Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) feasibility study, part one

.EARKdANSAuS DcEPARaTMEtNT ilOnfF Dr. T. Kenneth .James, Commissioner 4 State Capitol Mali Little Rock, AR 72201-1071 (501) 682-4475 http:/ /ArkansasEd.org OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL September 12, 2006 The Honorable William R. Wilson, Jr. United States District Court 423 U. S. Post Office and Courthouse 600 West Capitol Avenue Little Rock, AR 72201-3325 RE: Little Rock School District v. Pulaski County Special School District, et al. U.S. District Court No. 4:82-CV-866 WRW Dear Judge Wilson: I am writing in follow-up to an earlier letter dated November 17, 2005, in which I advised the Court and the parties that the Arkansas Department of Education had contracted with Gordon and Associates to conduct a feasibility study as required by 26 of Act 2126 of the 85th General Assembly. I am enclosing a copy of the completed feasibility study for your information. Should you or any of the copied parties have any questions or comments, please contact my office at your convenience at 501-682-4227. Si,rely
,0 ~~'4 General Counsel Arkansas Department of Education Enclosure cc: T. Kenneth James, Ed.D., Commissioner of Education Mark Hagemeier, Attorney General's Office Chris Heller, Attorney for Little Rock School District John Walker, Attorney for Joshua Intervenors Sam Jones, Attorney for Pulaski County Special School District Steve Jones, Attorney for North Little Rock School District Mark Burnette, Attorney for Knight Intervenors The Honorable Will Bond, State Representative Horace Smith, Office of Desegregation Monitoring- Pulaski County Special School District Margie Powell, Office of Desegregation Monitoring- North Little Rock School District Gene Jones, Office of Desegregation Monitoring - Little Rock School District STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: Chair: Diane Tatum, Pine Bluff Vice Chair: Randy Lawson, Bentonville Members: Sherry Burrow, Jonesboro Dr. Calvin King, Marianna Dr. Tim Knight, Arkadelphia Dr. Ben Mays, Clinton MaryJane Rebick, Little Rock Dr. Naccaman Williams, Springdale An Equal Opportunity Employer 1047629_1 Arkansas Feasibility Study A Report Submitted to Dr. Kenneth James, Commissioner, Arkansas Department of Education By William Gordon Associates
Saluda, North Carolina William M. Gordon Percy Bates David E. Bartz William R. Gordon Charles L. Patin, Jr. June 30, 2006 Contents Topics Page Executive Summary ................................................... A I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II. Feasibility of Reorganizing the Three Pulaski. County School Districts: One School District North of the Arkansas River- Act 2126 of 2005, 26(1) ......................................... 6 A. Student Assignments ........................................ 7 B. Facilities .............................................. '. . . 11 C. Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1. Classroom Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2. Building Level Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3. Central Administration ......... : ...................... 20 D. Transpo1iation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 III. Feasibility of Reorganizing the Three Pulaski County School Districts: Two School Districts North of the Arkansas River - Act 2126 of 2005, 26(2) ....................................... 22 A. The Reconfigured North Little Rock School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 1. Student Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 2. Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 3. Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 a. Classroom Teachers ............................. 28 b. Building Level Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 c. Central Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 4. Transpotiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 B. New Jacksonville School District ............................. 35 1. Student Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 2. Facilities ........................................... 37 3. Financial Considerations .............................. 39 4. Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 a. Classroom Teachers ............................. 41 b. Building Level Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 1048408_1 c. Central Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 5. Transportation ....................................... 44 6. Governance ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 IV. Feasibility of ReC'rganizing the Three Pulaski County School Districts: One School District South of the Arkansas River -Act 2126 of 2005, 26(1) and (2) ................................. 45 A. Student Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 B. Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 C. Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 1. Classroom Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 2. Building Level Administrators .......................... 54 3. Central Administration ................................ 58 D. Transportation ............................................ 58 V. Effect of reorganization on Desegregation - Act 2126 of 2005, Section 26(3) .................................... 59 VI. Plan for Umtary Status for the Three Existing School Districts in Pulaski County to End the School Desegregation Litigation: Act 2126, Section 26( 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 A. The cutTent status of school desegregation in Pulaski County . . . . . . . 66 B. A limited analysis as to where the existing school districts stand on the road to unitary status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 1. Student Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 2. Faculty and Administrative Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 3. Facilities ........................................... 71 "4. Transportation ....................................... 71 5. Extra-curricular and student activities .................... 72 C. What is unitary system? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 VII. Unitary Status: How to End the School Desegregation Litigation in Pulaski County ................................................ 77 A. A post-unitary status three school district approach for ending the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County ............... 79 1048408_1 11 AD Feasibility Study .e B. A post-unitary status four school district approach for ending the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County ............... 81 C. Why a post-unitary three new school district approach is not feasible .............................................. 82 VIII. Recommendations and Conclusions: Ending the ongoing school desegregation litigation ............................................ 85 Conclusions ......... , ................................................ 91 Attachments 1048408_1 Brief Biographical Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Specific Language of Legislation Creating this Feasibility Study . . . . . . . . . . . B North Little Rock School District Student Enrollment 2005-06 . . . . . . . . . . . . C Pulaski County Special School District Student Enrollment 2005-06 . . . . . . . . D North Little Rock
:_,chooDl istrict Faculty Assignments 2005-06 ..... . ...... E Pulaski County Special School District Faculty Assignments 2005-06 ........ F North Little Rock School District Administrators 2005-06 ................ G Pulaski County Special School District Administrators 2005-06 . . . . . . . . . . . . H 'Little Rock School District Student Enrollment 2005-06 ................... I Building Capacities for Each of the Three Districts ....................... J Little Rock School District Faculty Assignments 2005-06 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K Little Rock School District Adminishators 2005-06 ...................... L "School Desegregation Cases: The 'Good Faith' Requirement" by Charles L. Patin, Jr. and William M. Gordon, 159 Ed. Law Rep. 407 (January 31, 2002) ............................. M Ill "Achieving Unitary Status Under the Combined Standards of Dowell and Pitts" by William M. Gordon and David E Bartz, 82 Ed. Law Rep. 283 (July 1, 1993) .................................. N Exhibits Schedule of Meetings Necessary in Conducting the Study ................. 1 Facilities Analysis - Pulaski County Special School District ................ 2 1048408_1 IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY William Gordon Associates was engaged to conduct a feasibility study for the Arkansas Department of Education. 1 The purpose of the study was to conduct an analysis to evaluate and determine the most feasible public school district structure that will best meet the educational needs of students in Pulaski County and to provide recommendations as to how the ongoing school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County might be ended. Specifically, we were asked to address the following: The possible consequence of the elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District and redrawing of school boundaries in Pulaski County to form one school district north of the Arkansas River and one school district south of the river. The feasibility of eliminating the Pulaski County Special School District and redrawing of school district boundaries in Pulaski County to form three school districts, including one school district south of the Arkansas River and two school districts north of the river with one comprised of the Jacksonville area. Whether the elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District would further desegregation efforts of all of the school districts. Propose a plan to pursue the end of school desegregation in Pulaski County. Meet with all relevant parties to the contract over the life of the project to coordinate the development, implementation, and management of the project. 'William Gordon Associates is comprised of Dr. William M. Gordon, Dr. Percy Bates, Dr. David E. Bartz, Mr. William R. Gordon, and Charles L. Patin, Jr., Esq. A brief biographical information as to each member of the team is found in Attachment A. 1052141_1 A Data were collected from a wide variety of sources within Pulaski County. Because results from the study would likely have broad impact throughout the county, every effort was made to gather information from people who might be affected by the study's recommendations. This was accomplished through a series of meetings with individuals, groups, receipt of recommendations from organizations, and a wide variety of stakeholders. A complete list of the meetings is attached to the report. The study commenced in November 2005, and was completed in June 2006. Team members made eight onsite trips to Pulaski County during this time period for interviews, meetings, and for the collection of information and data. Findings: One School District North of the Arkansas River. 1052141_1 The existing North Little Rock School District has 19 schools (20 buildings) and 9,580 students. The reconfiguration would add 26 schools and 13,677 students for a total enrollment of 23,256 students. The racial composition would go from 36.3% white, 58.8% black, and 4.9% other minorities students to 47.1 % white, 48.3% black, and 4.6% other minorities students. The existing North Little Rock School District employs 770 teachers. The addition of the 26 schools would require the employment of approximately 990 additional teachers for a total of 1,760 teachers. The racial composition of the teachers for the reconfigured school district would change modestly from the current 82.7% white, 16.2% black, and 1. 1 % other minorities teachers to 81.9% white, 17.4% black, and 1.2% other minorities teachers. B The existing North Little Rock School District employs 41 principals and assistant principals. The addition of the 26 schools would increase the number of principals and assistant principals in the reconfigured school district by 52 for a total of 91 with a racial composition of 51. 7% white and 48.3% black principals and assistant principals. The reconfigured North Little Rock School District would require a central administration of approximately 58-66 central administrators. The reconfigured North Little Rock School District bus fleet would increase from 89 to 163 buses. It also would acquire 2 additional bus compounds for a total of 3. This reconfiguration would involve combining four distinct communities (cities) into a single school district. While it would be possible to make such a reconfiguration, it would create a new school district that would be the second largest school district in the state of Arkansas. In our judgment, such a reconfigured school district would be difficult to manage due to both its geographic size and the lack of a commonality of interest among the communities that would constitute the reconfigured school district. The existing North Little Rock School District looks upon itself as a community school district with a strong identity with schools and the community it serves. Accordingly, in our judgment it would not seem prudent to reconfigure the school district to include all areas of Pulaski County north of the Arkansas River. 1052141_1 C 1052141_1 Two School District North of the Arkansas River. A Reconfigured North Little Rock School District - The existing North Little Rock School District has 19 schools (20 buildings) and 9,580 students. The reconfiguration would add l3 schools and 6,763 students for a total enrollment of 16,343 students. The racial composition would go from 36.3% white, 58.8% black, and 4.9% other minorities students to 43.7% white, 51.7% black, and 4.6% other minorities students. The existing North Little Rock School District employs 770 teachers. The addition of the l3 schools would require the employment of approximately 493 additional teachers for a total of 1,263 teachers. The racial composition of the teachers for the reconfigured school district would change modestly from the current 82.7% white, 16.2% black, and 1.1 % other minorities teachers to 82.6% white, 16.7% black, and .7% other minorities teachers. The existing North Little Rock School District employs 41 principals and assistant principals. The addition of the 13 schools would increase the number of principals and assistant principals in the reconfigured school district by 27 for a total of 68 with a racial composition of 52.9% white and 4 7 .1 % black principals and assistant principals. The reconfigured North Little Rock School District would require an increase in central administrators of approximately 5-7 central administrators. The reconfigured North Little Rock School District bus fleet would increase from 89 to 159 buses. It also would acquire 1 additional bus compound located at Oak Grove. D Jacksonville School District - The Jacksonville School District would have 13 schools and a student enrollment of 6,914 of which 55.0% (3,806) would be white and 40.3% (2,786) black, and 4.7% (322) other minorities students. Five of the 13 schools are rated as in need of extensive renovation or replacement. The Jacksonville School District would require 497 teachers. If the teachers pre_sently assigned in the existing Pulaski County Special School District schools that would be transferred into the Jacksonville School District are employed by the new school district, the racial composition of the teachers would be 80.1 % (398) white,.19.9% (95) black, and .8% (4) other minorities teachers. Each school would have at least 2 black teachers if the current teaching assignments are continued by the new school district. The Jacksonville School District would have 26 principals and assistant principals, 13 white and 13 black if current building level administrative assignments are continued by the new school district. The Jacksonville School District would be in need of a central administration consisting of 19 to 27 central administrators. Of the two options for reconfiguration of school districts no1ih of the Arkansas River, a reconfigured North Little Rock School District and a newly created Jacksonville School District present a more favorable arrangement and one that would be, in our judgment, more likely to address the educational needs of students attending schools north of the Arkansas River. A reconfigured North Little Rock School District would not be expanded beyond its ability to operate efficiently and would retain much of its community identity. Creation of 1052141_1 E - a Jacksonville School District would allow members of the greater Jacksonville community the opportunity to have their own school district. 