Dr. Brouke Reynolds, the Coordinator of Innovative Virtual Learning Programs, provided the Board of Education with an overview of the district's ATLAS results.

Last spring, all Arkansas students in grades 3 through 8 took the state’s new exam, which is called the Arkansas Teaching, Learning & Assessment System, or ATLAS. ATLAS is a new exam, and it replaces the ACT Aspire, which Arkansas students took for nearly a decade.

On the ATLAS exam, students are tested in the areas of English Language Arts, mathematics, and science. Ninth and tenth grade students take end-of-course exams for Algebra I, geometry, and biology. The ATLAS exam measures students’ mastery of Arkansas standards that they are being taught instead of college preparation, which is how they were assessed on the ACT Aspire.

The ATLAS exam is a new test; therefore, the exam provides us with a new baseline. Since this is a new test, we cannot compare the spring 2024 results to the spring 2023 results because students took an entirely different test in spring 2023. Remember, in spring 2023, Arkansas students took the ACT Aspire.

The results showed areas to celebrate, particularly schools that showed students scored above the state average. The data also guides teachers and administrators with areas to improve instruction.

Mr. Brian Brown, the Chief Financial Officer for the North Little Rock School District, discussed the response from the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities & Transportation. The state agency extended the construction start deadline to July 20, 2025, which means North Little Rock residents would have to vote on the millage increase during the May 2025 special election.

The millage request includes the following projects:

• Building a brand new middle school campus
• Renovating Ole Main
• Building an indoor sports complex

The partnership funds from the state would provide $20.8 million to the cost of the construction. However, in order to receive the funds, the district has to have the support of the community to complete the project. If not, the money will go back to the state, and it could take years to be considered again for partnership funding.

Construction of new middle school campus

Renovation of Ole Main

Construction of indoor sports complex

Ms. Crystal Barker, the Parent and Family Engagement Coordinator, presented on the district's plan to keep parents and families in the know about the NLRSD and its schools. This plan is annually created by the district and submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

In the November 7, 2024, edition of Board Brief, we published that the Classified Personnel Policies Committee (CPPC) approved the reorganized position of Chief of Staff.

This note is to clarify that the CPPC approved the salary schedule for the Chief of Staff position.

The Board of Education accepted the updated salary schedule for the Chief of Staff position.

Email: communications@nlrsd.org
Website: nlrsd.org
Location: 2400 Willow Street, North Little Rock, AR, USA
Phone: (501) 771-8000
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