevens everything that we did analysis every year. We looked at that make sure we could realize it and say we could and all that capital improvement. So when I first got here I know we had people sometime come to the board talking about rules and different things like that but uh doing this along I think that 2009 as well with stimulus funds we got opportunity

159to take care of a lot of those mechanical and warm safe and dry projects that we needed to. So it was I don't know if we'll see interest rates go back down that low refund. We have had some movement with and with all the economic news that comes out that that interest rates are moving in in our direction. >> On page 14, page 14 is a summary of your all's last five-year audits. Uh these numbers came from your audits. The only thing we did was we took the support services and just combined them all into one line item because if we put them all out there, it would just make it hard to read this page. It print would be real small or be on two pages. So, we just consolidated all the support services.

160But these are your audited numbers looking at your revenues, your expenditures, and your fund balances at the end of June 30 of each one of those fiscal years. Anything you'd like to comment or add to that, Mr. Bailey? >> I wish our fund balance is bad. Any questions? >> I mean, I just have so many thank yous. Like, this says so I mean, what I'm seeing here is really strong and responsible financial management. And I mean, it's good to see where we fall within the state, honestly. Like, that makes me very proud of the work that y'all do. Thank you both for that. Um, yeah. I mean, I just know when I think about over the years and how many different superintendents we've had and, you know, different leadership, it's really great to see so

161much consistency here. >> Thank you'all for your support on the things we bring forth to you all because you all >> take action. Good data. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Adams. >> So, you know, we've had the discussion before, Mr. Bailey about that, you know, we get so much money per pupil from the state and and it depends some on what your property tax values are. And so because we have stronger property tax values, then we get approximately $1,900 per student and some others districts would have somewhere, you know, anywhere, I guess, from around $8,000 down to zero >> and some more than that. Some districts their 25 million generate more than the foundation funding amount. >> So my question is, is the relationship between the foundation funding? So if if as our property tax

162revenue goes up, how much does that adjust our foundation funding and how much is that actually helping us gain ground or is is there adjustments made from the state so we're staying level? Help help me understand that relation to that question for a few minutes. I'm going to show you a slide that's going to answer that question for you. >> All right, then I'll do that. Thank you, sir. >> You bet. >> So Blask County is at a point now they don't Blask Countyy's 25 mills generates greater than the foundation funding amount. >> So they don't get any foundation yet. >> So does Westside Greers Ferry. Uh there's there's a couple more. There only a handful of districts. It's five five to eight something like that. I can't remember. But I'm going to show you

163that formula here in just a minute. >> Thank you. Is that supposed to be fair that they don't get any because of their property tax they don't get any fun foundational? >> Well, Mr. M is I mean it's I'll give you my opinion on that. Okay. So, it's a matter of their assessed value and their enrollment. Okay? So, when you see the formula, I think it will make sense to you. >> Okay? >> But at the end of the day, for 2526, you're supposed to get $8,162 per child. And that's going to come between your local revenue that your 25 mills generate and then wherever you fall short of that, the state makes up the difference. And so there are a lot of times I get asked, okay, well, if our local revenue goes down,

164that means our state's going up. And if ours goes up, it means the state's going down. Well, again, on that foundation funding, my feeling is what difference does it matter where it comes from? You just got to get to that level where you make up the difference is it's the other categoral funding that if you're in a if your enrollment grows, you're going to get additional revenues because your enrollment is growing. Okay. So, um I guess what I mean by that is you got to have $8,1 and um 62 per child. It's going to come from your local and the state. If your local happens to generate more than that, then those districts benefit because they get to keep that money because it's a local tax. You may recall that oh, it's been several years

165and I think it started at Fountain Lake School District that the state called them up and said Darren Beck was superintendent said, Mr. Beck with you collected over you know the foundation funding amount you've got to give us give us that back and he said no I don't that's a local tax 25 mills and it was challenged in the district one so those districts and again it's not many it's only a handful that their local generates over that they keep they keep all that based on whatever their collection rate is >> and just to kind of jump in that all goes back to Lake View right the Lake View case that was >> this particular one >> the funding formula I guess no. >> Yeah, the funding for goes back to Lake View, but this

166particular deal go was not was not late. >> Right. But so the funding formula goes back to there to try to provide equitable funding across the state, but then they're also now looking at different ways to do the funding formula to my understanding at the state level and those there are some discussions around that I believe. >> Well, yeah, there was one they looked at last year and I'm awfully thankful they didn't go with it because it was very complicated, wasn't it? >> Yes. Yeah, we looked at it a little bit. >> CISA, I think. If you go to page 15, this is a revenue projection comparing uh 2425 final numbers to preliminary numbers on on 2526. And so what we're looking at is that there will be almost $9.3 million in additional revenue to

167the district in 2526. And that I I'm going to say I think that's a little bit conservative because if you look at that gray box below, you'll see under the local tax above your URT being uniform rate of tax. I'm only using a 90% collection rate, which I've already showed you that your collection rates are greater than that. So again, it's just trying to be conservative. But when you look at the addition where the additional revenues are coming from, it's coming from everything above your 25 mills, 90.6 million to 93.7. is coming from your foundation aid because we're going from 7,771 to 8,162. Your learns money uh is u consistent. Uh there's a little bit more money in professional development. And then if you look at declining enrollment, you're going from almost 900,000 to almost

1681.3 million. And so, like I said, you're glad to have the declining enrollment, but what you would rather have with is is is um is student growth funding because then you're going to benefit from all the other categorial funding. But still, you it's good to have that there's going to be an increase in revenues from this fiscal year, last fiscal year. >> Can you explain again how does how does the state determine how much you get in time? That's like a one time thing, right? Uh, no, it's a it's a it's an annual. If you'll hold on to that thought for one second when we go into the next section, I've got that highlighted for you. >> So, you know, declining enrollment or student growth, you only won't get one. You won't get both, but

169it's a it's a year-to-year. >> So, this is a good slide here. My projection won't be as good as that. I think I'm taking a little more conservative approach on what I'm present to you all, but it's showing that we're going to have some growth here. Yeah, these are Yeah, these are coming from the final state a print out for 2425 and the read >> only thing might be maybe a little bit different on taxes. >> That's correct. On tax collections. That's absolutely correct. >> How are we doing on time? Y'all good? Now, do you want me to go to this? >> Jack is more engaged. >> What what I'm passing out now is the state aid notice for 2526 because when I go to this Oh, yeah. Everybody have a state a print out?