1052141_1 One School District South of the Arkansas River. A Reconfigured Little Rock School District - The existing Little Rock School District has 49 schools and 26,312 students. It is the largest school district in the state of Arkansas. As reconfigured, the Little Rock School District would add 10 schools and 4,650 students for a total of 30,962 students. The racial composition of the reconfigured school district would go from 24.0% white, 68.7% black, and 7.3% other minorities students to 28.1 % white, 65.0% black, and 6.9% other minorities students. The existing Little Rock School District employs 2,027 teachers. The addition of 10 schools would require the employment of approximately 379 additional teachers. The racial composition of the reconfigured school district teachers would only modestly change. The existing Little Rock School District employs 96 principals and assistant principals. Adding 10 schools would increase the number of principals and assistant principals by 18 for a total of 114 building level administrators with a racial composition of 48.3% white and 51.7% black building administrators. The increase in students and schools in the reconfigured Little Rock School District would require an insignificant increase, if any at all, to the existing central administration. The reconfigured Little Rock School District's bus fleet would require an additional 160 buses for a total of 519. The reconfigured school district would also acquire an additional bus compound. F There is logic to expanding the Little Rock School District to include all areas of Pulaski County south of the Arkansas River. Unlike the area north of the river, Little Rock is the only city sc th of the Arkansas River. It is a rapidly expanding municipality. The reconfiguration envisioned in Act 2126 of 2005 would have a positive impact on desegregation. The Impact of the Reorganizations on the Ongoing School Desegregation Litigation: Because each of the existing school districts in Pulaski County remains under federal judicial supervision in the ongoing school desegregation litigation, any reconfiguration of these school districts would require an order from the federal district court. The existing school districts operate in part or whole under interrelated consent decrees. Pursuant to - controlling federal jurisprndence, a modification of a consent decree in institutional reform litigation, such as the ongoing school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County, may only be approved under certain conditions. We find that none of those circumstances appear to exist at this time. Absent the existence of circumstances conducive to modification of the existing consent decrees, the reorganizations outlined in Act 2126 are not legally feasible in the context of the ongoing school desegregation litigation. Other factors also are present that suggest that reorganization is not feasible at this time. Dissolution of the Pulaski County Special School District and the inclusion of its dismembered tenitory into either two or three new school districts would result in a requirement that the newly created school districts undertake completion of any unmet desegregative obligations of the dissolved school district. This, of course, would retard the 1052141_1 G - progress toward unitary status that has already been made by the existing Little Rock and North Little Rock schoo1 districts, and would be contrary to applicable federal jurisprudence relating to creation of new school districts. In addition, there is language in the interrelated consent decrees that suggests that the Pulaski County Special and North Little Rock school districts are entitled to remain in existence as independent and sovereign at least until such time as they have met their obligations under their consent decrees. For these reasons, we do not believe that it is feasible to reorganize the existing school districts in Pulaski County so as to reconfigure them into either two or three new school districts so long as they continue under federal judicial supervision in the ongoing school desegregation litigation. Unitary Status: The legislation \.lnder which we were engaged did not require us to conduct an extensive and exhaustive desegregation audit of the kind required for litigation. Neve1iheless, we did collect considerable amounts of information and data so as to enable us to prepare this study. Based upon the information and data collected and our analysis of it, we are of the opinion that the three existing school districts have satisfied the desegregative obligations imposed by the constitution and appear to be in substantial compliance with the de:,egregation obligations contained in their consent decrees. It is for these reasons that we strongly suggest at this time that each of the existing school districts pursue unitary status and termination of federal judicial supervision. 1052141_1 H The Little Rock School District is rapidly approaching unitary status. Upon acceptance by the federal district court of an evaluation regarding its final desegregative . obligation, it will be posed to file a motion to end its involvement in the ongoing school desegregation litigation. The North Little Rock School District is in the process of preparing its case for unitary status and an end to its involvement in the litigation. The Pulaski County Special School Board is presently taking a different approach to unitary status. It has instructed its desegregation attorney to file a motion for partial unitary status. Even if successful, this approach would not end in whole the ongoing school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. We surmise that at least one reason for this approach is a fear on the part of the school board that full unitary status and an end to the school district's involvement in the litigation might result in the dissolution of the school distiict as contemplated in Act 2126. It is for this and other reasons that we recommend below that an assurance be given to the Pulaski County Special School District that should it pursue and be declared unitary, and should all federal judicial supervision be relinquished, the school distiict will continue to exist in some shape or form. Recommendations: We make the following recommendations: 1052141_1 Agreements to pursue full unitary status - Each of the three existing school districts must agree to seek full unitary status. This will require that each existing school district evaluate where it stands in terms of meeting, to the extent practicable, their obligations under their respective consent agreements and addressing an area or areas in which compliance has not been fully met. Such I 1052141_1 an evaluation will initially require input from each existing school district. To facilitate this input, the discussions among the state and school district attorneys should in.voJve participation by school system superinrendents and a representative of each school board. Efforts to engage the Joshua Intervenors - The Joshua Intervenors have sent two conflicting signals as to their position onending the school desegregation litigation. On the one hand, they have indicated an intention to interpose an objection to any effort by the three existing school districts to seek a declaration ofunitary status and an end to the school desegregation litigation. On the other hand, in response to a question posed by a member of the legislature during a committee meeting the Joshua Intervenm-s' attorney indicated some willingness to cooperate in ending the litigation in the event unspecified benefits derived from the litigation are retained once the litigation is ended. Accordingly, a good-faith effort should be made to engage the Joshua Intervenors to determine ,rhether it is feasible to accommodate their interests. If that course of action fails to bear fruit, preparations must be made for adversarial proceedings. Decision as to whether experts should be retained - If adversarial proceedings are inevitable, a determination should be made as to whether school desegregation experts should be engaged to assist in presenting the cases to be put forward by the existing school districts. Experts, unlike fact witnesses, are in a position to offer opinion testimony to the court. If experts are to be utilized, they should be engaged as early as possible to allow adequate time in which to conduct a thorough desegregation audit and prepare for trial. Retention of the reconfigured Pulaski County Special School Dist1ict - In order to assure that the Pulaski County Special School District will seek full unitary status and an end to its pa1iicipation in the school desegregation litigation, there will need to be in place J 1052141_1 some mechanism to guarantee that in a post-unitary status setting the school district will continue in existence in some shape or form. Creation of a Jacksonville School District - Agreement must be reached on the creation of a Jacksonville School District. As among the governmental parties to the school desegregation litigation this will primarily involve the question of the boundaries of the new school district and a transitional period in which necessary steps will be taken to bring the new school district into full operational status. Phase-out of M-to-M transfers - Students enrolled in schools pursuant to majority-to-minority transfers as of the end of the school year in which the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County is ended should be permitted to complete their level of education studies. Students enrolled in elementary grades (K through 5) should be permitted to remain enrolled in their M-to-M elementary school through compl~tion of the fifth grade. The same would hold for middle school students and hi.gh school students. Retention of the stipulation magnet schools - We recommend that consideration be given to continuing the existing stipulation magnet schools in the Little Rock School District as county-wide magnet schools once the school desegregation litigation is ended. These schools offer expanded educational opportunities and should interject an element of diversity into the student population of the Little Rock School District that should be continued. Equality of educational opportunity- In order to promote an equal educational opportunity for all high school students, a concerted effort should be made to offer, in addition to state required courses, the same elective course offerings in all regular and comprehensive schools. A reasonable teacher/pupil ratio can be used to determine when a particular course will be taught in a K particular school. At the middle and elementary school levels, course offerings in art, music, and other areas customarily offered to younger students should be offered in all regular and comprehensive middle and elementary schools. Emphasis on school choice and targeted recruitment of students - In order to prepare students for life in a diverse world and workplace, emphasis should be placed on a targeted recruitment of students under the state's school choice law. Schools with limited levels of diversity (socio-economic, ethnic, and/or racial) should be encouraged to actively recruit school choice students in different communities in an effort to assure, to the extent practicable, as diverse a student population as possible. Student Discipline - Policies must be retained where pe1missible or new policies adopted to assure that student discipline is administered in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to sex, race, ethnic origin, sexual 01ientation, or mental or physical disability. Every effort should be made in the administration of student discipline to keep students in school. Phase-out of state funding - Agreement will be needed on a fomrnla for the phase-out of state funding for the three existing school districts and the new Jacksonville School Dist1ict. A five year decreasing formula should be adequate to assist the four post-unitary status school distticts in making the transition to self-sufficiency and ending the state's desegregation funding obligations. In order to implement certain of the above recommendations in a post-unitary status setting, enabling legislation will be necessary. We recommend that all necessary legislation be enacted prior to the filing of the unitary status motions and that the effect of such legislation be made contingent upon the entry of an order of the federal district court 1052141_1 L - declaring that each of the existing school districts is unitary, dissolution of all outstanding orders and injunctions, and termination offederaljudicial supervision over the affairs of the three existing school districts in Pulaski County. 1052141_1 The legislation should address the following areas: Creation of a Jacksonville School District and reconfiguration of the Pulaski County Special School District-Legislation in this area will need to address the following with respect to a new Jacksonville School District: (a) the boundaries of the new Jacksonville School District
(b) the disposition of facilities, equipment, materials of instruction, movable property such as buses and other vehicles, and joint use of common facilities such as the transportation yard in the Jacksonville area
