The Little Rock School District is eyeing a restructuring that may result in school closures — and is seeking community input. The district recently released a strategic redesign plan to build a stronger future for students, along with a schedule of community meetings about the restructuring.
“The Little Rock School District is at a defining moment,” the plan reads. “Like many school districts across the nation, LRSD is experiencing sustained enrollment declines, increasing operational costs and growing competition for students. Continuing to operate our district as it exists today would require us to spread limited resources across too many underutilized facilities, ultimately reducing our ability to provide every student with the high-quality educational experience they deserve.”
The plan notes that while two task forces established to direct the future of the district began early planning discussions in spring, they will not be prepared to present recommendations to the school board until spring of 2027, meaning that, if approved, those recommendations would not be implemented until the 2028-2029 school year, at the earliest.
With the district falling short of its Fiscal Year 2027 budget reduction target by about $4 million to $7 million, the administration decided to develop the LRSD Forward: FY28 Short-Term Resource Equity & Strategic Redesign Plan to present to the board in October, providing short-term recommendations that could address the district’s immediate needs.
The plan is guided by five strategic priorities: protect students and classrooms before buildings; improve educational equity; strengthen long-term financial sustainability; expand innovative educational opportunities; and engage the community through a transparent and informative planning process.
Schools being considered for closure include Western Hills Elementary, Mabelvale Elementary, Williams Magnet Elementary, McDermott Elementary, Mann Magnet Middle School and Mabelvale Middle School. The administration does not recommend closing all six schools.
The first-choice option recommended by the administration is to close Western Hills Elementary, Mabelvale Elementary and McDermott Elementary, which could save the district $5 million while minimizing the need for additional district-level personnel reductions.
The second recommended option is to close Western Hills Elementary, Mabelvale Elementary and McDermott Elementary, in addition to closing the Mabelvale Middle School and relocating Mann Magnet Middle School to the current Mabelvale Middle School campus.
The plan states that the savings from that option could exceed the Fiscal Year 2028 target while significantly reducing or eliminating the need for additional district-level personnel reductions.
Not recommended are closing Western Hills Elementary, Mabelvale Elementary and Williams Elementary or closing Western Hills Elementary, Mabelvale Elementary, McDermott Elementary and Mann Middle School while Mabelvale Middle School remains open on its current campus.
Community meetings are set for 6 p.m. Sept. 9 at Little Rock Southwest Magnet High School; 1 p.m. Sept. 12 at St. Andrews Church on Baseline Road; 6 p.m. Sept. 15 at Hall High School; 1 p.m. Sept. 19 at Dr. Marian G. Lacey K-8 Academy; 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at Dunbar Community Center; and 6 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Brady/LRSD Welcome Center.
Click here to learn more and read the plan.
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