170If you'll go to page five for a second, let's just kind of start at page five if we can. This is showing you the three different types of millage rates uh that a school district can levy. your maintenance operation, which is your minimum of your 25 MS where the state's going to guarantee you a 98% collection rate. Uh, and as Mr. Bailey said, if you collect over that, it goes back to the state. Collect less than that, uh, the state makes up the difference. Um, and then, um, you have your debt service mills, uh, which is, uh, levy to secure your outstanding bonding indebtedness. Those are temporary mills because when your debt pays off, those mills roll off the books. They can't be uh the only way they can be reduced is if the district

171were to go through what we call a roll back. But uh that is that is not likely for Little Rock School District. If it did, it' be you'd have to grow over 10% on your assessed values. And then you have your dedicated mason operation or what we call capital outlays which are used for specific purposes. Maximum three mills can be levied. And then you have to put in your ballot um what those uh revenues are being used for and that's the only thing they can be used for. Below that you can see uh federal uh excuse me miscellaneous funds and miscellaneous funds are uh payment L of taxes, federal forest reserves, mineral leases. Um you can even have a sales tax. One district um years ago actually even had a sales tax. And if you

172look at line item seven on this at the top leftand corner on the state aid printout the miscellaneous funds were a million78,939 and that is part of your local revenue per student when I show you this funding formula Mr. Mason that I think will answer your question. >> Okay. Uh, and then the homestead tax credit, which started off at $300, has now been increased with this last legislative session, uh, of $600, and that revenue is replaced by the state sales tax. Um, and then so if you are 65 or older, you can uh freeze your assessment. You don't freeze your miller rate, but you can freeze your assessment. Have you done that? I've done it. You need to do it. >> Are you suggesting I'm old? >> No. No, but I I know how old

173how old I am in >> and you're just a little older. >> Okay, >> don't tell them we need that extra. >> Well, of course. >> Well, who's being nice to you? >> Uh on on page six, uh here's your state foundation funding formula. Um if you take a look about, you know, middle down the page, it says foundation funding formula. And the formula is your district assessment times your 25 mills times 0.025 times a 98% collection rate plus your miscellaneous funds divided by your prior year 3/4 average daily membership. So if we plug in Little Rock School District numbers, we plug in the 4 billion865494986 times your 25 mills times the 98% collection rate plus the miscellaneous funds of a million78939 and then divide it by and if you look at your state aid

174printout on line item 10 2024 2025 3/4 ADM 19,476.55 5 that equals 6,17581. Well, you're supposed to get 8,162. So, the state makes up the difference of 1,98619. So, if you look at your state aid printout, you look at line item 16, the top right hand corner, there's your 8,162. Line item 15 is your per student local revenue of 6,17581. And then you can see line item 17, there's your foundation funding aid of 1,98619. And so, uh, Mr. Mason, going back to your question, however, >> your assessment goes up, your enrollment goes down, that will change that number. It will increase your local revenue per student. Your assessment goes down, your enrollment goes up, it will reduce it. So, it's just how the numbers come in. But you can kind of see maybe why I

175say that you've got to have 8,162. If the local goes up and the state goes down or the state goes up and the local goes down, where you really benefit is under other categorical funding that we're going to talk about from a growing enrollment because that's going to generate additional dollars. Even though it is restricted revenue, it is used for specific purposes. It can freeze >> it can freeze up >> M. You can look at some breakdown. December one came late. So we got one in January, one in December. So redee So I mean it go right now as we get that one. >> Any questions on the foundation funding the formula where the numbers come from? Mr. Adam, did that answer your question? >> I'd just like to make a a brief editorial comment

176and you tell me if I'm if this is correct. So, so for a student from a state budget perspective, which we don't have any control of the state budget, but from a state budget perspective, we get per student. But from a state budget perspective, if that student left the Larch School District and went to a charter school, then that student would get about $8,100 from the the state to support them. Would that be correct? >> Well, it's it's it's it's about I think it's around 90% of the prior year. You're talking about the voucher. >> No, charter. >> No, I'm talking about >> for charter. They would typically get the full foundation, I think, because they don't have a tax base. >> Oh, you're talking about charter school. >> Yeah. So if you So if

177you went to ch So if one of our students went to a charter school from our school, instead of the state paying 1986 for that student, the state's going to pay around $8,100 $8,00 for that student. And if the state if that student did not come to our district, if they left our district and took one of the vouchers and they would take but 90% of that $8,100. So in excess of $7,000, >> right? So from a state budget perspective, the state is in some ways paying somewhere around $6,000 per student for them to not go to our district. >> They're not getting any local tax money. >> Yes. >> Right. >> Yes. So it but I think that that that's something that the public often doesn't understand is that you know if if they

178would stay with in the little dark school district as far as a state if we're concerned about the solveny of the state and what the state can do that we are a much it would be much um wiser to help us be as productive as we can and and educate as many kids and do a good job of them because that's very expensive. It's four times about four times more expensive for from the state budget perspective to go for a student to go to a charter school and almost as much for them to go to a private school. >> That's not an accident. >> Agreed. >> All right. If we can't moving on to page seven, I'm going to highlight just some of the categoral funding. Um these are uh and and I've got in