( c) a transitional period prior to operation of the Jacksonville School District in which school board member election districts must be drawn, school board elections must be held and a school board seated, selection of a superintendent and employment of a school system staff (assistant superintendent(s), directors, coordinators, etc.), employment of teachers and support personnel and adoption of salary schedules, ( d) settlement and apportionment of any outstanding debt obligations of the Pulaski County Special School District, ( e) other necessary measures that must be in place prior to operational status of the Jacksonville School District. The legislation also will need to address similar issues with respect to the remaining portion of the Pulaski County School District. For example, if Arkansas law does not provide that the term of an elected official may not be shortened, new election districts for school board members and an election will be required during the period of transition. County-wide magnet schools - Legislation might be considered to establish the current stipulation magnet M schools as county-wide schools. The legislation would need to address the percentage of seats in these schools that would be assigned to students residing in the Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pulaski County Special, and Jacksonville school districts and preferences for such seats where an insufficient number of students from a school district fail to meet the seating allocation provided for a particular school district. (This envisions a totally race-neutral criteria based exclusively on the residence of the students' parents, custodial parent, or legal guardian.) Phase-out of state funding for M-to-M transfers -A five year phase-out of state funding should be more that sufficient to fund a phase-out of majority-to-minority transfers. At the high school level, funding would phaseout at the end of the fourth year. At the middle school level, grades six through eight, funding would be required for three years. At the elementary level, funding would phase-out in no more than five years. Our recommendations addressing the equality of educational opportunity, school choice and recrnitment, and student discipline may be implemented through a post-unitary status agreement among the parties and the adoption of implementing school board policies. Conclusions: 1052141_1 Our study, in its various sections, reaches the following conclusions: Based upon the limited scope of our analysis, the three existing school districts in Pulaski County appear to be unitary. A Jacksonville School District should be created. In order to create a Jacksonville School District, the ongoing school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County must be ended and control of the existing school districts restored to state and local control. N 1052141_1 The school desegregation litigation can only be ended if each of the existing school districts moves for, and is successful, in obtaining unitary status, dissolution of all outstanding orders and injunctions of the federal district court, and termination of federal judicial supervision. An incentive must be given to the Pulaski County School District that should it file a motion for full unitary status and relinquishment of all federal judicial supervision it will not, thereafter, be dissolved by the state of Arkansas. The state of Arkansas must take a leadership role in bringing the existing school districts together to move for unitary status and an end to the ongoing school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. Every reasonable effort should be made to enlist the participation of the Joshua lntervenors into the process of seeking an end to the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County with a view, if possible, to a joint motion to end the litigation. 0 ARKANSAS FEASIBILITY STUDY I. Introduction William Gordon Associates, in response to a Request for Proposal issued by the Arkansas Department of Education pursuant to Act 2126 of 2005, Section 26, undertook a "Feasibility Study to Determine if the Pulaski County Special School District Should Continue to Exist." The scope of the study was to specifically address and evaluate the follow: 1051802_1 The elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District and the redrawing of school district boundaries in Pulaski County to form one school district north of the Arkansas River and one school district south of the Arkansas River. The elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District and the redrawing of school district boundaries in Pulaski County to fom1 three school districts including a Little Rock School District south of the Arkansas River, a North Little Rock School District north of the Arkansas River, and a Jacksonville School District north of the Arkansas River. Whether the elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District under Option 1 or Option 2 would further desegregation efforts of the school districts and help all school districts in gaining unitary status and ending the school desegregation litigation. To study and propose a plan to pursue the end of school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. 1 1See Attachment B: specific language creating this study. A bi-racial team consisting of four educators with extensive expertise in the area of school desegregation and a practicing attorney with experience in the area of school desegregation law began the study in November 2005. As we undertook this task, it was apparent that the study would involve two distinct areas. The first area was to examine and make recommendations with respect to the creation of either two or three school districts that would replace the existing school districts in Pulaski County and to determine whether creation of the new school districts would further desegregation efforts and, thus, help all of the school districts to gain unitary status and an end to the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. The second area was to devise a plan to end the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. In gathering data for the first area of the study ( addressed in Sections II through V relating to the creation of new school districts and their impact on desegregation), we met with a large number of individuals and groups from throughout the county, representatives of the Departments of Education and Justice, members of the Legislature of the State of Arkansas, representatives of the Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pulaski County Special school districts, members of teacher and school support staff organizations, business leaders, attorneys representing parties to the ongoing school desegregation litigation, and persons engaged in monitoring implementation of the outstanding consent decrees in the litigation. 2 The team endeavored to meet with all groups and individuals who expressed a desire to be 2See Exhibit I: listing of various meetings attended by one or more members of the study team. 1051802_1 2 - heard. Meetings also were scheduled by the team with persons we felt might be of assistance to us in gathering needed information for our analysis. These meetings enabled the team to gather a wide range of community input. In addition to these meetings, we collected data from each of the existing school districts in Pulaski County on student enrollments, faculty and administrative assignments, transportation, course offerings, school finances, pertinent studies completed by other agencies or groups, and reports prepared by the Arkansas Department of Education. Finally, we conducted a facilities analysis of each school in the Pulaski County Special School District 3 and toured throughout the county in an effort to familiarize ourselves with the various communities and their geographic locations in relation to each other. The second area of our study, addressed in Sections VI and VII, relates to a plan to end the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. To fully analyze this portion of the study, we were mindful that the existing school districts within Pulaski County remain under federal judicial supervision 4 and currently operate under consent decrees. 5 At this point in time, each of the school districts is at a different stage in achieving unitary status. The Little Rock School District is rapidly approaching unitary status and could be declared unitary once its evaluation for improving the achievement of black students is accepted by the federal 1051802_1 3See Exhibit 2: an evaluation of each of the Pulaski County Special School District's schools. 4Li1tle Rock School District v. Pulaski County Special School District, No. LC-C-82-866. 5Pulaski County School Desegregation Case Settlement Agreement, March 1989. 3 district court. The North Little Rock School District has achieved unitary status in the area of student assignments. Its school board recently instructed its attorney to file a motion for unitary status coverin_g all remaining facets of its operations and its consent decree obligations. Our review of the data collected, while not as extensive as the data that would be collected in connection with a formal desegregation audit in anticipation of adversarial proceedings, suggests that the North Little Rock School District has met all of its desegregation obligations and should be in a very good position to put forward its motion for unitary status and tennination of federal judicial supervision. The Pulaski County Special School District has not sought unitary status in connection with its current desegregation obligations under its consent decree. Recently, it instructed its - . - attorney to file a motion for partial unitary status on certain of its obligations. -Here, again, our review of the data collected, although not as exacting as a formal desegregation audit, suggests that if the school district were to file a motion for unitary status as to all of its obligations and relinquishment offederaljudicial supervision it could forcefully argue that it is in substantial compliance and has discharged its obligations to the extent practicable. The issue with respect to the Pulaski County School District is what incentive does it have to seek unitary status and an end to its involvement in the ongoing school desegregation litigation when faced with legislation addressing its possible dissolution. The federal district court has already rendered a decision preventing the Jacksonville community from breaking 1051802_1 4 - away to form its own school district. 6 In addition, the Pulaski County School Desegregation Case Settlement Agreement contains a "recognition of autonomy" clause that arguably safeguards the existence of the school district until such time as it has achieved unitary status with respect to all of its desegregation obligations. Under these circumstances the issue framed above can be restated as one of: "Why should the Pulaski County Special School District seek to end its involvement in the ongoing school desegregation case so long as there exists the threat that upon doing so it will be dissolved?" In Section VII of the study, we address what can be done to provide the Pulaski County Special School District with an incentive to move for unitary status and a complete termination of Federal judicial supervision, while at the same time showing that by doing so a new Jacksonville School District may become a reality. Finally, in Section VIII of the study we provide our recommendations, based upon our best judgment, as to what steps should be taken to end the school desegregation litigation in Pulaski County. 6Little Rock St.:hoolD istrict v. Pulaski County Special School District and Mova11ts/J11te111eGnorresg Bollen, et al., No. 4.82-CV-00866WRW (August 18, 2003). 1051802_ I 5 II. Feasibility of Reorganizing the Three Pulaski County School Districts: One School District North of the Arkansas River -- Act 2126 of 2005, 26(1)6 Act 2126 of 2005, 26(1), authorizing the feasibility study, required an evaluation of: The elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District and redrawing of school district boundaries in Pulaski County to form one school district north of the Arkansas River and one school district south of the Arkansas River. 7 Even though Act 2126 does not specify that the North Little Rock School District be reconfigured to include the northern portion of Pulaski County, the most logical approach would be to expand the existing North Little Rock School District. The North Little Rock School District has an existing operating structure that is effective. It is the only operating school district, other than the Pulaski County Special School District, that is located north of the Arkansas River. Thus, this portion of the study analyzes the feasibility of dividing the Pulaski County Special School District at the Arkansas River. It is premised on reconfiguring the North Little Rock School District to include all of Pulaski County north of the Arkansas River. As reconfigured, a new school district would be created that would include the cities of North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle and Jacksonville, together with the rural areas, the Little Rock Air Base, and Camp Robinson. 6 One school district south of the Arkansas River is discussed in Section IV of the study. 7Section 26( I) Request for Proposals for a "Feasibility Study to Determine if Pulaski County Special School District Should Continue to Exist," issued by the State of Arkansas Department of Education, September 27,2005. 1043675-1 6 A. Student Assignments. The existing North Little Rock School District has 1 high school (with two campuses), 4 middle sc~!s, and 14 elementary schools. It has a student enrollment of 9,580, with a racial composition of 3,475 (36.3%) white, 5,629 (58.8%) black, and 475 (4.9%) other minorities. 8 Reconfiguring the North Little Rock School District to include all areas of Pulaski County north of the Arkansas River would add 26 schools and 13,677 students to the existing school district. Table 1 shows the student enrollments and racial composition of the existing Pulaski County Special School District's schools north of the Arkansas River that would be transferred to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. Table 1 Student Enrollment and Racial Composition of the 26 Schools That Would Be Transferred from the Pulaski County Special School District to the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on 2005-06 Student Enrollment Data Schools White Black Other Jacksonville High School 569 (50.4%) 522 (46.2%) 38 (3.4%) North Pulaski High School 525 (58.5%) 337 (37.6%) 35 (3.9%) Oak Grove High School 358 (57.1%) 245 (39.1%) 24 (3.8%) Sylvan Hills High School 548 (53.8%) 429 (42.1 %) 41 (4.1%) Total High Schools 2,000 (45.5%) 1,533 (42.8%) 138 (11.7%) Jacksonville Middle School 458 (51.3%) 402 (45.1%) 32 (3.6%) Maumelle Middle School 240 (53.7%) 187 (41.8%) 20 (4.5%) Northwood Middle School 398 (59.6%) 241 (36.1%) 29 (4.3%) Sylvan Hills Middle School 371 (52.0%) 302 (42.4%) 40 (5.6%) Total Middle Schools 1,467 (53.9%) 1,132 (41.6%) 121 (4.5%) Total 1129 897 627 1018 3,671 892 447 668 ill 2,720 8See Attachment C: the 2005-06 student enrollment and racial composition of the North Little Rock School District. 1043675-1 7 Schools White Black Other Total Adkins Elementary 110 (45.5%) 127 (52.5%) 5 (2.0%) 242 Arnold Drive Elementary 182 (61.7%) 90 (30.5%) 23 (7.8%) 295 Bayou Meto Elementary 389 (90.5%) 16 (3.7%) 25 (5.8%) 430 Cato Elementary 233 (66.8%) 100 (28.7%) 16 (4.5%) 349 Clinton Elementary 289 (43.0%) 346 (51.5%) 37 (5.5%) 672 Crystal Hill Elementary 403 (50.8%) 370 (46.6%) 21 (2.6%) 794 Dupree Elementary 161 (54.0%) 122 (40.9%) 15 (5.1%) 298 Harris Elementary 33 (12.4%) 231 (86.8%) 2 (.8%) 266 Jacksonville Elementary 209 (36.3%) 321 (55.8%) 45 (7.9%) 575 Oak Grove Elementary 208 (64.2%) 89 (27.5%) 27 (8.3%) 324 Oakbrooke Elementary 289 (66.7%) 123 (28.4%) 21 (4.9%) 433 Pine Forest Elementary 345 (67.4%) 151 (29.5%) 16 (3.1%) 512 Pinewood Elementary 221 (47.0%) 220 (46.8%) 29 (6.2%) 470 Scott Elementary 91 (69.5) 36 (27.5%) 4 (3.0%) 131 Sherwood Elementary 256 (63.8%) 135 (33.7%) 10 (2.5%) 401 Sylvan Hills Elementary 238 (56.0%) 172 (40.5%) 15 (3.5%) 425 Taylor Elementary 167 (44.2%) 204 (54.0%) 7 (1.8%) 378 Tolleson Elementary 184 (63.2%) 84 (28.9%) 23 (7.9%) ill Total Elementary Schools 4,008 (55.0%) 2,937 (40.3%) 341 (4.7%) 7,286 TOTAL ENROLLMENT 7,475 (54.7%) 5,602 (41.0%) 600 (4.3%) 13,677 It can be detem1ined from Table l that the racial composition of the students transfen-ed from the existing Pulaski County Special School District would be 54.7% white, 41.0% black, and 4.3% other minorities. Table 2 shows the enrollments by race for the reconfigured North Little Rock School District that includes all of the schools north of the Arkansas River. Table 2 Reconfigured North Little Rock School District to Include all of the Pulaski County Special School District's Schools North of the Arkansas River - Ilased on 2005-06 School Year Schools Jacksonville High School North Little Rock High (East) North Little Rock High (West) North Pulaski High School Oak Grove High School 1043675-1 ,vhitc 569 (50.4%) 587 (38.7%) 647 (44.0%) 525 (58.5%) 358 (57.1%) 8 Black 522 (46.2%) 867 (57.2%) 761 (51.8%) 337 (37.6%) 245 (39.1%) Other 38 (3.4%) 63 (4.1%) 61 (4.2%) 35 (3.9%) 24 (3.8%) Total 129 1517 1469 897 627 - Schools White Black Other Total North Pulaski High School 525 (58.5%) 337 (37.6%) 35 (3.9%) 897 Oak Grove High School 358 (57.1 %) 245 (39.1%) 24 (3.8%) 627 Sylvan Hills High School 548 (53.8%) 429 (42.1%) 41 (4.1%) 1018 Total High Schools 3,234 (48.6%) 3,161 (47.5%) 262 (3.9%) 6,657 Jacksonville Middle School 458 (51.3%) 402 (45.1%) 32 (3.6%) 892 Lakewood Middle School 433 (60.2%) 256 (35.6%) 30 (4.2%) 719 Maumelle Middle School 240 (53.7%) 187 (41.8%) 20 (4.5%) 447 Northwood Middle School 398 (59.6%) 241 (36.1%) 29 (4.3%) 668 Poplar Street Middle School 194 (31.4%) 394 (63.8%) 30 (4.8%) 618 Ridgeroad Middle School 103 (18.6%) 421 (76.0%) 30 (5.4%) 554 Rose City Middle School 34 (16.1%) 175 (82.9%) 2 (1.0%) 211 Sylvan Hills Middle School 371 (52.0%) 302 (42.4%) 40 (5.6%) ill Total Middle School 2,231 (46.3%) 2,378 (49.3%) 213 (4.4%) 4,822 Adkins Elementary 110 (45.5%) 127 (52.5%) 5 (2.0%) 242 Amboy Elementary 112 (32.0%) 222 (63.4%) 16 (4.6%) 350 Arnold Drive Elementary 182 (61.7%) 90 (30.5%) 23 (7.8%) 295 Bayou Melo Elemer,'.ary 389 (90.5%) 16 (3.7%) 25 (5.8%) 430 Belwood Elementary 26 (19.0%) 108 (78.8%) 3 (2.2%) 137 Boone Park Elemc.1tary 17(4.4%) 349 (90.9%) 18 (4.7%) 384 Cato Elementary 233 (66.8%) 100 (28.7%) 16 (4.5%) 349 Clinton Elementary 289 (43.0%) 346 (51.5%) 37 (5.5%) 672 Crestwood Elementar
