Board Brief

May 18, 2023

Name, Title, and Pronoun Usage

Mr. Jacob Smith, the Executive Director of Human Resources, presented information to the Board of Education regarding model policy submission from Arkansas School Boards Association for use of name, title, and pronouns of students by staff members.

The policy is being prompted by the LEARNS Act which is now the guiding law for this subject matter. Failure to pass a policy addressing this issue will create a noncompliance with applicable law that goes into effect July 1, 2023.

Click here to read the model policy submission.

State Facility Partnership

Mr. Darrell Tessman, the Facility Coordinator for the Arch Ford Education Service Cooperative, provided the Board of Education with an update on state funding to support the construction of a new middle school. The Board of Education is looking for at least $20.8 million in partnership funds to build the school.

The district did not get approval to receive partnership funds; however, approved districts can rescind the money for projects and that could fund our middle school building project. We will keep you updated on this.

Classified Employee Salary Increases

Mr. Jacob Smith, the Executive Director of Human Resources, and Mr. Brian Brown, the Chief Financial Officer, presented a proposal to raise salaries for classified employees in the district. Classified employees are individuals in the district who do not hold a teaching license. After further discussion, the Board of Education voted to table the decision to give the district more time to look for additional money for these employees.

Please click here to see the proposed increases.

2023-2024 Parent-Student Handbook Recommendations

Mr. Gary Logan, the Executive Director of Student-Centered Support Services, presented the North Little Rock Board of Education with recommended updates for next year's Parent-Student Handbook.

After further discussion, the Board of Education tabled the decision based on feedback about uniforms. Staff and families should be on the lookout for a survey to provide their opinion about uniforms.

Please click on this link for recommended changes.

Event Information