179this list what the money can be used for. uh and and everybody kind of take a look at that um when they have time. But for your alternative learning environment uh for um 2526 is going to be 5,212 uh dollars per student. If you'll go to line item um 31 below the line, you can see the alternative learning environment. Um, and that's um I don't know why they're still showing 5,86. I'll have to check on that. But anyway, you can see that's 965,000. And then you can see under the English language learner, they don't have it on this uh state a print out because it's too early in the year, but they're funded at $375 per student. For 2627, it's going to be $384 per student. And then uh on page eight, professional development, which

180is on line item 37, um they can fund up to $41. Uh but the prior years have only done $37.50 and you can see for Little Rock that's $798,539. And then for the um uh enhanced student achievement funding, it's based on how many kids uh if you're uh greater than free and reduced lunch or national school lunch greater than 90 cents, 90% or between 70% and 90% or below 70%. That's how much it is per child. And you can see for Little Rock, it's 15,628,47. That's typically your largest category of funding and it's got a pretty broad definition of what those funds can be used for, which I have listed at the bottom of that page, but that's a a substantial number for the district. Mr. Bailey, anything you want to add to the categoral

181funding? >> Pretty much cover. >> I have a question. Um, >> so are those the ESA not on here yet, right? On this spreadsheet. >> Yeah, it's on line item 33. The big one. >> Oh, 30. Oh, okay. The 15 million. >> Um, the question I have about the ESA funds, does this is this tied to the filling out of those school lunch forms every year >> or now that we're doing the community eligibility, how does that change? >> So, we're frozen because we are on provision two before. So, we have that base year. >> Yep. >> Uh, but for those schools, Jefferson, Forest Park, and Roberts, I mean, parents still if they don't have a qualifying application, if they want to get like uh scholarships and other different things that you have to have

182that application, they still fill it out. But >> yeah, it this is pretty much frozen. >> So it's frozen for how many years? >> I think it's five. >> Okay. So we basically have a set we set a year for our percent of students who will be in ESA and then it doesn't change for five. >> Well, it's not just ESA, it's just for meal applications for that percent. So they pull it from your direct certifications. Uh and was it that meal application from the district for your base year? >> Okay. >> So base year I mean we really push we push every year but really push at that point to get those everybody to fill out a mill application and see who qualifies. >> So the base year was set in what year? >>

183That was two years ago. >> Okay. >> We just our first year in C this year. >> 23. >> Yes ma'am. >> Okay. So it was set in 23. So we'll do that again in 28. I think so unless you have a qualifying event. So sometime they say make you I guess we say make you depending on if we close multiple schools or something at that time. So the base may change. So you have to >> open a new high school >> maybe possibly. Yes. >> I just kind of wondered about Okay. So that that that but that generally stays pretty static for us because as as the biggest amount >> I guess it fluctuates based on our enrollment but Uh around So >> that's I mean that's fine. That helps me kind of understand

184this. But it's generally pretty consistent and I would think at the mark. >> Thank you. on page nine that shows you the breakdown of the formula for the student growth funding uh or the declining enrollment. They're projecting Little Rock to have declining enrollment funding. You can see on line item 43 at the bottom lefthand corner of a million262. And so it's comparing the three quarter ADM of the prior fiscal year uh to the current fiscal year. You can see the declining enrollment funding is equal to the 3/4 ADM of the prior fiscal year subtracted from the average of the 3/4 ADM of the prior fiscal years and the ADM of the fiscal year prior fiscal year multiplied by the current foundation funding. And so >> and I know y'all lost that. >> Yeah, it's a

185little comp. It's comparative >> one year from the next. And so >> where student growth is the same but again you're going to get additional funding in the other category of funding. So the basis of that declined enrollment funding is basically kind of a soft landing. So you don't have to dramatically >> correct cuts that that year. So you may have students that may return back and you cut all your staff out. So gives you a little cushion where you can that's that's the question regarding uh director Adams charter and private schools students going away and coming back. So, >> but I don't think that's why it was put in place. But yeah. >> Yeah. But I'm just asking that that came to mind the coming back. We don't get any funds for them to

186come back. >> Uh we won't get any funds that year, but the following year if they stay there three that first three quarter average goes into that ADM that calculates out there. So yeah, but if they I mean we may get a portion of funding for them because they won't be there probably three quarters. the 3/4 adm the board time frame, >> but it's a year behind. So you >> Yeah, it's always the prior year. Thank you, Mr. B. That's correct. >> Okay. >> I guess we could get some growth fun. >> Um page page 10 uh just gives you a few more of the categoral fundings that are not a part of Little Rock School District. I will point out the bottom of that page there's that bonded debt assistance uh which was the

187calculation. It really was kind of an incredible thing. And so some districts before partnership funding came, they would come in if they received bonded debt assistance, they'd come in and and and honestly borrow money because that the state's going to f pay pay for could be as much as 30 40% of their payment. So but but there were a certain number of schools that did not qualify for it. Um other things in uh let me let me stop from a funding formula standpoint. Anything Mr. Bailey we want to add to that? Any other questions? >> I think so. I'm g show you all a few things as well. We kind of talked about >> I have so many questions. I'm sorry. Where is Medicaid in here? I know it's not part of the funding formula,

188but it's revenue. >> Uh, which is Medicaid. >> I know you're ready to go home, but this is my time to learn about the school budget and this is the first time in two years and I've had this kind of session on school budget and I am loving it. >> The the Medicaid is not on here. So, we have two different things. You have one that's actually built reimbursement. We have Arkansas, we have Arback as well. >> It's based on those random moments. So you'll >> So that's in here. >> It's not I don't think it's all here. Yeah, this is a over presentation. It'll be I'll have it in my presentation, not tonight, but >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I'm just thinking about it because I think a lot of our school nurses and