288 (75.0%) 88 (22.9%) 8 (2.1%) 384 Crystal Hill Elementary 403 (50.8%) 370 (46.6%) 21 (2.6%) 794 Dupree Elementary 161 (54.0%) 122 (40.9%) 15 (5.1%) 298 Glenview Elementary 25 (15.9%) 131 (83.4%) I (.7%) 157 Indian Hills Elementary 376 (70.4%) 139 (26.0%) 19 (3.6%) 534 Jacksonville Elementary 209 (36.3%) 325 (56.5%) 45 (7.2%) 575 Lakewood Elementary 259 (67.3%) 109 (28.3%) 17(4.4%) 385 Lynch Drive Elementary 41 (12.1%) 294 (87.0%) 3 (.9%) 338 Harris Elementary 33 (12.4%) 231 (86.8%) 2 (.8%) 266 Meadow Park Elementary 28 (14.4%) 158 (81.0%) 9(4.6%) 195 North Heights Elementary 67 (17.2%) 243 (62.5%) 79 (20.3%) 389 Oak Grove Elementary 208 (64.2%) 89 (27.5%) 27 (8.3%) 324 Oakbrooke Elementary 289 (66.7%) 123 (28.4%) 21 (4.9%) 433 Park Hill Elementary 123 (37.0%) 168 (50.6%) 41 (12.4%) 332 Pike View Elementary 91 (24.2%) 254 (67.6%) 31 (8.2%) 376 Pine Forest Elementary 345 (67.4%) 151 (29.5%) 16(3.1%) 512 Pinewood Elementary 221 (47.0%) 220 (46.8%) 29 (6.2%) 470 Redwood Pre-School 22 (10.3%) 180 (84.5%) 11 (5.2%) 213 Scott Elementary 91 (69.5%) 36 (27.5%) 4 (3.0%) 131 Seventh Street Elementary 2 (.6%) 312 (98.4%) 3(1.0%) 317 Sherwood Elementary 256 (63.8%) 135 (33.7%) 10 (2.5%) 401 - Sylvan Hills Elementary 238 (56.0%) 172 (40.5%) 15 (3.5%) 425 1043675-1 9 - Taylor Elementary 167 (44.2%) 204 (54.0%) 7 (1.8%) 378 Tolleson Elementary 184 (63.2%) 84 (28.9%) 23 (7.9%) 291 Total Elementary Schools 5,485 (46.6%) 5,692 (48.3%) 600 (5.1%) 11,777 TOTAL ENROLLMENT 10,950 (47.1 %) 11,231 (48.3%) 1,075 (4.6%) 23,256 Reconfiguration of the North Little Rock School District to include all of the schools north of the Arkansas River would increase enrollment from 13,677 to 23,256 students. The racial composition of the reconfigured school district would be 47.1 % white, 48.3% black and 4.6% other minorities. Based on the 2005-06 enrollment data for the existing Pulaski County Special School District 9 and the 2005-06 enrollment data for the existing North Little Rock School District, 10 it can be determined that the racial composition of the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would increase in white enrollment from 36.3% to 47.1 % and decrease in black enrollment from 58.8% to 48.3%. The composition of the other rnino1ities would remain essentially the same. Thus, a reconfiguration of the North Little Rock District that would include the portion of the existing Pulaski County Special School District north of the Arkansas River may be viewed as having a positive desegregative impact. 9 See Attachment D: the 2005-06 student enrollment and racial composition of the Pulaski County Special School District. - 10 See Attachment C: the 2005-06 student enrollment and racial composition of the North Little Rock School District. 1043675-1 10 B. Facilities. The majority of the 14 facilities that comprise the existing North Little Rock School District were built in the 1950s and 1960s. According to school district personnel, these facilities have been well maintained and are in overall good condition. Reconfiguring the school district to include all of the schools north of the Arkansas River would involve the addition of 27 schools 11 comprised of 4 high schools, 5 middle schools, and 19 elementary schools. As a group, the buildings that would be added from the existing Pulaski County Special School District have not been maintained as well as the schools in the existing North Little Rock School District. 12 When evaluating the overall quality of the school buildings a rating scale of l to 5 was used for each school in the existing Pulaski County Special School District. A school rated as a Category l school is considered to be an excellent facility that is well maintained and is not in need of any significant remodeling or repair. Conversely, a school rated as a Category 5 school is a very poor facility that is in need of major renovation and/or repair and could, in many instances, be considered for closing and/or replacement. Table 3 shows the capacity, percent of capacity used, student enrollment, and rating category of each schoo'I that would be transfetTed from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. 11There could be some confusion as to the actual number of schools because the Jacksonville Middle School has been divided into a boys school and a girls school. The two facilities occupy the same site. 12 See Exhibit 2: an evaluation of each of the Pulaski County Special School District's schools. 1043675-1 11 - Table 3 The 27 Pulaski County Special School District Schools That Would Be Transferred to the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Schools Ca~acitv Capacity Enrollment Rating Used 2005-2006 Jacksonville High School 1360 83% 1129 5 North Pulaski High School 1050 85% 897 3 Oak Grove High School 1130 55% 627 5 Sylvan Hills High School 1120 91% 1018 4 Jacksonville Middle (Girls) 1970 45% 892 5 Jacksonville Middle (Boys) 5 Maumelle Middle School * 1360 33% 447 l Northwood Middle School 1030 65% 668 3 Sylvan Hills Middle School 1080 66% 713 5 Adkins Elementary 526 46% 242 2 Arnold Drive Elementary 453 65% 295 3 Bayou Meto Elementary 697 62% 430 3 Cato Elementary 800 44% 349 2 Clinton Elementary 840 80% 672- 1 Crystal Hill Elementary 870 91% 794 1 Dupree Elementary 498 60% 298 3 Hanis Elementary 906 29% 266 3 Jacksonville Elementary 850 68% 575 5 Oak Grove Elementary 626 52% 324 4 Oakbrooke Elementary 553 78% 433 3 Pine Forest Elementary 554 92% 512 l Pinewood Elementary 677 69% 470 2 Scott Elementary 294 45% 131 5 Sherwood Elementary 561 71% 401 3 Sylvan Hills Elementary 606 70% 425 3 Taylor Elementary 566 67% 378 2 Tolleson Elementary 561 52% 291 5 *Maumelle Middle School opened in 2005-06 housing 6th and th grade students. It will add 81 " grade students for the 2006-07 school year. It should be noted in Table 3 that five of the nine secondary schools that would be added to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District are Category 5 schools and one is a Category 4 school. Category 5 secondary schools, especially high 104361
.1 12 - schools, are far more costly to replace or renovate than elementary schools. The five Category 5 secondary schools identified in Table 3 -- Jacksonville High School, Oak Grove High School, Ja. onville Middle School (boys and girls), and Sylvan Hills Middle School -- should be considered for replacement. The elementary schools that would be added to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District are in much better condition than the secondary schools. However, three of the 17 elementary schools are Category 5 schools. Of the three, Jacksonville Elementary School should be considered for replacement. Scott Elementary School should be closed and its students reassigned. The third Category 5 elementary school, Tolleson Elementary School, will need significant remodeling or replacement if it is to continue in existence. Otherwise, it might be closed and its students reassigned to another school. Oak Grove Elementary School is a Category 4 school that will need extensive remodeling. Of the remainiDe l 3 elementary schools that would be transferred to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District, 3 are Category 1 schools, 4 are Category 2 schools, and 7 are Category 3 schools. Several of these schools will need remodeling and/or repair~ but as a group they are in good condition. C. Personnel. 1. Clas:::room Teachers. Transferring all of the existing Pulaski County Special School District's students living north of the Arkansas River to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District will require the employment of additional teachers. It is logical that those teachers who would like to transfer to the I 0-13675-1 13 - reconfigured North Little Rock School District from the existing Pulaski County Special School District should be allowed to do so. - The existing North Little Rock School District employs 770 teachers who are assigned to its 20 schools. 13 Reconfiguring the North Little Rock District by as many as 27 schools and 13,676 students may require as many as 990 additional classroom teachers for a total of 1,760. Table 4 identifies the teachers, by race and school, who are employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District. 14 Table 4 Teachers, by Race and School, Currently Employed in the 27 Schools That Would Be Transferred from the Pulaski County Special School District to the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on the 2005-06 Employment Data Schools White Black Other Total Jacksonville High School 43 (71.7%) 17 (28.3%) 0 60 North Pulaski High School 56 (83.6%) 11 (16.4%) 0 67 Oak Grove High School 46 (85.2%) 8 (14.8%) 0 54 Sylvan Hills High School 84 (86.6%) 13 (13.4%) Q 97 Total High Schools 229 (82.4%) 49 (17.6%) 0 278 Jacksonville Middle School (Girls) 39 (76.5%) 12 (23.5%) 0 51 Jacksonville Middle School (Boys) 35 (72.9%) 13 (27.1%) 0 48 Maumelle Middle School 15 (100%) 0 0 15 Northwood Middle School 41 (83.7%) 8 (16.3%) 0 49 Sylvan Hills Middle School 51 (83.6%) 10 {16.4%) Q fil Total Middle Schools 181 (80.8%) 43 (19.2%) 0 224 Adkins Elementary 17 (73.9%) 4(17.4%) 2 (8.7%) 23 Arnold Drive Elementary 19 (86.4%) 3 (13.6%) 0 22 Bayou Meto Elementary 24 (85.7%) 4 (14.3%) 0 28 Cato Elementary 18 (85.7%) 3 (14.3%) 0 21 Clinton Elementary 34 (75.6%) 11 (24.4%) 0 45 13See Attachment E: the total number of teachers, by race and school, employed by the North Little Rock School District for the 2005-06 school year. - 14See Attachment F: the total number of teachers, by race and school, employed by the Pulaski County Special School District for 2005-06. I 043675-1 14 - Schools White Black Other Total Crystal Hill Elementary 43 (82.7%) 9(17.3%) 0 52 Dupree Elementary 20 (87.0%) 2 (8.7%) l (4.3%) 23 Harris Elementary 11 (57.9%) 7 (36.8) l (5.3%) 19 Jacksonville Elementary 29 (82.9%) 5 (14.3%) l (2.8%) 35 Oakbrooke Elementary 19 (79.2%) 5 (20.8%) 0 24 Oak Grove Elementary 20 (71.4%) 8 (28.6%) 0 28 Pine Forest Elementary28 (84.8%) 5 (15.2%) 0 33 Pinewood Elementary 21 (84.0%) 4 (16.0%) 0 25 Scott Elementary 12 (92.3%) l (7.7%) 0 13 Shenvood Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Sylvan Hills Elementary 22 (84.6%) 4 (15.4%) 0 26 Taylor Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Tolleson Elementary 15 (78.9%) 4 (21.1%) _Q 12 Total Elementary Schools 394 (80.7%) 89 (18.2%) 5 (1.1%) 488 TOT AL TEACHERS 804 (81.2%) 181 (18.3%) 5 (.5%) 990 It can be determined from Table 4, with the exception of Maumelle Middle, Scott Elementary, and Dupree Elementary schools, that all of the schools that would be transferred have three or a minimum of at least 13% black faculty members. Table 5 shows the composition of the faculties of the schools that would comprise the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. Table 5 Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Faculty Assignments to Include All of the Pulaski County Special School District North of the Arkansas River Based on 2005-06 Employment Data Schools White Black Other Total Jacksonville High School North Little Rock High (East) North Little Rock High (West) North Pulaski High School Oak Grove High School Sylvan Hills High School Total High Schools Jacksonville Middle School (Girls) Jacksonville Middle School (Boys) 10-l3675-I 43 (71.7%) 76 (90.5%) 85 (82.5%) 56 (83.6%) 46 (85.2%) 84 (86.6%) 390 (83.9%) 39 (76.5%) 35 (72.9%) 15 17 (28.3%) 8 (9.5%) 18(17.5%) 11 (16.4%) 8 (14.8%) 13 (13.4%) 75 (16.1 %) 12 (23.5%) 13 (27.1%) 0 60 0 84 0 103 0 67 0 54 _Q 97 0 465 0 51 0 48 - Schools White Black Other Total Lakewood Middle School 39 (88.6%) 5 (11.4%) 0 44 Maumelle Middle School 15 (100%) 0 0 15 Northwood Middle School 41 (83.7%) 8 (16.3%) 0 49 Poplar Street Middle School 39 (81.3%) 7 (14.6%) 2 (4.1%) 48 Ridgeroad Middle School 35 (87.5%) 5 (12.5%) 0 40 Rose City Middle School 17 (60.7%) 11 (39.3%) 0 28 Sylvan Hills Middle School 51 {83.6%) 10 {16.4%) Q fil. Total Middle Schools 311 (81.0%) 71 (18.4%) 2 (.6%) 384 Amboy Elementary 24 (92.3%) l (3.8%) I (3.8%) 26 Adkins Elementary 17 (73.9%) 4 (17.4%) 2 (8.7%) 23 Arnold Drive Elementary 19 (86.4%) 3 (13.6%) 0 22 Bayou Meto Elementary 24 (85.7%) 4 (14.3%) 0 28 Belwood Elementary 15 (88.2%) 2 (I 1.8%) 0 17 Boone Park Elementary 29 (82.9%) 5 (14.3%) l (2.8%) 35 Cato Elementary 18 (85.7%) 3 (14.3%) 0 21 Clinton Elementary 34 (75.6%) 11 (24.4%) 0 45 Crestwood Elementary 32 (80.0%) 8 (20.0%) 0 40 Crystal Hill Elementary 43 (82.7%) 9(17.3%) 0 52 Dupree Elementary 20 (87.0%) 2 (8.7%) I (4.3%) 23 Glenview Elementary 14 (82.4%) 3 (17.6%) 0 17 Hanis Elementary 11 (57.9%) 7 (36.8) 1 (5.3%) 19 - Indian Hills Elementary 33 (91.7%). 3 (8.3%) 0 36 Jacksonville Elementary 29 (82.9%) 5 (14.36(<,) l (2.8%) 35 Lakewood Elementary 24(100%) 0 0 24 Lynch Drive Elementary 25 (83.3%) 5 (16.7%) 0 30 Meadow Park Elementary 16(51.6%) 15 (48.4%) 0 31 North Heights Elementary 39 (62.9%) 19 (30.6%) 4 (6.5%) 62 Oakbrooke Elementary 19 (79.2%) 5 (20.8%) 0 24 Oak Grove Elementary 20 (71.4%) 8 (28.6%) 0 28 Park Hill Elementary 28 (77.8%) 8 (22.2%) 0 36 Pike View Elementary 27 (96.4%) l (3.6%) 0 28 Pine Forest Elementary 28 (84.8%) 5 (15.2%) 0 33 Pinewood Elementary 21 (84.0%) 4 (16.0%) 0 25 Redwood Pre-School 13 (100%) 0 0 13 Scott Elementary 12 (92.3%) I (7.7%) 0 13 Seventh Street Elementary 27 (96.4%) l (3.6%) 0 28 Sherwood Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Sylvan Hills Elementary 22 (84.6%) 4 (15.4%) 0 26 Taylor Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Tolleson Elementary 15 {78.9%) 4 {21.1%) Q 12 Total Elementary Schools 740 (81.2%) 160 (17.6%) 11 (1.2%) 911 TOTAL TEACHERS 1,441 (81.9%) 306(17.4%) 13 (1.2%) 1,760 - 1043675-1 16 Even though the number of teachers needed would increase from 770 to 1,760, the racial composition of the teaching staff of the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would remain virtually unchanged. The racial composition of the teaching staff of the existing North Little Rock School District is 82.7% white, 16.2% black and 1.1 % other minorities. It can be determined from Table 5 that the racial composition of the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would be 81.9% white, 17.4% black and 1.2% other minorities. 