Return schools' control, Little Rock says; Board of Directors asks state for election

Little Rock's Board of Directors on Tuesday asked state officials to return control of the city's public schools by calling for an election, making the formal request nearly 21/2 years after the state swept the elected School Board from office.

The 7-3 vote to approve the resolution followed a brief statement from Little Rock School District Superintendent Michael Poore, who said he expects clarity as to how the state will restore local control after a new law dealing with takeovers goes into effect in August.

City Directors Joan Adcock, Erma Hendrix and Lance Hines voted against the measure, which Mayor Mark Stodola drafted. Stodola last month postponed a scheduled vote at the request of Poore, who said he wanted to attend the vote.

The state Board of Education took over the district by a 5-4 vote in January 2015, when six Little Rock schools were considered to be in "academic distress." Because of improved test scores, three of the schools have dropped that label.

Education Commissioner Johnny Key, who effectively serves as the school board, last year selected Little Rock citizens to serve on an advisory board, which can make recommendations but not conduct official business without his approval.

[EMAIL UPDATES: Get free breaking news alerts, daily newsletters with top headlines delivered to your inbox]

Little Rock's resolution says it is in the city's "best interest" for residents to be "involved in the decisions" made about public schools.

It highlights that 94 percent of the district's schools are "performing satisfactorily" and asks the Board of Education to announce an election date after the new law -- Act 930 of 2017 -- goes into effect. However, it is not specific as to when the election should be held.

"I'm in favor of anything we can do to get local control back," Poore said, adding that his part of that effort is "making the school district great."

Lack of local control motivated opposition to the district's failed push to renew an existing property-tax levy and was a sore spot for residents who felt powerless to stop the district from closing three schools amid a budget crunch.

City directors supported the tax extension and asked the district to rethink the school closures through board resolutions, which do not have the force of law.

Stodola, who called it important for directors to take a position on the issue, said he plans to hand-deliver the request to Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who chooses the education commissioner.

City Director Capi Peck sought to shorten discussion on the issue after only Poore and City Director Ken Richardson -- who repeated a request from last week to be listed as a co-sponsor -- made comments. Her motion to vote on the measure immediately was deadlocked at 5-5, and Stodola opted to allow city directors and residents to speak on the issue.

Peck said after the meeting that directors had heard from constituents at length about the issue, and she knew the board faced a lengthy meeting, which ultimately lasted two hours.

"I'm actually glad those who spoke did because they made good points," Peck said.

Hendrix said she supports continued state control of Little Rock schools because of her party affiliation. She also said she'd like to see new "biracial school district boundaries" be drawn before an election.

"I'm a Republican, and I don't back off of that," Hendrix said. "I support whatever the governor is instructing them to do."

Anika Whitfield, a community advocate on multiple school district issues, asked the city directors to "go a step further" and request an immediate call for an election, before the new law goes into effect. She also urged directors to attend the next Board of Education meeting to make that appeal.

Dale Charles, president of the NAACP's Little Rock branch, called attention to the September anniversary of the nine students who integrated Central High School, saying the takeover is "still all about race."

"Whatever progress we made 60 years ago, we're going backwards because we don't have a school board," Charles said. "I'm going to be embarrassed for the Little Rock Nine to come here in September and we don't have a school board."

Adcock said few people have stepped forward to run for the school board, specifically asking directors why they aren't recruiting candidates.

"We need to slow down, and we need to let the process work," Adcock said.

Richardson retorted that he hasn't encouraged or recruited candidates because it's a "moot point" without an election date.

Poore, who spoke first and wasn't asked any questions, encouraged city directors to submit online comments to "help guide and shape how" the state Department of Education's staff write rules pursuant to Act 930. Poore said he expects the law to "define, with more clarity," the process to regain local control and that the community can influence those rules.

"I don't know exactly how that is going to take shape," Poore said. "All I can say is that we can all participate right now. Certainly, whatever you do with this resolution, there's another whole angle at this to make sure we participate in the process of Act 930 with the state [Education] Department."

The law will replace the "academic distress" label with a five-tier system that prescribes different degrees of state intervention.

Little Rock will be classified as a "Level 5" district because it is already under state control, according to a timeline Key released in May. The Board of Education will start developing a "transitional support plan" after the law becomes effective, with a goal to approve the plan at its October board meeting.

Transitional support plans, according to the law, describe the support the Education Department is to provide to the school district and the school district's support to its schools.

The document does not specify a time to call a local election.

Metro on 06/07/2017

Upcoming Events