189they are amazing and they don't get paid enough. >> So that that's one thing I know uh you nurse Muan or director Muan is looking at increasing the amount of Medicaid along with sped as well. So we've had some sessions around that. >> Great. Also, my office actually handles the Armac on the calls and stuff. So, we've grown that to make sure we we utilize all that. Most of that money goes toward >> SP services. So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Sorry. Just real quick, some of the rest of this uh this this section right here has things on learns act, has thing on um information on teacher salary equalization fund, but it's also got information on the bond world and who are the participants and and the different type of bond issues, you know,

190new money issues, refunding issues, second leans, things of that nature that um we can we can so Mr. Mr. Bailey can move into You've got some things that you want to talk about, right? >> Yes, >> we can. We can assign those as homework. >> We can we can flip through. No, we flip through if you want to. >> No, we don't. >> I said we can flip through. >> This is all narrative, though. >> No, this is all narrative, isn't it? >> Was there anything else, though? >> If you can't fall asleep tonight, just start reading this stuff. You don't have any problem whatsoever. >> No problem. All right. Any questions? Any other questions? >> I want to show y'all a few things. I want to thank Mr. Trump though for that great presentation.

191>> Absolutely. Thank you. Great to be with y'all. So y'all ought to have a pretty good grasp of school finance and everything. You need both hands. clock. One of the things 366 was elementary. Oh, sorry. 336. Okay. That that to me like speaks very much to policy. >> So, so we we'll have some more work to do as uh Dr. Wright u I present I guess it was an April April May the plan budget planning plan Dr. Wright. So it was pretty comprehensive on different savings we had there um to try to pretty much cover everything on my presentation here as far as assessment. I just have an Excel spreadsheet to look over some dates over some dated times here. You can kind of see our assessments over the years. So we did have some

192years that were very lean. I might have hidden some of those but I mean we had a year of growth here was only you know.7. We actually had one that was negative somewhere I think in the 2000 early 2009 or eight somewhere in there. Uh but we've seen some growth over the years. So that that's good to continue to have the growth year. So had some lean years we had some very good years. So we can lean toward that three and a half to 4% growth every year. I think it's going to be something would stabilize our actual revenue coming in as far as I'm going to just show you this and I won't be before you but >> Mr. Ba, I think you've shared this with us before, but could you share again? Could

193you send this to us the the spreadsheet page on enrollment? >> I will. Yes, sir. >> Because, you know, we >> it'll be part of my presentation, too. >> Right. But I I think that part of the part of my thought is that you know that you know people are many people are understandably concerned that you know that we every few years we're discussing about do we need to repurpose a school or combine a school or or close a program and why do we keep doing that and I think that's those enrollment numbers really help to shed the light on why we are having to have those very difficult discuss discussions that I think all of us would prefer not to have to have. >> Yeah, I agree. And you know 336 most the average

194probably size of our elementary school 300 and something. So that's a full school there. So at least >> you look at that total number that's 600 and something number. I mean that's really the equivalent of pretty much two elementary schools and if we don't not saying that every time we we need to close two elementary schools but >> when we don't that's a financial strain. >> Yes. But you can kind of see our total enrollment over this time frame from 15, you know, we were close to 25,000 24. We hovering around that mark as we go down the the chart here, but I'll provide that to you as well. >> Why do you think there's the kind of bulge in third grade of it was 120 in third grade and about 30 to 40 in

195all most of the other grades? >> Any ideas on that? >> We don't know at this point. >> Okay. Guess >> no idea. We did gr gain some 12th graders here, some seniors, >> 71. So >> that's great. >> Yeah, I know Central is up. So I know that new wing and different stuff over there attracts folks back. So >> speaking of attraction, Pinnacle High School. Speaking of attraction, Pinnacle High School, when when are we open the doors? >> Fall of 27. 27. >> So it'll be finished or completed somewhere in the spring, early summer, spring of 27. So it's going to take So getting FFN and getting everything in that building ready. So yeah. >> Will that increase? Hopefully that'll increase. >> I hope so. Yeah, I think so. You'll pull those students over

196there. That's going to be in a world of trouble. >> So we'll be down to Well, I'm not sure how many high schools I won't say. We'll be down. So >> only other thing I want I want to just show y'all a few other things. I know this has been a request in the past to kind of see staffing too as well. So uh we we are down staffing right now compared to last year where we were doing budget time. So last budget we had about 130 vacancies. We still have about 123 and some of these may additional may go away. Uh but overall we're down aboutund at least 102 staff members right now in these different areas. Uh so some of those a lot of those were intentional reductions as we presented to you

197all. >> Ask how many of those are people we sent home versus people who haven't ever gotten hired. >> Well the people who have never gotten hired is on on 123 side. So >> these are actually true reductions as we look at uh let me see on the think on this is the revenue detail I have here right kind of chart. Let me get over. So, uh, Mr. Trumper showed you some items as well. I'm a little more, I guess, conservative on my projection. We may look I'm going to look back with my staff as far as what we're looking at as property tax collections. So, we're pretty much looking at maybe a 3% growth in collections over what we had on on last year some maybe a 2% growth there. As we look I

198have this highlighted because I I this is this going to change because we want to collect but one uh uh revenue in le of taxes in this actual calendar year because we got to last year. So that's going to grow up a little bit but overall it's positive for our uh actual revenue growth anywhere between that 7.6 and I think the 9.2 that Mr. Trumper showed you as well. So everything is pretty much good. The AL not AL but ELLL we call it LAP here. Uh not sure on that. I got to talk with Dr. Henry. Uh we 1.2 million last year. I think considerably we're going to budget about 1.1 million. We do know some of those families have left the areas too just because of some of the issues going on. Uh I