2. Building Level Administrators. The existing North Little Rock School District has 41 principals and assistant principals 15 assigned to the school district's 20 schools. The 27 existing Pulaski County Special School District school buildings north of the Arkansas River have 52 principals and assistant principals. Table 6 shows the location of the building level administrators that are assigned to the 27 existing Pulaski County Special School District schools that would be transferred to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. Table 6 Building Level Administrators Assigned to the 27 Schools That Would Ile Transferred from the Pulaski County Special School District into the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on the 2005-06 Administrative Assignments Schools Jackson High School North Pulaski High School Oak Grove High School Sylvan Hills High School Total High Schools White 3 (75%) 1 (33.3%) (100%) 1 (33.3%} 7 (58.3%) Illack l 2 (66.7%) 0 2 (66.7%} 5 (41.3%) Other 0 0 0 Q 0 Total 4 3 2 l 12 15See Attachment G: listing of building level and central office administrators in the North Little Rock School District. 1043675-1 17 - Schools White Black Other Total Jacksonville Middle School 2 (100%) 0 0 2 (Girls) Jacksonville Middle Sctmol 0 2 (100%) 0 2 (Boys) Maumelle Middle School 1 (50.0%) 1 (51.0%) 0 2 Northwood Middle School 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Sylvan Hills Middle School 0 3 (100%) Q l Total Middle Schools 4 (26.4%) 7 (63.6%) 0 11 Adkins Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Arnold Drive Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Bayou Meto Elementary 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Cato Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 I Clinton Elementary 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Crystal Hill Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Dupree Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 I Harris Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 I Jacksonville Elementary I (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Oakbrooke Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Oak Grove Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 I Pine Forest Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Pinewood Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Scott Elementary 1 (100%) 0 0 1 Sherwood Elementary 1 (50.0%) I (50.0%0 0 2 Sylvan Hills Elementary I (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Taylor Elementary I (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Tolleson Elementary I (100%) 0 Q l Total Elementary Schools 13 (44.8%) 16 (55.2%) 0 29 TOTAL SCHOOL 24 (46.2%) 27 (53.8%) 0 52 ADMINISTRATORS It can be determined from Table 6 that 22 of the 27 schools that would be transferred into the reconfigured North Little Rock School District have at least one black administrator. Three schools, with more than one white administrator, do not have a black administ alor. There are 8 schools without a white administrator, and 2 of these have more than one black administrator. 1043675-1 18 - Table 7 shows the building level administrators currently assigned to the 47 schools that would comprise the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. Table 7 Building Level Administrators Assigned to the Schools in the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on the 2005-06 Administrative Assignments Schools White Black Other Total Jackson High School 3 (100%) 0 0 3 North Little Rock High (East) 3 (60.0%) 2 (40.0%) 0 5 North Little Rock High (West) 2 (40.0%) 3 (60.0%) 0 5 North Pulaski High School 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Oak Grove High School 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Sylvan Hills High School 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) Q l Total High Schools 12 (54.5%) 10 (45.5%) 0 22 Jacksonville Middle School (Girls) 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Jacksonville Middle School (Boys) 0 2 (100%) 0 2 Lakewood Middle School 2 (66.7%) 1 (33.3%) 0 3 Maumelle Middle School 1 (50.0%) 1 (51.0%) 0 2 Northwood Middle School 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Poplar Street Middle School 2 (66.7%) 1 (33.3%) 0 3 Ridgeroad Middle School 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Rose City Middle School 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Sylvan Hills Middle School 0 3 (I 00%) Q l Total Middle Schools 10 (45.5%) 12 (54.5%) 0 22 Adkins Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Amboy Elementary 1 (100%) 0 0 1 Arnold Drive Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Bayou Meto Elementary 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Belwood Elementary 1 (100%) 0 0 1 Boone Park Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Cato Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Clinton Elementary 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Crestwood Elementary 1 (100%) 0 0 1 Crystal Hill Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Dupree Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 I Glenview Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Harris Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Indian Hills Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 - Jacksonville Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Lakewood Elementary 1 (100%) 0 0 1 1043675-1 19 Schools White Black Other Total Lynch Drive Elementary 1 (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Meadow Park Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 North Heights Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Oakbrooke Elementary 1 (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Oak Grove Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Pine Forest Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Park Hill Elementary I (100%) 0 0 1 Pike View Elementary 1 (100%) 0 0 1 Pinewood Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Seventh Street Elementary 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Scott Elementary 1 (l00%) 0 0 1 Sherwood Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%0 0 2 Sylvan Hills Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Taylor Elementary 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Tolleson Elementary 1 (100%) Q Q l Total Elementary Schools 25 (53.2%) 22 (46.8%) 0 47 TOTAL SCHOOL 47 (51.7%) 44 (48.3%) 0 91 ADMINISTRATORS It can be determined from Table 7 that the number of building level administrators in the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would increase from 52 to 91. Table 7 also shows that there would be an increase in the percentage of black building level administrators when compared with the existing percentage of black building level administrators in the Pulaski County Special School District. 3. Central Administration. Increasing the existing North Little Rock School District to 23,256 students, 41 school facilities, 1,760 teachers, and 91 building level administrators would require a totally different organizational structure for the reconfigured school district. The reconfigured school district would require additional central office facilities and a significantly larger central administrative staff. - The new school district would require, at a minimum, a central administration I 043675 I 20 - comparable in size to the existing Little Rock School District which consists of 58-66 central administrators -- a superintendent, 4-5 assistant or associate superintendents, a public affairs officer, a chief financial officer, 18-20 directors, 18-20 coordinators, and 15-18 specialists. Thus, the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would require an increase in central administrators of two to three times the present size. D. Transportation. The existing North Little Rock School District has a fleet of 89 buses. The fleet is located in a single compound within the municipal limits of the city of North Little Rock. The fleet has 39 buses that serve the school district's regular enrollment, 16 for special needs students, 22 for M-to-M transfer and magnet school students, and 12 that are held in reserve. The existing Pulaski County Special School District has 163 buses located north of the Arkansas River. This fleet is housed in two bus compounds, one located in Jacksonville and the other in Oak Grove. The Oak Grove compound does not have maintenance facilities. The Pulaski County Special School District fleet north of the river consists of 63 buses used for regular education students, 25 for special needs students, 18 for gifted and talented education students, 30 for M-to-M transfer and magnet school students, and 27 that are held in reserve. With the creation of a new North Little Rock School District there would be a need to transfer all of the buses and the two bus compounds from the existing Pulaski County Special School District north of the Arkansas River to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. 1043675-1 21 - III. Feasibility of Reorganizing the Three Pulaski County School Districts: Two School Districts North of the Arkansas River - Act 2126 of 2005, 26(2) 16 Act 2126 of 2005, 26(2), authorizing the feasibility study, required an evaluation of: "The elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District and redrawing of school district boundaries in Pulaski County to form three districts including a Little Rock District south of the Arkansas River, a North Little Rock School District north of the Arkansas River, and a Jacksonville School District north of the Arkansas River." 17 This portion of the study analyzes the feasibility of dividing the existing Pulaski County Special School District at the Arkansas River, reconfiguring the North Little Rock School District by making it larger, and creating a new school district in the Jacksonville community area. The reconfigured North Little Roc_k School District . . would be expanded beyond its present size by adding the comml!nities of Sherwood, Sylvan Hills, Oak Grove, Maumelle, and the rural areas west of the Jacksonville community. The new Jacksonville School District would include the city of Jacksonville, the Cato area, the Little Rock Air Base, and the rural area north of the city. Dissolution of the Pulaski County School District, together with an expansion of the North Little Rock School District and creation of a Jacksonville School District, would create two new school districts no1ih of the Arkansas River. 16 One district south of the river is discussed in the section immediately below. 17 Section 2.0 I, Item I., Request for Proposals for a "Feasibility Study to Determine if Pulaski County Special School District Should Continue to Exist" issued by the State of Arkansas Department of Education, September 27, 2005. 1043675-1 22 - A. The Reconfigured North Little Rock School District 1. Student Assignments. The existing North Little Rock School District has 1 high school (with 2 campuses), 4 middle schools, and 14 elementary schools. Reconfiguring the North Little Rock School District in a two school district reorganization north of the Arkansas River would add 13 schools comprised of 2 high schools, 2 middle schools, and 9 elementary schools. Table 8 identifies the 13 schools, and their enrollments, that would be transferred from the dissolved Pulaski County Special School District 18 to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. Table 8 Student Enrollment, by Race, of the 13 Schools That Would Be Transferred from the Pulaski County Special School District to the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on 2005-06 Student Enrollment Data Schools White Black Other Total Oak Grove Hi-gh School 358 (57.1%) 245 (39. l %) 24 (3.8%) 627 Sylvan Hills High School 548 (53.8%) 429 (42.1%) 41 (4.1%) 1018 Total High Schools 906 (55.1 %) 674 (41.0%) 65 (3.9%) 1,645 Maumelle Middle School 240 (53.7%) 187 (41.8%) 20 (4.5%) 447 Sylvan Hills Middle School 371 (52.0%) 302 (42.4%) 40 (5.6%) ill Total Middle Schools 611 (52.7%) 489 (42.2%) 60 (5.1%) 1,160 Clinton Elementary 289 (43.0%) 346 (51.5%) 37 (5.5%) 672 Crystal Hill Elementary 403 (50.8%) 370 (46.6%) 21 (2.6%) 794 Harris Elementary 33 (12.4%) 231 (86.8%) 2 (.8%) 266 Oak Grove Elementary 208 (64.2%) 89 (27.5%) 27 (8.3%) 324 Oakbrooke Elementary 289 (66.7%) 123 (28.4%) 21 (4.9%) 433 Pine Forest Elementary 345 (67.4%) 151 (29.5%) 16 (3.1%) 512 Scott Elementary 91 (69.5%) 36 (27.5%) 4 (3.0%) 131 Sherwood Elementary 256 (63.8%) 135 (33.7%) 10 (2.5%) 401 18See Attachment D: listing of the Pulaski County Special Schools District's schools and 2005-06 student enrollments. 10~)675-1 23 Sylvan Hills Elementary Total Elementary Schools TOTAL ENROLLMENT 238 (56.0%) 2,152 (54.4%) 3,669 (54.3%) 172 (40.5%) 15 (3.5%) 1,653 (41.8%) 278 (4.1%) 2,816 (41.6%). 278 (4.1 %) 425 3,958 6,763 Based on the 2005-06 enrollment data, the reconfigured North Little Rock School District student enrollment 19 would be expanded by 6,763 students from 9,580 to 16,343. The racial composition of the existing North Little Rock School District is 36.3% white, 58.8% black, and 4.9% other minorities. The racial composition of the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would have a slightly greater white enrollment and a slightly smaller black enrollment. Its enrollment would be 43.7% white, 51.7% black, and 4.6% other minorities. This may be viewed as having a positive desegregative impact. Listed in Table 9 are the student enrollments, by race, for the reconfigured No1ih Little Rock School District. Schools Table 9 Reconfigured North Little Rock School District (Less Areas for New Jacksonville School District) Based on Student Enrollment 2005-06 White Black North Little Rock High School (East) 587 (38.7%) 867 (57.2%) North Little Rock High School (West) 647 (44.0%) 761 (51.8%) Oak Grove High School 358(57.1%) 245 (39.1%) Sylvan Hills High School 548 (53.8%) 429 (42.1%) Other 63 (4.1%) 61 (4.2%) 24 (3.8%) 41 (4.1%) Total High Schools 2,140 (46.2%) 2,302 (49.7%) 189 (4.1 %) Total 1517 1469 627 1018 4,631 19See Attachment C: listing of the No1th Little Rock School District's schools and 2005-06 student enrollments. 1043675-1 24 - Schools White Black Other Total Lakewood Middle School 433 (60.2%) 256 (35.6%) 30 (4.2%) 719 Maumelle Middle School 240 (53.7%) 187 (41.8%) 20 (4.5%) 447 Poplar Street Middle School 194 (31.4%) 394 (63.8%) 30 (4.8%) 618 Ridgeroad Middle School (Charter) 103 (18.6%) 421 (76.0%) 30 (5.4%) 554 Rose City Middle School 34 (16.1%) 175 (82.9%) 2 (1.0%) 211 Sylvan Hills Middle School 371 (52.0%) 302 (42.4%) 40 (5.6%) m. Total Middle Schools 1,375 (42.2%) 1,735 (53.2%) 152 (4.6%) 3,262 Amboy Elementary 112 (32.0%) 222 (63.4%) 16 (4.6%) 350 Belwood Elementary 26 (19.0%) 108 (78.8%) 3 (2.2%) 137 Boone Park Elementary 17(4.4%) 349 (90.9%) 18 (4.7%) 384 Clinton Elementary 289 (43.0%) 346 (51.5%) 37 (5.5%) 672 Crestwood Elementary 288 (75.0%) 88 (22.9%) 8(2.1%) 384 Crystal Hill Elementary 403 (50.8%) 370 (46.6%) 21 (2.6%) 794 Glenview Elementary 25 (15.9%) 131 (83.4%) I (.7%) 157 Indian Hills Elementary 376 (70.4%) 139 (26.0%) 19(3.6%) 534 Lakewood Elementary 259 (67.3%) 109 (28.3%) 17(4.4%) 385 Lynch Drive Elementary 41 (12.1%) 294 (87.0%) 3 (.9%) 338 Harris Elementary 33 (12.4%) 231 (86.8%) 2 (.8%) 266 Meadow Park Elementary 28 (14.4%) 158 (81.0%) 9 (4.6%) 195 North Heights Elementary 67 (17.2%) 243 (62.5%) 79 (20.3%) 389 Oak Grove Elementary 208 (64.2%) 89 (27.5%) 27 (8.3%) 324 Oakbrooke Elementary 289 (66.7%) 123 (28.4%) 21 (4.9%) 433 Park Hill Elementary 123 (37.0%) 168 (50.6%) 41 (12.4%) 332 Pike View Elementary 91 (24.2%) 254 (67.6%) 31 (8.2%) 376 Pine Forest Elementary 345 (67.4%) 151 (29.5%) 16 (3.1%) 512 Redwood Pre-School 22 (10.3%) 180 ,(84.5%) 11 (5.2%) 213 Scott Elementary 91 (69.5%) 36 (27.5%) 4 (3.0%) 131 Seventh Street Elementary 2 (.6%) 312 (98.4%) 3 (1.0%) 317 Sherwood Elementary 256 (63.8%) 135 (33.7%) 10 (2.5%) 401 Sylvan Hills Elementary 238 (56.0%) 172 (40.5%) 15 (3.5%) 425 Total Elementary Schools 3,629 (43.0%) 4,408 (52.2%) 412 (4.8%) 8,449 TOT AL ENROLLMENT 7,144 (43.7%) 8,445 (51.7%) 753 (4.6%) 16,342 It can be determined from Table 9 that the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would have three high schools with over 1,000 students and one with 627 students. The reconfigured school district would be expanded by two middle schools, the new Maumelle Middle School and Sylvan Hills Middle School. There I 043675-1 25 would be nine additional elementary schools ranging in size from the 131 student Scott Elementary SC'hool to the 749 student Crystal Hill Elementary School. 2. Facilities. The school facilities that comprise the existing North Little Rock School District range in age from 82 years (Park Hill Elementary School built in 1924), to 36 years (Lynch Drive Elementary School constructed in 1970). Most of the school district's schools were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Table \ 0 shows the capacity, amount of capacity used, student enrollment, and rating category for the 13 schools that would be transferred from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. Table 10 The 13 Pulaski County Special School District Schools That would be Transferred to the North Little Rock School District 20 Schools Capacity Capacity Enrollment Rating Used 2005-2006 Oak Grove High School 1130 55% 627 5 Sylvan Hills High School 1080 66% 713 4 Maumelle Middle School* 1360 33% 447 1 Sylvan Hills Middle School 1080 66% 713 5 Clinton Elementary 840 80% 672 1 Crystal Hills Elementary 870 91% 794 1 Harris Elementary 906 29% 266 3 Oak Grove Elementary 626 52% 324 4 Oakbrook Elementary 533 78% 433 3 Pine Forest Elementary 554 92% 512 1 Scott Elementary 294 45% 131 5 Sherwood Elementary 561 71% 401 3 Sylvan Hills Elementary 606 70% 425 3 *Maumelle Middle School is a new school that opened for the 2005-06 school year. 20See Exhibit 2: an evaluation of each of the Pulaski County Special School District facilities made by William Gordon & Associates. A school rated as Category 1 is a school evaluated as excellent and not in need of significant remodeling or repair. A Category 5 school is a very poor facility in need of major repair or replacement. 10436751 26 It can be determined from Table l O that three of the schools that would be transferred to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District are rated as Category 5 schools. Oak Grove High School, a Category 5 school, is in the worst condition. The school was constructed in 18 separate buildings consisting mostly of four classroom pods. The buildings are poorly designed and, for the most part, the classroom space is inadequate. This school needs to be replaced. The other two Category 5 buildings, Sylvan Hills Middle School and Scott Elementary School, should be considered for replacement. The Sylvan Hills Middle School has several buildings that have not been properly maintained and are in poor condition. Remodeling this 1955 school might be as expensive as rebuilding it. Scott - Elementary School would be located in the extreme eastern edge of the reconfigured North Little School District. The school is in poor condition with an enrollment of only 131 students. Although the school is somewhat remote, consideration should be given to closing it. At the other extreme, there are four Category l schools that would be transfened to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. The Maumelle Middle School is a new facility that opened for the Fall of 2005. It is an excellent 6th - 8th grade facility cunently housing 447 - 6th and ?111 grade students. The 8th grade, presently assigned to Oak Grove High School, will be assigned to Maumelle Middle School for the 2006-07 school year. The other Category l schools - Clinton Elementary, Crystal Hill Elementary, and Pine Forest Elementary schools - are in very good condition. Clinton and Crystal Hills elementary schools were built in the 1990s t043675-1 27 and Pine Forest Elementary School was built in 1973. The remaining six buildings are Category 3 and Category 4 structures. The Category 4 schools are sound structures, but need significant remodeling. The Category 3 schools are older buildings that are sound structures, but need some remodeling as well. 3. Personnel. a. Classroom Teachers. Reconfiguring the- North Little Rock School District by an additional 13 school~ and 6,763 students would create a need for additional teachers. There are 493 teachers employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District 21 who are assigned to the 13 schools that would be transferred to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. The existing North Little Rock School District employs 770_ teachers in its 20 schools. 22 When adding 13 schools from the existing Puiaski County Special School District, the number of teachers needed in the new school district would be 1,263, an increase of 39.0%. Table 11 identifies the teachers, by race and school, presently employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District in the 13 schools identified for transfer. 21See Attachment F: the total number of teachers, by race, by school, employed by the Pulaski County Special School District. 22See Attachment E: the No1ih Little Rock School District's present 2005-06 teaching staff by race and school. 1043675-1 28 - - Table 11 Teachers, by Race, by School, Currently Employed in the 13 Schools that Would Be Transferred from the Pulaski County Special School District to the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on the 2005-06 Employment Data Schools White Black Other Total Oak Grove High School 46 (85.2%) 8 (14.8%) 0 54 Sylvan Hills High School 84 (86.6%) 13 (13.4%) 0 97 Maumelle Middle School _ 15 (100%) 0 0 15 Sylvan Hills Middle School 51 (83.6%) 10 (16.4%) 0 61 Clinton Elementary 34 (75.6%) 11 (24.4%) 0 45 Crystal Hill Elementary 43 (82.7%) 9 (13.7%) 0 52 Harris Elementary 11 (57.9%) 7 (36.8) 1 (9.6%) 19 Oakbrooke Elementary 19 (79.2%) 5 (20.8%) 0 24 Oak Grove Elementary 20 (71.4%) 8 (28.6%) 0 28 Pine Forest Elementary 28 (84.8%) 5 (15.2%) 0 33 Scott Elementary 12 (92.3%) 1 (7.7%) 0 13 Sherwood Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Sylvan Hills Elementary 22 (84.6%) 4 (15.4%) _Q 26 TOT AL TEACIIBRS 406 (82.4%) 86 (17.4%) 1 (.2%) 493 With the exception of Maumelle Middle School and Scott Elementary School, Table 11 shows that all of the schools being transferred have at least four black teachers comprising between 13.4% and 36.8% of each schools' faculty. Table 12 shows the composition of the reconfigured North Little Rock School Dist1ict teaching staff by school and race. I 043675-1 29 - Table 12 Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Facu.lty Assignments Based on 2005-06 Employment Data Schools White Black Other Total North Little Rock High (East) 76 (90.5%) 8 (9.5%) 0 84 North Little Rock High (West) 85 (82.5%) 18(17.5%) 0 103 Oak Grove High School 46 (85.2%) 8 (14.8%) 0 54 Sylvan Hills High School 84 (86.6%) 13 (13.4%) _o_ 97 Total High Schools 291 (86.1 %) 47 (13.9%) 0 338 Lakewood Middle School 39 (88.6%) 5 (11.4%) 0 44 Maumelle Middle School 15 (100%) 0 0 15 Poplar Street Middle School 39 (81.3%) 7 (14.5%) 2 (4.2%) 48 Ridgeroad Middle School 35 (87.5%) 5 (12.5%) 0 40 Rose City Middle School 17 (60.7%) 11 (39.3%) 0 28 Sylvan Hills Middle School 51 (83.6%) 10 (16.4%) _o_ fil_ Total Middle Schools 196 (81.3%) 38 (16.8%) 2 (.8%) 236 Amboy Elementary 24 (93.5%) 1 (3.8%) 1 (3.8%) 26 Belwood Elementary 15 (88.2%) 2 (11.8%) 0 17 Boone Park Elementary 29 (82.9%) 5 (14.3%) 1 (2.8%) 35 Clinton Elementary 34 (75.6%) 11 (24.4%) 0 45 Crestwood Elementary 32 (80.0%) 8 (20.0%) 0 40 Crystal Hill Elementary 43 (82.7%) 9 (13.7%) 0 52 Glenview Elementary 14 (82.4%) 3 (17.6%) 0 17 Harris Elementary 11 (57.9%) 7 (36.8%) l (9.6%) 19 Indian Hills Elementary 33 (91.7%) 3 (8.3%) 0 36 Lakewood Elementary 24 (100%) 0 0 24 Lynch Drive Elementary 25 (83.3%) 5 (16.7%) 0 30 Meadow Park Elementary 16(51.6%) 15 (48.4%) 0 31 North Heights Elementary 39 (62.9%) 19 (30.6%) 4 (6.5%) 62 Oakbrooke Elementary 19 (79.2%) 5 (20.8%) 0 24 Oak Grove Elementary 20 (71.4%) 8 (28.6%) 0 28 Park Hill Elementary 28 (77.8%) 8 (22.2%) 0 36 Pike View Elementary 27 (96.4%) 1 (3.6%) 0 28 Pine Forest Elementary 28 (84.8%) 5 (15.2%) 0 33 Redwood Pre-School 13 (100%) 0 0 13 Scott Elementary 12 (92.3%) 1 (7.7%) 0 13 Seventh Street Elementary 27 (96.4%) l (3.6%) 0 28 - 10436751 30 - Sherwood Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Sylvan Hills Elementary 22 (84.6%) 4 (15.4%) 0 26 Total Elementary Schools 556 (80.7%) 126 (18.3%) 7 (1.1%) 689 TOT AL TEACHERS 1,043 (82.6%) 211 (16.7%) 9 (.7%) 1,263 When Table 12 is compared with Table 11, it can be determined that there is virtually no change in the racial composition of teachers when the 13 existing Pulaski County Special School District schools' faculties are combined with the existing North Little Rock School District faculties. The racial composition shown in Table 11 for the 13 transferred schools is 82.4% (406) white, 17.4% (86) black, and .2% (1) other minority. The racial composition of the reconfigured North Little Rock School District shown in Table 12 is 82.6% (1,043) white, 16.7% (211) black, and .7% (7) other minorities. It should be noted that there are three schools -- the new Maumelle Middle School, Redwood Pre-School, and Lakewood Elementary School -- that are not assigned any black teachers. Four schools have only one black teacher. The remaining 26 schools each have a number of black teachers. b. Building Level Administrators. The existing North Little Rock School District presently has 41 principals and assistant principals. 23 Adding the 13 schools from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District increases the number of p1incipals and assistant principals 23See Attachment G: listing of central office and building level administrators by school employed by the North Little Rock School District for the 2005-06 school year. 10~3675-1 31 - by 27, from 41 to 68. Table 13 shows the building level administrators that are currently assigned to the 13 existing Pulaski County Special School District schools that would be transferred. - Table 13 Building Level Administrators Assigned to the 13 Schools that Would Be Transferred into the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on the 2005-06 Administrative Assignments Schools White Black Other Total Oak Grove High School 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Sylvan Hills High School 2 (50.0%) 2 (50.0%) 0 4 Maumelle Middle 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Sylvan Hills Middle 0 3 (100%) 0 3 Clinton 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Crystal Hill 1 (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Harris 0 I (100%) 0 1 Oakbrooke 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Oak Grove 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Pine Forest 1 (100%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Scott 1 (100%) 0 0 1 Sherwood 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Sylvan Hills 1 (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) _Q I TOTAL SCHOOL 12 (44.4%) 15 (55.6%) 0 27 AD Mll\TJSTRAT O RS Where more than one building level administrator is assigned to a school, at least one is white and one is black with the exceptions of Oak Grove High School and Sylvan Hills Middle School. In the three schools with only one building level administrator, one is white and two are black. Table 14 shows the building level administrators assigned to the schools in the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. 1043675-1 32 Table 14 Building Level Administrators Assigned to the Schools In the Reconfigured North Little Rock School District Based on the 2005-06 Administrative Assignments Schools White Black Other Total Agenta Academy 0 1 (100%) 0 1 North Little Rock-East 3 (60.0%) 2 (40.0% 0 5 North Little Rock-West 2 (40.0%) 3 (60.0%) 0 5 Oak Grove High Schoo1 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Sylvan Hills High School 2 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 1 Total High Schools 9 (52.9%) 8 (47.1 %) 0 17 Lakewood Middle School 2 (66.7%) I (33.3%) 0 3 Maumelle Middle School I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Poplar Street Middle School 2 (66.7%) I (33.3%) 0 3 Sylvan Hills Middle School 0 3 (100%) 0 3 Ridgeroad Middle School I (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Rose City Middle School I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 _1 Total l\1iddle Schools 7 (43.8%) 9 (56.2%) 0 16 Amboy Elementary I (100%) 0 0 1 Belwood Elementary I (100%) 0 0 1 Boone Park Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Clinton Elementary 1 (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Crestwood Elementary I (100%) 0 0 1 Crystal Hill Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Glenview Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 1 Han-is Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 1 Indian Hills Elementary 1 (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Lakewood Elementary I (100%) 0 0 I Lynch Drive Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Meadow Park Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 I North Heights Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Oakbrooke Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Oak Grove Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 I Park Hill Elementary I (100%) 0 0 I Pike View Elementary I (100%) 0 0 1 Pine Forest Elementary 1 (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Redwood Pre-School I (100%) 0 0 1 Scott Elementary I (100%) 0 0 I - Seventh StTeet Elementary 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Sherwood Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 1043675-1 33 Sylvan Hills Elementary Total Elementary Schools TOT AL SCHOOL ADMINISTORS I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 20 (57.1 %) 15 (42.9%) 36 (52.9%) 32 (47.1 %) _Q_ 0 0 _2_ 35 68 The 13 schools added to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District would add 27 building level administrators for a total of 68 building level administrators with a racial composition of 52.9% (36) white and 47.1 % (32) black. c. Central Administration. 24 The existing North Little Rock School District currently employs 57 central administrators. They consist of a superintendent, deputy and assistant superintendents, a financial officer, a legislative affairs officer, together with directors, coordinators, and specialists. With the reconfiguration of the school district to include 33 school buildings and 16,343 students, there would be a need to expand central administration by approximately five to seven people comprised of directors, coordinators, and specialists. 4. Transportation. The existing North Little Rock School District has a fleet of 89 buses. It consists of 39 buses that serve the school district's regular enrollments, 16 for special needs students. There are also 22 buses for the Mto- M transfer and magnet school students. Twelve buses are held in reserve. The existing Pulaski County Special School District has 165 buses located north of the Arkansas River. There are two bus compounds, one located in the 24See Attachment H: listing of central office and building level administrators by school employed by the Pulaski County Special School District for the 2005-06 school year. 1043675-1 34 - Jacksonville area and the other at Oak Grove. The Oak Grove compound does not have maintenance facilities. There are 26 Pulaski County Special School District buses that deliver students to the 13 schools that would be transferred to the reconfigured North Little Rock School District. In addition, there are approximately 31 Pulaski County Special School District buses that transport special needs students, talented and gifted and Mto- M transfer and magnet students. With the creation of a new North Little Rock School District there would be a need to transfer approximately 70 buses from the existing Pulaski County -Special School District. The bus compound located at Oak Grove would also need to be transferred. B. New Jacksonville School District. One of the specific charges of this feasibility study is to examine the feasibility of redrawing district boundaries to create two school districts, an expanded North Little Rock School District and a Jacksonville School District, north of the Arkansas River. 