199just leave it there. Uh before you move on, I I I know this isn't the official one, but um if you recall the last two years that number has not been green and so this is uh first time really since my first year that >> Oh, this this number been green. The overall number been green. >> That's what I'm Oh. >> Oh, yeah. I had got to You're trying to steal my thunder, doctor. Right. >> You just get say just get to it, huh? So overall revenue projected to be positive. So, at least this what we have projected right now as of today. So, as we finalize everything, this is where salaries came in. Just loaded these up today. Uh, with those vacancies, it's about $3 million and there's 1877 million. So, you can see

200it's a reduction of almost 6 million there. Uh, we won't fill all those vacancies out there. I think we may fill half of them. So, you probably could have anotherund $1.5 million of saving there. Come back up to 7.2 benefits here. uh that's a little bit less, you know, 1.4 million. We're actually probably going to spend this amount. Health care cost is going to go up or contribution rates are going to go up for all uh public schools from 23450 to 350 that's required by the state effective January 1st. And that's why you can see on let me go back this one. You can see what the state foundation funding amount is. That was a significant jump from 7771 to 88162. they put in extra money there to take care of that $350 going to

201be required for healthcare. You can tell the next year is going to actually be less. So the state plan is to actually, you know, send that money directly to EBD and it won't actually go through the the district. So but overall right now we're also textbooks. This is a a small adoption year. Was it uh just health? >> Was it health this year? No, this past year. Yeah, sorry. >> Was it health? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, last year, I mean, it was a I think that might have it wasn't a record. So, 2023 was a record amount, almost six.5 million. And, uh, last year we spent about $5 million on textbooks. This year, we're scheduled to spend about 2.3. We may have a few additions there, no more than 2.5. So, that's going to

202be significant savings there to help us out to make sure that we're not in the red this year. So right now everything is looking very favorable as we go through and uh get everything put in the right categories and making sure that the different categorical funings are balanced and everything. So that's what we're working on right now, but overall we're looking positive for now. So >> Dr. Wright, >> that's all I want to >> thank you. Thank you both so much. >> But if you have any questions, so we'll put full things. I won't go over all the stuff. I usually have a lot of presentation on the stuff that Mr. Trump had covered. I mean, his book is detailed. So, I have two extra books for Miss Callaway and for Miss Hatter as well.

203So, I'll have those available. Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> We can yeah come back every year. >> Okay. >> Sure. So, 4.1 uh food corpse. I think this is just an agreement. Anything on that, Dr. Wright? Stephanie. >> Oh, Stephanie, come. >> Oh, I'm sorry. There's Stephanie's name. >> Yeah. Uh, good evening. Um, yeah, food court is a part through our community schools. Four of our community schools have a food core member. It's paid for but through the city of Little Rock. They've already approved it. So, a couple of the documents you have there are the um approval from the city of Little Rock. Uh the food core members help to run school gardens. They teach classes, nutrition, they uh come to community events and give out recipe cards and support a lot

204of different work like that. Um but it is no cost to us. >> Awesome. Questions? Questions, guys? >> Questions? All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Minne. 4.2. I can't believe not you. >> And this will be real quick. I just wanted to clarify from the last time we had this first initial um presentation with um solution seekers the amount was less than uh 50,000. So I know I've talked to a couple of you and a couple people have mentioned are we bringing this back to take uh official action. We don't the board doesn't have to vote on it because it was less than the threshold. Just want to let you know that we are moving forward with um those various focus groups focus group meetings. We're actually teaming with MHPSI, our the marketing firm,

205to actually do some joint efforts. So, we won't have to keep, you know, talking to some of the same people over and over again. Just want to let you know that we are moving forward with that and it won't be coming back for um for an actual >> questions. Yes, ma'am. >> Strong, >> could we get a schedule of what's happening when so that we could be in our neighborhood meetings andor zone meetings or anywhere else in the city we'd like to go? >> Yeah, of course. Of course, you're going to get the Oh, well, you said you were doing them and I didn't know if they >> I just I just let you know that we're moving forward. We won't be bringing it back. I won't be coming back asking for Yeah. >> Anything.

206>> Mr. Rose, is she cover almost word for word there at the start? >> All right. Anything? Yes, sir. >> Okay. All right. All right, guys. So, we will move on to five, right? Yes. policy possible LRSD role in federal court challenge to learn act vouchers. >> Did you do 4.2? >> That was it. >> Okay. >> I'm just questioning everyone. >> Good evening, Mr. Edings. >> All right. Um, I know back in early part of summer or late part of summer, Mr. Heler sent over a memo briefly uh describing um, you know, what's going on in the Faulenberry case, a case where uh, the plaintiffs are a group of parents and some teachers who are challenging the uh, constitutionality of the um, learns act voucher uh, program. Um, and I was charged with the

207responsibility coming over here this evening to talk to you all about um the district's possible participation in that case. uh whether we want to uh consider intervening in that case uh versus um filing an AMA's brief and and what um being an intervenor entitles us to versus um following an AMA's uh brief in that case. So um by way of background, I'm not sure, you know, how closely y'all have been been following the case. Uh but in that case, the the plaintist essentially argue that the the voucher program uh violates um the uh 14th amendment of the United States Constitution um article 2 section 24 of the Arkansas Constitution uh and the establishment clause of the federal constitution. Namely because um the plaintists argue that um not necessarily that you know private private school teaching

208of religious religion is inherently um undesirable but that the state shouldn't pay for that that stuff is particularly to the detriment of of traditional public schools. Um so with respect to uh the district's uh possible interest in this case um if the district um intends to intervene uh one of the things that we have to show is is standing meaning that we have a a a concrete issue um in the case and one of the things I heard Mr. Trumper talked about tonight was that um when districts gain students, it it benefits districts and when they lose students, it it's uh it's detrimental to districts. And and I think the the last slide that we saw uh as we're we're down 680 students over over last year. Um, now, you know, I can't sit here

209and say that we can uh directly tie the loss of all 680 of those students uh to um this Learn Act voucher provision. But um I think that we can definitely at some point if we do decide to participate in the case determine who those students are, where those students went and if they are recipients of um a learn voucher. So, I think that, you know, damages if if we do intend to participate would be uh easily traceable uh because we're able to identify those students, identify, you know, where those students have gone and if they've um received the Learns Act voucher. Um, and one of the things that that I think would be advantageous uh to the district as an intervenor versus uh AMA status where we're we're um you know better able to

210um I say I don't want to use the word dictate, but we're we're we're better able to um state our position in the case. um we're better able to um you know demonstrate the the impact that this law you know has on the district uh going back to the decline and enrollment if we can you know trace you know where those students have gone and why they've left uh whereas um in a in an AMA's position we we essentially are only supporting the position of the the uh the plaintiffs who are already existing uh so with that I I'll pause for a moment and take any questions that you have. >> Try one question. You said that it would work to our advantage if we try to determine where the 608 students went and to

211see if it had a negative impact on the district finances. Yeah, I think I think um you know in order to show that um you know this learns act provision has has had a a a direct financial impact on the district. We I mean we'll have to do some kind of participation in discovery. We'll have to do some kind of analysis as to you know identifying who those you know you know where those students are who were here last year who are not here this year. uh determine uh where they went for for example if they are now uh enrolled in um parochial schools and if they're recipients of a learns act voucher and I think that that's uh that that won't be an arduous task okay >> at all in my view. >> So

212as a legal expert you're saying that's the direction to go as opposed to piggybacking. >> Well I mean I think that that's uh and I appreciate that compliment. Uh but I think that that's a um a policy is a decision that that the that the board needs to make. Um but I think that um you know given the fact that you know when a when a when a student leaves our district >> um I would say 10 times out of nine the receiving school district sends um a request for that student's records. Right. So that enables us to know where that student has gone, right? So we can identify who those students are. We can now identify, you know, where that student is this school year as compared to to last school year. And um

213if that student is in a private school, um we can ascertain if that student has uh receive a voucher from the state uh to attend that private school. So if we piggyback, none of that what you just said would happen, >> right? Well, if we if we if we participate um if we opt not to participate as interveners, if we just file an AMA's brief with the with the court, uh basically uh what we're doing is we're not we we're we're we're not in a position to state to the court that this statute has damaged the school district in some way. We're essentially only supporting the claims of the plaintiffs who are are are in the lawsuit already. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Director Mace. >> So essentially we're just the injury part

214would be the the students leaving and and going elsewhere >> and the and the impact that that the students you know leaving has has you know caused the district. I mean the the financial impact in that um we whereas we're you know and I'm just you know and we'll have to get into it but you know for example uh whereas and I and I wrote some rough numbers down uh >> uh and this is assuming all 680 now uh have gone elsewhere uh via this Learns Act uh voucher times uh approximately $6,800 a year. Um, and I wrote those that roughly that's about $4.6 million. Um, you know, that's certainly the difference between meat and beans at my house. But >> the point the the point is, um, that's that's $4.6 6 million this year

215that we wouldn't have available to maintain our facilities, hire staff, or um promote already existing programs in the in the district. >> And there would be strong implication I'm sorry. >> No, no, go ahead. >> There'd be a strong implication there going to be further damage going forward if they keep doing that. >> Right. And and I and I saw the numbers, not just this year, but the numbers from last year. And then and it's it seems to be a trend somewhat. I >> I know it's a lawyer's thing to want to find to get, you know, money for damages. And I appreciate that. We need the money. You need the money. Everybody needs money. But I would be satisfied as far as relief goes with simply blowing the law out of the water and

216not having that problem anymore. That would satisfy me. But >> yeah, money is a great thing, too, >> right? So okay. So well I guess my only question going to swim. Um so essentially the difference then is to provide more breth from our standpoint the impact um along with what is being provided as opposed to filing the amas where we're just a party to it and we don't provide any impact on >> right specific and if the and if the board's goal as a whole is the same as as as Mr. roses just to, you know, you know, to get the >> um, >> you know, the law off the books and that's, I mean, that's, >> you know, Yeah. Okay. >> I don't I don't >> that's good for next year, but it doesn't

217do anything right now. >> Right. Correct. >> Okay. Um, you like to add >> two questions, Mr. Adding. So if we from what what you described, we we would know in the discovery portion, we would know if somebody requested records from us, that would help us to know where somebody went. And then you said that we could tell then if they were a recipient of the of one of the vouchers. So, is is that is that a public thing that that we can get a that it's findable to get a list of the names of students who receive vouchers? >> We could we could get that in discovery. I mean, if we if we file a motion to intervene um and the and the court grants that motion um we could certainly uh procure that

218information uh during discovery. Uh but with respect to uh intervening at at this point um the the last I heard um and and and we've communicated with the plaintist council I believe I've communicated with him. I'm not real sure when the late the last time Mr. Heler communicated with him it's probably about 3 weeks ago. Um they responded to the state's motion to dismiss their their complaint. And I'm not sure that the court I don't think the court's ruled on that yet. So, >> as of yesterday, >> right? So, my point is um the the case is in the early stages. Uh there hadn't been any discovery taken in the case. So, we're not too far down the road yet. So, um, but in in filing a a motion to intervene, uh, that that if