25 Under this charge, the establishment of a reconfigured North Little Rock School District is examined immediately above. Jacksonville is a city with a population of approximately 30,000 persons. It is separated both geographically and commercially from the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock. The existence of the Little Rock Air Force Base accounts for a 25Section 2.0 I, Item I., Request for Proposals for a "Feasibility Study to Determine if Pulaski County Special School District Should Continue to Exist" issued by the State of Arkansas Department of Education, September 27, 2005. 1043675-1 35 - substantial portion of the city's economic base. Within the Jacksonville community there is strong support for a separate school district. For many years the community, with the ass~stmce of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, has formulated committees that have been active in developing plans and soliciting support for a separate school district. Two feasibility studies were commissioned to determine the viability of a separate Jacksonville School District. 26 Proponents have been unable to establish a separate Jacksonville School District due to legal requirements imposed upon the existing Pulaski County Special School District in the ongoing school desegregation Ii tigation. 27 1. Student Assignments. The Jacksonville School District would have an enroH1,.1ent of 6,914 students and involve 13 schools: The students and facilities would be transferred from the existing Pulaski County Special School District. Table 15 lists the 13 schools that would be transferred to the new Jacksonville School District by race and enrollment. Table 15 New Jacksonville School District Based on 2005-06 Enrollments Schools Jacksonville High School North Pulaski High School Total High Schools White 569 (50.4%) 525 (58.5%) 1094 (54.0%) 522 (46.2%) 337 (37.6%) 859 (42.4%) 38 (3.4%) 35 (3.9%) 73 (3.6%) Total 1129 897 2026 26The studies were prepared by Educators Consulting Services, Inc., of Conway, Arkansas in July 1978 and November 2002. 21Little Rock School District vs. Pulaski County Special School District No. I, et al., No. LRC- 82-866. 1043675-1 36 - Jacksonville Middle Schvol 458 (51.3%) 402 (45.1%) 32 (3.6%) 892 Northwood Middle School 398 (59.6%) 241 (36.1%) 29 (4.3%) 668 Total Middle Schools 856 (54.9%) 643 (41.2%) 61 (3.9%) 1560 Adkins Elementary 110 (45.5%) 127 (52.5%) 5 (2.0%) 42 Arnold Drive Elementary 182 (61.7%) 90 (30.5%) 23 (7.8%) 95 Bayou Meto Elementary 389 (90.5%) 16 (3.7%) 25 (5.8%) 30 Cato Elementary 233 (66.8%) 100 (28.7%) 16 (4.5%) 49 Dupree Elementary 161 (54.0%) 122 (40.9%) 15 (5.1%) 298 Jacksonville Elementary 209 (36.3%) 321 (55.8%) 45 (7.9%) 575 Pinewood Elementary 221 (47.0%) 220 (46.8%) 29 (6.2%) 470 Taylor Elementary 167 (44.2%) 204 (54.0%) 7 (1.8%) 378 Tolleson Elementary 184 (63.2%) 84 (28.9%) 23 (7.9%) 291 Total Elementary Schools 1,856 (55.8%) 1,284 (38.6%) 188 (5.6%) 3,328 TOT AL ENROLLMENT 3,806 (55.0%) 2,786 (40.3%) 322 (4.7%) 6,914 Based on the 2005-06 enrollment data, the racial composition of the Jacksonville School ~istrict would be 55.0% white, 40.3% black, and 4.7% other minorities. This racial composition approximates the racial composition of the existing Pulaski County Special School District which is 53.7% white, 41.7% black, and 5.6% other minorities. 2. Facilities. There would be 2 high schools, 2 middle schools, and 9 elementary schools transferred from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the new Jacksonville School District. Each of these schools was visited and evaluated for this study. 28 Six schools were built between 1951 and 1957, four between 1962 and 1968, three between 1973 and 1976. 28See Exhibit 2: a school by school evaluation of each of the Pulaski Special School District's schools. I 0~3675-1 37 Table 16 lists the schools that would be transferred to the Jacksonville School District, their capacity, 2005-06 student enrollment, percent of capacity being utilized, and an evaluation of each facility. The evaluation scale used is the same Category 1 to Category 5 scale discussed earlier. A school rated as a Category 1 school is an excellent facility that is well maintained and is not in need of any significant remodeling or repair. A Category 5 school is a very poor facility that is in need of major renovation and repair and could be considered for closing or replacement. Table 16 Facility Ratings for the 13 Pulaski County Special School District Schools that Would Be Transferred to the New Jacksonville School District, including Capacity, Capacity Used, and Enrollments Based on 2005-06 Enrollment Data Schools Capacity Capacity Used Enrollment Rating (2005-06) Jacksonville High School 1360 83% 1129 5 North Pulaski High School 1050 85% 897 3 Jacksonville Md! School (Girls) 1970 45% 892 5 Jacksonville Md! School (Boys) 5 Northwood Middle School 1030 65% 668 3 Adkins Elementary 526 46% 242 2 Arnold Drive Elementary 453 65% 295 3 Bayou Meto Elementary 697 62% 430 Cato Elementary 800 44% 349 2 Dupree Elementary 498 60% 298 3 Jacksonville Elementary 850 68% 575 5 Pinewood Elementary 677 69% 470 2 Taylor Elementary 566 67% 378 2 Tolleson Elementary 291 52% 561 5 It can be noted from Table 16 that Jacksonville Middle School, and Adkins and Cato elementary schools are operating at less than 50% capacity. Five of the schools that would be transferred from the existing Pulaski County Special School District have been evaluated as Category 5 schools. Jacksonville High School, a Category 5 1043675-1 38 school, is a crowded and poorly designed building that should be replaced. It is in need of a new roof, upgraded wiring adequate to run computers and other technology, modifications to meet federal Americans With Disabilities Act requirements, updated technology, remodeled science laboratories, and remodeled restrooms. The Jacksonville Middle School consists of two Category 5 buildings. The original facility - the Jacksonville Junior High School -- was constructed in 1952. It is currently used as a boys' campus. The Jacksonville Middle School building, constructed in 1970, is currently used as a girls' campus. These facilities need to be replaced. There are two other Category 5 buildings, Jacksonville Elementary School built in 1963, and Tolleson Elementary School built in 1951, that are in very poor condition and cm,dd be replaced. 3. Financial Considerations. The Jacksonville School Dishict should receive sufficient operational funding through the state's school aid formula and local property taxes to operate effectively and efficiently. Because the largest portion of a school district's operating budget is personnel and associated costs, the extent to which the Jacksonville School District can keep these expenses reasonable is likely to impact its financial solvency. A review of the 2002 study conducted by ECS Planning and Management Services of Conway, Arkansas, entitled "Feasibility Study for Forming an Independent School District in North East Pulaski County Detached from the Pulaski County Special School District," together with interviews with personnel from the Arkansas Department of Education and administrators in local 1043675-1 39 school districts knowledgeable of school finance, leads to the aforementioned conclusion. Personnel from the Pulaski County Assessor's Office indicate that residential housing being constructed on the Little Rock Air Force Base--which would be in the Jacksonville School District--is being built by a private contractor. Thus, property taxes will be collected for the residential units on the Little Rock Air Force Base as they are completed. It is our understanding that over the next seven years as many as 5,000 new or refurbished residential units will be placed on the property tax rolls of the county. Approximately two-thirds of this property tax would go to the local school district. The financial impact of the Little Rock Air Force Base on the Jacksonville School District, in addition to the property tax issue just discussed, would be approximately $4,500 per student according to information received from personnel with the Little Rock Air Force Base. This, of course, would be advantageous to the operational funding of the school district. However, personnel from the existing Pulaski County Special School District indicate that the actual money received from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Impact Aid Program for the 2005-06 school year was $287,633.77. While we do not know the actual number of students that these funds were based on, it does not appear that the Pulaski County Special School District received $4,500 for each student. Financial costs of replacing and refurbishing some of the schools that would be transfened from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the 1043675-1 40 Jacksonville School District may be a challenge. While the schools are presently functioning as educational facilities, certain of them are in need of replacement, others are in need of signifi t remodeling or repair, and others will require other improvements. The willingoess of the residents of the Jacksonville School District to pass a bond referendum to improve the facilities will determine the extent to which needed replacements, refurbishings, and improvements can be made. In meetings with citizen groups and others from or representing the city of Jacksonville, it was made clear that the city has utilized sales taxes to build certain municipal facilities. Assuming it is legal to use such a procedure for funding improvement of school buildings, this may be another avenue that the Jacksonville School District might utilize for facility needs. We are uncertain, however, as to whether Arkansas law pen11 its the use of funds of one political subdivision for the benefit of another political ,,
ubdivision or, if such inter-political subdivision funding is pem1itted as a cooperative endeavor, whether municipal tax dollars may be used to fund capital improvements for another political subdivision where portions of it are situated outside the municipality's corporate limits. 4. Personnel. a. Classroom Teachers. With the transfer of 6,914 students and 13 schools from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the new Jacksonville School District, there will be a need for 497 teachers in the new school district. Table 17 identifies the teachers, by school and race, employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District identified for transfer. I 043675-1 41 - - Table 17 Teachers, by Race, by School, Currently Employed in the 13 Schools that Would Be Transferred from Pulaski County Special School District to the New Jacksonville School District Schools White Black Other Total Jacksonville High School 43 (71.7%) 17 (28.3%) 0 60 North Pulaski High School 56 (86.3%) 11 (16.4%) 0 67 Jacksonville Middle School (Girls) 39 (76.5%) 12 (23.5%) 0 51 Jacksonville Middle School (Boys) 35 (72.9%) 13(27.1%) 0 48 Northwood Middle School 41 (83.7%) 8 (16.3%) 0 49 Adkins Elementary 17 (73.9%) 4 (17.4%) 2 (8.7%) 23 Arnold Drive Elementary 19 (86.4%) 3 (13.6%) 0 22 Bayou Meto Elementary 24 (85.7%) 4 (14.3%) 0 28 Cato Elementary 18 (85.7%) 3 (14.3%) 0 21 Dupree Elementary 20 (87.0%) 2 (8.7%) 1 (4.3%) 23 Jacksonville Elementary 29 (82.9%) 5 (14.3%) 1 (2.8%) 35 Pinewood Elementary 21 (84.0%) 4 (16.0%) 0 25 Taylor Elementary 21 (80.8%) 5 (19.2%) 0 26 Tolleson Elementary 15 (78.9%) 4 (21.1%) 0 12 TOT AL TEACHERS 398 (80.1 %) 95 (19.1 %) 4 (.8%) 497 The racial composition of the faculties of the 13 schools (14 buildings) that would be transferred is 80.1 % (398) white, 19.1 % (95) black and .8% ( 4) other minorities. The racial composition of the existing Pulaski County Special School District faculties 29 is 80.2% white, 19.4% black and .4% other minorities. Thus, the faculty for the Jacksonville School District would mirror the faculty composition found in the existing Pulaski County Special School District. It also should be noted that all of the schools in the Jacksonville School District would have at least two black faculty members if existing faculty assignments are maintained. 29See Attachment F: the racial composition of the faculty assignments in the Pulaski County Special School District. I 043675-1 42 - b. Building Level Administrators. There are 26 building level administrators employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District 30 in the 13 schools that would comprise the Jacksonville School District. Table 18 shows the building level administrators who are presently assigned to the 13 schools. Table 18 Building Level Administrators Presently Assigned to the 13 Schools that Would Be Transferred to the New Jacksonville School District Based on 2005-06 Building Level Administrative Assignments Schools White Black Other Total Jacksonville High School 3 (75%) I (50%) 0 4 North Pulaski High School I (33.3%) 2 (66.7%) 0 3 Jacksonville Middle School (Girls) 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Jacksonville Middle School (Boys) 0 2 (100%) 0 2 Northwood Middle School I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Adkins Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 I Arnold Drive Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 I Bayou Meto Elementary 2 (100%) 0 0 2 Cato Elementary 0 1 (100%) 0 I Dupree Elementary 0 I (100%) 0 I Jacksonville Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Pinewood Elementary I (50.0%) I (50.0%) 0 2 Taylor Elementary I (50.0%) 1 (50.0%) 0 2 Tolleson Elementary I (100%) 0 _o_ l TOTAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS 13 (50%) 13 (50%) 0 26 Assuming the present building level administrative structure remains in tact, the Jacksonville School District would require 26 principals and assistant p1incipals. c. Central Administration. The Jacksonville School District would need a central administration. Because the existing North Little Rock School District is only a little larger than the proposed Jacksonville School District, it 30 See Attachment H: listing of administrators currently employed by the Pulaski County Special School District. 1043675-1 43 can be projected that the central administrative staff will need to be approximately the same size. The ~-entral administrative personnel needed to administer the proposed new school district ~-..-:u mclude: a superintendent, 3 to 5 assistant superintendents or administrative directors, a chief financial officer, 4 to 6 directors, 2 to 4 supervisors, and 8 to 10 coordinators. There are competent central administrators and non-certificated staff currently employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District. This pool of professionals should be given the opportunity to seek employment with the Jacksonville School District. The Jacksonville School District would require between 550 and 600 non-certified support personnel. - 5. Transportation. Currently, 16 buses transport students to North Pulaski High School and 18 transport students to the Jacksonville high and middle schools. There are also 36 special needs and M-to-M transfer and magnet school buses that are used to transport students living in the proposed Jacksonville School District attendance area. With the creation of the Jacksonville School District and programs more localized to its schools, there is the possibility of eliminating the need for several of these buses. 6. Governance. The Jacksonville School District will reqmre special legislation for its creation and governance. Apportionment for the purpose of establishing school bo