219if if the board does decide to intervene, that that that I, you know, you can't wait much longer. Um, I think that that the way the the case is currently postured, I think that that a motion to intervene would be timely. Uh but I don't think that the board, you know, should wait until the parties in that case have have, you know, conducted discovery and file dispositive motions. And I think that they're they're probably a little ways off from that. >> I want tonight, >> but but we were but I didn't get that. So >> So my other my second question, thank you for the first question. My second question is um do we know what the plaintiff's position? Would they welcome us to intervene and do they and do they how much choice do

220they have in that matter? >> Uh the plaintiffs don't have much choice. Uh that's the answer to your second question. But the answer to your first question is um our last communication with the plaintiffs um they communicated they were they would welcome intervention from the uh the Rock School District. Okay. >> Thank you Mr. Strong. Thank you for being here always. Um I have like a statement that has like five bullets. I don't know. I tend to think in bullets. Um and I wrote them down so I don't get them confused. Um I do think on on the back we kind of outlined two options but of of intervening or doing the friend of the court brief. I think there's a third option of not engaging in this. Um and I just want to say

221that out loud that that is an option. Um, I just don't I think there are a couple pieces in here where we don't have a a lot of reason to get deeply involved in this. Um, I think the second paragraph of the or the third paragraph, I'm sorry, of the brief where you um talk about the equal protection provisions. I mean, I as a an as an advocate and a person who cares about kids, I do think that I worry about little accountability. um through the EFAS um in in the environments that are outside of public schools. I do worry about that. Um as a school board member, I guess, but those I mean those students are not in our district anymore. So I I do worry about them, but they are outside of I

222guess the purview of the students in this district that we are responsible for. And then the the third point um on the standing I have a concern on the standing what you say at the end of paragraph three or you all say I don't know if you wrote this or not but um that this >> let me let me let me let me grab that so >> Oh yeah, you're good. I'm just coding from the document because I like to read a policy document. >> Go ahead. Um it says that we should be prepared to show the impact of the program dot dot dot on our ability to maintain a highquality system of public education which meets the needs of the students in the district. I think we do that. I think we are doing

223an increasingly better job of doing that under Dr. Wright's leadership and our board's guidance. And I strongly disagree with the fact that we are not maintaining a high quality system of public education which meets the needs of the students in our district. Um so I'm please just hang on. >> I'm hanging on. I know you're having trouble hanging on. >> I'm hanging on. >> Um so on that standing piece, yes, we have declining funding, but we are serving the students that are here exceptionally well. I think we are doing an increasingly better job of having positive outcomes for our students. So, that is bullet point three. Um, bullet point four is that I would rather invest $50,000 in telling the story of the fantastic work we're doing in a nuanced and impactful way in our

224state than in putting us in the middle of a lawsuit that's going to last years. And I know that the the cost to the attorneys might be $50,000, but the cost to our staff and to others to really get involved and prove that point is much less. And then finally, I just want to say learns is a mixed bag when it comes to public schools. And I think there are some things in learns that are positive. Um, I think about high impact tutoring and the grants we receive for that. I think about the maternity leave dollars that we receive as a state, which I know came kind of as a second add-on to learns, but I think there are some We just need to be able to think about the pros and the cons of

225what overturning learns would mean for the state of Just hang on. We need to be able to think about the pros and cons of what what our district engaging in a lawsuit to overturn major state policy would mean for students around the state in all educational settings even as we sit here and are doing more with less. Um and I I don't disagree that there have been negative impacts on our district. I think we really need to think carefully before we say this. Our role as a board is to step into this lawsuit. Thank you. >> Well, we want the $6 million. You said it just now. We we trying to do more with less. Let's have more. And this is not going to overturn the law. This not going to be overturning learn. It's

226just going to be overturning the voucher part. That's all anybody's suing about. That's all we would be suing about. >> And for you to The kids that are gone are not getting quality education they would have gotten if they had stayed. And that's where your responsibility for the children of Little Rock comes in. >> You don't think you have any of that? Hang on. Hang on. Lace your fingers and put them down. Just wait. >> This is this Learns Act. parts of it were designed to impact this district negatively, designed for that. This is the first opportunity that we have that we've come close to defending ourselves against that saying, "No, we're not going to let you just push us around everywhere. Yes, you have the responsibility of providing uh public education, but you turned

227a lot of that responsibility over to us." And then you took it away and then you gave it back. So either take it away again or do right. >> I'm done now. >> Strong. Did you have Did you have anything else? I mean, we don't want this to be a banter. Just >> I'm not bading anybody. I'm just getting >> I didn't I didn't >> I didn't say that for any type of response. I was just saying I don't want it to be a banter. That's it. That's >> That's okay. That's I mean I I think that it's important to note that when you have an opinion that's fine that's your opinion. When you have an opinion that's fine that's your opinion >> your opinions are wrong so your mind >> and that's okay but

228I really don't think that I don't think you're going to change your mind but I mean I think you know it's just important to note that we can freely express how we can >> honestly think of everyone on the board whose mind I can change the one most likely. Okay. >> One who's most likely to be thinking the same way I am in the same in the same rut. And if I can get her moved over into my rut, she's on my side. >> Okay. All right. >> Any other questions? You guys have any other questions? >> I can appreciate that. Any other questions? >> Yeah, >> I desperately want Do we need to have a special meeting before our regular meeting >> to hold on this? I'm sorry. I'm still yelling. I'm sorry. Let

229me know. Turn my voice down. Do we need to have a special meeting? Or do we is two weeks too late? >> I don't think too late. >> I heard him say we really have time. >> I mean, whether the case is currently posture again, I think that it's um um early enough. I wouldn't I wouldn't delay. >> You'll keep an eye and watch on it. If it starts popping next week, you'll say, "No, we need to have a special meeting and decide one way or the other." Right. >> Right. >> All right. you guys have um pretty good information to be able to make an informed decision going forward or do we need to have them come back um and share anything further or to send something um that would help us to get