:ird election districts will be needed, together with an election for members to the school board. A transition period will be required prior to the commencement of the operations of the Jacksonville School District. 104)675-1 44 IV. Feasibility of Reorganizing the Three Pulaski County School Districts: One School District South of the Arkansas River - Act 2126 of 2005, 26(1) and ill In pertinent part, Act 2126 of 2005, Section 26( 1) and Section 26(2) authorizing the feasibility study, required an evaluation of: The elimination of the Pulaski County Special School District and redrawing of school district boundaries in Pulaski County to form three districts including a Little Rock District south of the Arkansas River .. 31 This requires an examination of the feasibility of dividing Pulaski County at the Arkansas River and reconfiguring the Little Rock School District to include all of the schools south of the river. Such a reconfiguration would create a new school district. The existing Little Rock School District is the largest school district in the state of Arkansas. It has 48 schools with an enrollment of 26,312 students. It" is located primarily within the corporate limits of the city of Little Rock but its boundaries are not coterminus with those of the city. Unlike Pulaski County north of the Arkansas River where there are several small cities, Pulaski County south of the river has only one city, Little Rock, which is rapidly expanding through annexations. A. Student Assignments. The existing Little Rock School District has 5 high schools, 8 middle schools, 32 elementary schools and 3 alternative schools. Included within this number of 31Section 2.01 (I) and (2), Request for Proposals for a "Feasibility Study to Determine if Pulaski County Special School District Should Continue to Exist" issued by the State of Arkansas Department of Education, September 27, 2005. 1043675-1 45 - schools are 6 stipulated magnet schools 32 that are part of the settlement agreement in the ongoing school desegregation litigation. The racial composition of the existing Little Rock School District is 24.0% (6,316) white, 68.7% (18,086) black and 7.3% (1,910) other minorities students. Reconfiguring the Little Rock School District to include all of the existing Pulaski County Special School District schools south of the Arkansas River will add 10 schools and 4,650 students. Table 19 shows the student enrollment and racial composition of the 10 schools that would be transferred from the existing Pulaski County Special School District to the reconfigured Little Rock School District. Table 19 Student Enrollment and Racial Composition of the 10 Schools That Would be Transferred from the Pulaski County SchQol District to the Expanded Little Rock School District Based on 2005-06 Student Enrollment Data Schools White Black Other Total Mills High School 395 (40.6%) 554 (57.0%) 23 (2.4%) 972 Robinson High School 247 (59.7%) 155 (37.4%) 12 (2.9%) 414 Fuller Middle School 310 (40.9%) 406 (53.6%) 42 (5.5%) 758 Robinson Middle School 247 (59.7%) 155 (37.4%) 12 (2.9%) 414 Baker Elementary 254 (67.9%) 76 (20.3%) 44 (11.8%) 374 Bates Elementary 236 (44.6%) 266 (50.3%) 27 (5.1%) 529 College Station Elementary 92 (45.8%) 100 (49.8%) 9 (4.4%) 201 Landmark Elementary 139 (44.1%) 159 (50.5%) 17 (5.4%) 315 Lawson Elementary 219 (72.5%) 71 (23.5%) 12 (4.0%) 302 Robinson Elementary 236 (63.6%) 106 (28.6%) 29 (7.8%) ill TOT AL ENROLLMENT 2,375 (51.1%) 2,048 (44.0%) 227 (4.9%) 4,650 32 A stipulated magnet is a magnet school established by the federal district court as part of March 28, 1989 settlement agreement in the Little Rock School District vs. Pulaski County Special Sc/zoo! District No. LR-C-82-866. 1043675-1 46 - It can be determined from Table 19 that the racial composition of the students transferred from the 10 existing Pulaski County Special School District schools would be 51.1 % white, 44.0% black and 4.9% other minorities. Table 20 shows the student enrollment of the reconfigured Little Rock School District when the existing Pulaski County Special School District's schools south of the Arkansas River are added. Table 20 Expanded Little Rock School District That Includes the 10 Pulaski County Special School District's Schools South of the Arkansas River Based on 2005-06 Student Enrollment Schools White Black Other Total Central High School 1033 (42.7%) 1273 (52.6%) 116 (4.7%) 2422 HaU High School 150 (10.8%) 1083 (78.0%) 155 (11.2%) 1388 J.A. Fair High School 127 (10.9%) 1006 (86.1 %) 36 (3.0%) 1169 McClellan High School 50 (5.8%) 779 (90.2%) 35 (4.0%) 864 Mills High School 395 (40.6%) 554 (57.0%) 23 (2.4%) 972 Parkview High School (Stipulated) 33 496 (43.9%) 559 (49.5%) 74 (6.6%) 1129 Robinson High School 247 (59.7%) 155 (37.4%) 12 (2.9%) 414 Accelerated Leaming (9-12) 18 (14.0%) 109 (84.5%) 2 (1.5%) 129 Alternative Leaming Center (H.S.) 5 (2.5%) 193 (96.5%) 2 (1.0%) 200 Total High Schools 2,521 (29.0%) 5,711 (65.7%) 455 (5.3%) 8,687 Cloverdale Middle School 27 (4.2%) 491 (77.2%) 118(18.6%) 636 Dunbar Middle School 218 (26.9%) 531 (65.5%) 62 (7.6%) 811 Forest Heights Middle School 121 (17.9%) 531 (78.6%) 24 (3.5%) 676 Fuller Middle School 310 (40.9%) 406 (53.6%) 42 (5.5%) 758 Henderson Middle School 65 (10.3%) 503 (79.8%) 62 (9.9%) 630 Mabel vale Middle School 77 (12.6%) 519 (84.7%) 17 (2.7%) 613 Mann Middle School (Stipulated) 365 (42.9%) 429 (50.5%) 56 (6.6%) 850 Pulaski Heights Middle School 307 (41.8%) 411 (56.0%) 16 (2.2%) 734 Robinson Middle School 247 (59.7%) 155 (37.4%) 12 (2.9%) 414 33 Stipulated refers to the stipulated magnets provided for in the settlement agreement. 1043675-1 47 - Southwest Middle School 19(4.1%) 419 (91.1%) 22 (4.8%) 460 Alternative Leaming Center 5 (5.7%) 80 (92.0%) 2 (2.3%) _n Total Middle Schools 1,761 (21.9%) 4,475 (71.2%) 433 (6.9%) 6,669 Baker Elementary 254 (67.9%) 76 (20.3%) 44 (11.8%) 374 Bale Elementary 23 (6.9%) 273 (81.7%) 38(11.4%) 334 Baseline Elementary 17 (5.7%) 219 (74.0%) 60 (20.3%) 296 Bates Elementary 236 (44.6%) 266 (50.3%) 27 (5.1%) 529 Booker Arts Elementary (Stipulated) 253 (41.7%) 324 (53.4%) 30 (4.9%) 607 Brady Elementary 40 (10.2%) 332 (84.3%) 22 (5.5%) 394 Carver Elementary (Stipulated) 211 (39.6%) 290 (54.4%) 32 (6.0%) 533 Chicot Elementary 34 (6.0%) 418 (74.1%) 112 (19.9%) 564 Cloverdale (Closed 10-24-05) 7 (6.2%) 85 (75.2%) 21 (18.6%) 113 College Station Elementary 92 (45.8%) 100 (49.8%) 9 (4.4%) 201 Dodd Elementary 8 (3.7%) 162 (74.7%) 47 (21.6%) 217 Fair Park Elementary 38 (29.2%) 86 (66.2%) 6 (4.6%) 130 Forest Park Elementary 309 (75.9%) 81 (19.9%) 17(4.2%) 407 Franklin Elementary 10 (2.3%) 427 (97.0%) 3 (.7%) 440 Fulbright Elementary 445 (70.3%) 152 (24.0%) 36 (5.7%) 633 Gayer Springs Elementary 15 (4.5%) 301 (90.4%) 17 (5.1%) 333 Gibbs Elementary (Stipulated) 117 (39.4%) 158 (53.2%) 22 (7.4%) 297 Jefferson Elementary 294 (66.5%). 142 (32.1%) 6 (1.4%) 442 Landmark Elementary 139 (44.1%) 159 (50.5%) 17 (5.4%) 315 Lawson Elementary 219 (72.5%1 71 (23.5%) 12 (4.0%) 302 Mabelvale Elementary 50 (14.8%) 257 (76.0%) 31 (9.2%) 338 McDermott Elementary 115 (25.1%) 296 (64.6%) 47 (10.3%) 458 Meadowcli ff Elementary 42 (11.6%) 289 (79.6%) 32 (8.8%) 363 M.L. King Elementary 187 (30.2%) 409 (66. l %) 23 (3.7%) 619 Otter Creek Elementary 154 (26.6%) 374 (64.5%) 52 (8.9%) 580 Pulaski Heights Elementary 167 (50.0%) 152 (45.5%) 15 (4.5%) 334 Rightsell Elementary 4 (2.2%) 178 (96.7%) 2(1.1%) 184 Robinson Elementary 236 (63.6%) 106 (28.6%) 29 (7.8%) 371 Rockefeller Elementary 107 (22.4%) 358 (75.1 %) 12 (2.5%) 477 Romine Elementary 28 (7.7%) 290 (79.5%) 47 (12.8%) 365 Stephens Elementary 11 (2.0%) 527 (96.3%) 9 (1.7%) 547 Terry Elementary 185 (28.2%) 375 (57.2%) 96 (14.6%) .656 Wakefield Elementary 20 (4.1%) 366 (74.5%) 105 (21.4%) 491 Washington 78 (12.1%) 516 (80.1%) 50 (7.8%) 644 Watson Elementary 7 (1.5%) 419 (91.5%) 32 (7.0%) 458 Western Hills Elementary 48 (16.8%) 220 (76.9%) 18 (6.3%) 286 Williams Elementary (Stipulated) 177 (38.5%) 233 (50.7%) 50 (10.8%) 460 I 043675-1 48 - Wilson Elementary 15 (5.4%) 242 (87.7%) 19(6.9%) 276 Woodruff Elementary 17 {7.1%) 219 {92.0%) 2 {.9%) 238 Total Elementary Schools 4,409 (28.3%) 9,948 (63.7%) 1,249 (8.0%) 15,606 TOT AL ENROLLMENT 34 8,691 (28.1 %) 20,134 (65.0%) 2,137 (6.9%) 30,962 The reconfigured Little Rock School District would have an enrollment of 30,962 with a racial composition of28.1% (8,691) white, 65.0% (20,134) black and 6.9% (2,137) other minorities. The reconfigured school district would have an increased white enrollment (28.1 %) and a decreased black enrollment (65.0%) from the existing Little Rock School District. The percentage of other minorities would decrease from 7.3% to 6.9%. Thus, inclusion of the existing Pulaski County Special School District's schools south of the Arkansas River into the reconfigured Little Rock School District can be viewed as having a positive desegregative impact. B. Facilities. Ten schools in the existing Pulaski County Special School District are located south of the Arkansas River. These facilities would be included as part of the reconfigured Little Rock School District. The schools transferred from the existing Pulaski County Special School District would include 2 high schools, 2 middle schools, and 6 elementary schools. Five of these schools were built in the 1950s with the oldest, Fuller Middle School, built in 1950. The newest school, Bates Elementary School, was built in 2000. 34See Attachment I: the 2005-2006 enrollment and racial composition of the Little Rock School District. I 043675-1 49 Table 21 shows the capacity, 35 capacity used, student enrollment, and rating category for each school. 36 Table 21 Facility Ratings for the 10 Pulaski County Special School District Schools That would be Transferred to the Little Rock School District Schools Capacity % Capacity Enrollment Rating Used 2005-2006 Robinson High School 770 88% 674 4 Mills High School 1130 86% 972 3 Fuller Middle School 1360 56% 758 4 Robinson Middle School 650 64% 414 5 Baker Elementary 428 87% 374 3 Bates Elementary 863 61% 529 1 College Station Elementary 439 46% 201 4 Landmark Elementary 711 44% 315 2 Lawson Elementary 372 81% 302 3 Robinson Elementary 544 68% 371 2 It can be noted in Table 21 that three of the four secondary schools are either Category 4 or Category 5 schools. Robinson Middle School, built in 1959, is a Category 5 school that should be considered for replacement. Robinson High School, built in 1980, is a Category 4 school. It has a new six classroom wing but the school is in need of additional classrooms and remodeling. Fuller Middle School was built in 19 53 and has had two additions consisting of 19 classrooms built in 1991 and 22 additional classrooms and a remodeled front constructed in 1993. Although the school has had recently built additional classrooms, it is still in need of significant District 3
See Attachment J: listing of the building capacities for each of the three school districts. 36See Exhibit 2: an evaluation of all of the schools in the Pulaski County Special School 50 - remodeling. Five of the ten schools are operating at less than two-thirds of their rated capacity, with two at less than 50% of their rated capacity. The reconfigured Little Rock School District will have nine elementary schools with fewer than 300 students. Three of the nine have enrollments of 201 or less -College Station Elementary School with 201 students, Fair Park Elementary School with 130 students, and Rightsell Elementary School with 184 students. These schools could be considered for closing with reassignment of students to contiguous schools or retained to provide additional capacity in the event resident students should return from school transfers outside the school district. C. Personnel. 1. Classroom Teachers. Transferring all of the Pulaski County Special School District's students and schools south of the Arkansas River to the reconfigured Little Rock School District would require the employment of additional classrooms teachers. The existing Pulaski County Special School District employs a qualified group of teachers and there is logic in allowing those teachers to be considered for employment in the reconfigured Little Rock School District. The existing Little Rock School District employs 2,027 teachers. 37 The addition of the Pulaski County Special School District schools south of the Arkansas River will require the employment of an additional 3 79 teachers. 37See Attachment K: the Lit1le Rock School District's 2005-06 teaching staff by race and school. 1043675-1 51 - Table 22 identifies the teachers, by school and race, employed by the existing Pulaski County Special School District in the 10 schools identified for transfer. Table 22 Teachers, by Race and School, Who are Currently Employed in the 10 Schools that Would Be Transferred from Pulaski County Special School District to the Expanded Little Rock School District Based on 2005-06 Employment Data Schools White Black Other Total Mills High School 58 (76.3%) 18 (23.7%) 0 76 Robinson High School 46 (85.2%) 8 (14.8%) 0 54 Fuller Middle School 36 (65.5%) 19 (34.5%) 0 55 Robinson Middle School 32 (84.2%) 6 (15.8%) 0 38 Baker Elementary 18 (78.3%) 5 (21.7%) 0 23 Bates Elementary 27 (67.5%) 13 (32.5%) 0 40 College Station Elementary 20 (74.1%) 7 (25.9%) 0 27 Landmark Elementary 20 (87.0%) 3 (13.0%) 0 23 Lawson Elementary 17 (85.0%) 3 (15.0%) 0 20 Robinson Elementary 20 (87.0%) 3 (13.0%) Q 23 TOT AL TEACHERS 294 (77.6%) 85 (22.4%) 0 379 It can be determined from Table 22 that the schools transfen-ed to the reconfigured Little Rock School District from the existing Pulaski County Special School District 38 have an overall black teacher composition of 22.4%, with not less than a 13 .0% black teacher assignment in each school. Table 23 shows the composition of the faculties of the schools m the reconfigured Little Rock School District. 38See Attachment F: the Pulaski County Special School District's 2005-06 teaching staff by race and school. 10~3675-1 52 - Table 23 Reconfigured Little Rock School District Faculty Assignments Based on 2005-06 Employment Data Schools White Black Total Central High School 103 (66.0%) 53 (34.0%) 156 Hall High School 66 (62.9%) 39 (37.1%) 105 J.A. Fair High School 57 (64.0%) 32 (36.0%) 89 McClellan High School 41(51.3%) 39 (48.7%) 80 Mills High School 58 (76.3%) 18 (23.7%) 76 Parkview High School 59 (69.4%) 26 (30.6%) 85 Robinson High School 46 (85.2%) 8 (14.8%) 54 Total High Schools 430 (66.7%) 215 (33.3%) 645 Cloverdale Middle School 23 (37.7%) 38 (62.3%) 61 Dunbar Middle School 35 (57.4%) 26 (42.6%) 61 Forest Heights Middle School 37 (57.8%) 27 (42.2%) 64 Fuller Middle School 36 (65.5%) 19 (34.5%) 55 - Henderson Middle School 32 (50.8%) 31 (49.2%) 63 Mann Middle School 33 (50.0%) 33 (50.0%.) 66 Mabelvale Middle School 43 (74.1%) 15 (25.9%) 58 Pulaski Heights Middle School 46 (78.0%) 13 (20.0%) 59 Southwest Middle School 16 (30.8%) 36 (69.2%) 52 Robinson Middle School 32 (84.2%) 6 (15.8%) 38 Total Middle Schools 333 (57.7%) 244 (42.3%) 577 Baker Elementary 18 (78.3%) 5 (21.7%) 23 Bale Elementary 20(71.4%) 8 (28.6%) 28 Baseline Elementary 10 (38.5%) 16 (61.5%) 26 Bates Elementary 27 (67.5%) 13 (32.5%) 40 Booker Arts Elementary 39 (70.9%) 16(29.1%) 55 Brady Elementary 16 (55.2%) 13 (44.8%) 29 Carver Elementary 29 (69.0%) 13(31.0%) 42 Chicot Elementary 33 (75.0%) 11 (25.0%) 44 College Station Elementary 20 (74.1 %) 7 (25.9%) 27 Dodd Elementary 20 (71.4%) 8 (28.6%) 28 Fair Park Elementary 4 (44.4%) 5 (55.6%) 9 Forest Park Elementary 23 (88.5%) 3 (11.5%) 26 Franklin Elementary 14 (36.8%) 24 (63.2%) 38 Fulbri
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.

<dcterms_creator>William Gordon Associates</dcterms_creator>