230the information necessary to make an informed decision. How about you guys let us know? Is that fair? >> I've not gone to court connect and read all of the documents and all of the pieces of the lawsuit. I think you should do that. Okay. >> Okay. >> Well, if anything comes up, let us know. Thank you so much, Mr. Eding. We appreciate you. >> I'm sorry. I shouted at you. >> I'm sure you've been shouting at >> I shouted at you once a long time ago. >> Told you sit down. >> I remembered as if it was. >> All right, guys. So, we're going to move on to board and superintendent comments. Comments. Comments around the room. >> Yes. >> I saw one of the slides. We have That was that was that was an

231approving. >> Yeah, Miss um probably Miss uh uh Gudy will be sharing that with us. All right. >> Right. It went from 1,00 to500. And so what's the pathway? What does a parent have to do in order to receive that 15 Uh it's a great question, Director Johnson. They uh so the state will also release that information once the screener data is released. >> Okay. >> So the state identifies students who are eligible. They send out letters to us who then send them out to families. >> Um so yeah, hasn't been released yet. >> Okay. Thank you. Director Bali questions. >> Yeah, I just want to put it on the record. Uh I've been in contact with the director of Dalton Weston Boys and Girls Club, Miss Margaret Lewis. She does a great job with

232uh a lot of our students in that community in the Wakefield community, and she's once again requesting a bus route for her students uh to come there in the afternoon. Uh, I think it's I think we should um really consider doing that again. Uh, it's a safety issue. Uh, she sent me a video of the students walking. It's definitely over 30 or 40 students walking. >> Mr. Bollock, could you I think this has been brought up a couple times. So, could you just um connect with the superintendent? You guys >> just want to make sure it's getting it's getting worked out. No, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it so they can hear it so they know that I'm not playing when I'm telling I'm doing this. you remind them and just

233kind of pressure. >> I did. I sent the email reminder, but this for this for the public. >> Okay. Okay. >> And then uh also um >> I just wanted to add that I also been reached out to about the timeline on the renaming of the gym at Lacy too. So if we could uh figure out a timeline so I can communicate that too. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Other comments school to >> To the Boys and Girls Club from Wakefield Elementary. Okay. >> Other comments for comments. >> Yeah, that's what she said. >> I love when we have these talks. >> I don't know uh if I'm supposed to give out this invitation, so I'll just say it in household health super. I'm going to join you Monday for the peace walk at

234Carver, Washington. I'll be there. You're supposed to be there, too. >> All right. I'll be there physically. >> All right. >> It's wonderful. >> 8:30, I think. Check on 8 a.m. Okay. >> Yeah. Check on the website if you want to be there on time. 8 a.m. she says. And I think that's probably right. >> Any other comments? Yes, ma'am. I just want to note um that we have uh I guess September two months until the filing period for school board and so I don't know that I have heard that there is someone running in every zone in the new zones and I just want to put out there that um serving on a school board is lots of fun and you can come here and hang out with us from 5:30 until only 8:30

235um on a lot of nights. >> I promise not to yell at you at your first meeting >> and Mr. Rose might yell at you sometimes. >> Not at the first meeting, but but later. Yeah, almost certainly. >> Um, but I just want to say we we have a great board that is doing great things for kids in our city, and sometimes it's hard, but I think that we um overall are all here for the reasons of helping kids and helping our state be a better place and helping our city and our schools in particular be a better place. Um, we would love for you to join us if y'all um if there are um zones that don't yet have people running or even if you want to challenge one of us, I guess that

236is also fine, too. >> It occurs to me I might have to yell at them from the audience. >> You do have an opponent I've seen in the news. So, yes, or an attended opponent. I guess nobody's filed yet. Right. >> So, I I definitely don't want to prolong the meeting, but I do want to make clear and um ask for clarification later on that in reference to hall. So, whatever we decide, whatever whatever we decide, we've got to decide something either by next board meeting or by early October because whatever we decide is going to have an impact on open enrollment and our recruitment season. And so I just want to like we don't have time to, you know, >> so between now and the next board meeting, we are going to host uh

237we're going to host some meetings with students at the school and we're going to host some community meetings. Um >> yeah. Yeah. Definitely. We'll let you know because we haven't scheduled those yet, but we will. But but I don't want us to leave here thinking that we've got like a lot of time. >> So whatever the decision is, we got to know what we're going to do. >> We've got a lot of stuff we need to get done soon for the next six weeks. >> Yeah. And and and alumni, too. And alumni. Are you gonna reach out to Hall alumni? >> Yeah, to try. >> All right. And um I just want to thank you guys so much for your input, for your insight, for your essence, for your spirit, and for your um you

238know, just working collaboratively. I love it. >> Yes, sir. You have >> one other announcement. And um this announcement is uh regarding an honor uh for uh our past president, Michael Mason, but I don't know all the information. I know he's going to be honored tomorrow, but why don't you tell us what it is? >> Why don't you tell us? Why don't you show the >> Well, it's the the 1975 overall high school basketball championship. Little Rock Central High School being honored uh teammates who will be on the field at halftime, tomorrow's game. So, >> isn't there >> I was pardon. >> Is there something before the game? Well, they're I I don't I don't know what's being planned for before the game, but everyone we got people flying in from all over the place.

239So, you know, some of the teammates are coming in. >> So, you play basketball? >> Yes, sir. >> Everybody who wants to go, >> Pardon? >> Because 1975 is 50 year anniversary and that's we won the championship in 1975. Anybody who wants to go see that needs to buy a ticket electronically before four o'clock apparently. >> You know it. >> Well, congratulations. >> Thank you. >> All right. All right. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed. >> Absolutely.