Little Rock School District - News - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock and LRSD Launch Early College Associate Degree Program

Justin Bates — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:56:32 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Little Rock School District have announced a transformative partnership that will allow high school students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, marking a major step forward in expanding college access for Central Arkansas students.

Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, Little Rock Southwest High School will become the first LRSD campus to implement the Early College Associate Degree Program, a concurrent education initiative that aligns high school coursework with college-level requirements. The program will allow students to earn up to two years of college credit without leaving their campus—saving both time and money on their path to higher education.

LRSD Associate Superintendent Shana Loring called the announcement “a defining moment in our mission to expand access and opportunity for every young person in this city.”

She said the initiative was “born from a shared vision to ensure every Little Rock School District student leaves not only college-ready, but college-completing.”

Loring emphasized that the program is about equity and access, removing barriers, expanding pathways, and allowing students to graduate from high school with both a diploma and a degree in hand.

LRSD Superintendent Jermall Wright celebrated the partnership as a transformative connection between K–12 education, higher education, and the workforce. He noted that the initiative aligns with the “Three E’s” of the Arkansas Department of Education’s ACCESS Act, which prepares students to enroll, gain employment, or enlist after graduation.

“When we connect K–12 education to higher education and to the workforce, we don’t just change outcomes — we change trajectories,” Wright said. “We empower students to dream bigger, achieve more, and contribute to the growth of our local and state community.”

He thanked ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for its collaboration and vision, noting that the partnership marks a brighter future for LRSD students and families.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale thanked LRSD for its partnership and underscored the power of concurrent education in building confidence, saving families time and money, and strengthening the region’s talent pipeline.

“Strong cities are built on strong institutions, and that includes both a strong university and strong public schools,” Drale said. “Our futures are deeply connected. When we work together, we create a pipeline of talent, opportunity, and leadership that strengthens not just our campuses, but our entire community.”

The concurrent credit program has already made an impact. DeSean Allen, a junior at Parkview Arts/Science Magnet High School, spoke about his experience taking concurrent credit courses.

“I’ve taken four concurrent credit classes so far,” he said. “These classes have helped me save my family money, and they’ve been beneficial to my educational journey. Concurrent credits have helped me gain more experience in higher education courses like those at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and it’s exciting to see a whole associate’s degree being made available to us in such a short time.”

Wright and Drale, with a backdrop of students in the district, recently signed the program into action symbolizing the beginning of a new chapter in collaboration between ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and LRSD.

With the Early College Associate Degree Program set to launch at Little Rock Southwest High School in 2026, both institutions plan to expand opportunities across the district in the years ahead—creating clear, affordable, and achievable pathways from high school to higher education and beyond.

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Three ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Matched with Mentor Teachers in Little Rock School District

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:02:00 +0000

Three ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students will gain invaluable experience as they serve year-long teacher residencies with Little Rock School District this school year.

The aspiring educators were celebrated during a May 9 Match Day event at J.A. Fair K-8 Preparatory Academy, where they learned who their mentor teachers would be for the 2025–26 school year as part of the Trojan Teacher Residency Program.

The event marked the first time the university has placed teacher residents at J.A. Fair and is part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s innovative, year-long paid residency program supported by Forward Arkansas. It provides future educators with hands-on classroom experience while being mentored by veteran teachers.

The three new residents—Kimbree Earnest, Britnie Harvill, and Sarah Smith—are all seniors majoring in elementary education.

Kimbree Earnest of Benton will teach second grade alongside Mrs. Carla Abraham. She described the Match Day celebration as overwhelming in the best way.

“The Match Day event held by J.A. Fair was amazing! I was amazed at how much time, money, and effort they put into making us feel so welcomed,” Earnest said. “I left Match Day feeling excited and ready for next fall!”

Earnest said she pursued education because of her passion for children and the desire to make a difference.

“I want to be someone special in their lives, especially those who need someone like that,” she said. “Being selected for the residency program was a huge relief. I’ve worked part time throughout college to make ends meet, and being paid to complete my residency is a huge blessing. I’m also thrilled to already have my foot in the door at a district I want to work for.”

Britnie Harvill of Hensley and Sarah Smith of Little Rock were equally excited after meeting their mentors. Harvill was matched with third-grade teacher Sarah McPherson, a Teacher of the Year at J.A. Fair, while Smith will teach third grade alongside Mrs. Gilseppe Brishana.

The Trojan Teacher Residency Program, now in its third year and funded through a grant from Forward Arkansas, emphasizes collaboration between the university and school districts to better prepare teachers. Each resident is matched with a certified mentor who has at least three years of teaching experience. Together, they co-teach and plan lessons, giving students a more authentic and practical experience than traditional student teaching.

The celebratory Match Day event at J.A. Fair included performances from student dancers and cheerleaders, speeches from school and university leaders, and a gift presentation for each resident.

Superintendent Dr. Jermall Wright offered a warm welcome and encouraged the residents to embrace the journey ahead.

“Welcome to the Little Rock School District family,” Wright said. “This moment marks a new chapter in your educational journey. At a time when few individuals are seeking to become educators, I want to applaud your courage for stepping into this calling.”

Each resident received personalized gifts from their mentor teachers as they began building the important relationships that will define their residency year and shape their futures as educators.

“We’re excited to see these three teacher residents grow as educators,” said Dr. Rachel Eells, Windgate endowed director of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Education. “We can’t wait to see what this year brings.”

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock Education Graduate Tinaya Brown Finds Her Calling in the Classroom

Tue, 06 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Tinaya Brown has always had a history of helping children. Now, she’s turning that passion into a career as she prepares to graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education on May 17.

Brown, a Pine Bluff native, is part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s innovative teacher residency program with , a new model of teacher preparation that pairs education students with a mentor teacher for a full school year of preparation instead of a traditional semester-long student teaching placement.

As a teaching resident at Forest Heights STEM Academy in Little Rock, Brown has spent the entire year in a kindergarten classroom under the guidance of her mentor teacher, Christy Watkins.

“I started on July 31, and I’ve been in the classroom every day since,” Brown said. “The whole thing has been great. Doing the residency program has given me a better understanding of what being in my own classroom will be like. I’ve learned so much from Miss Watkins and the other teachers on the kindergarten team.”

The immersive experience gave Brown the chance to fully engage in all aspects of teaching, from working with parents to planning lessons and supporting students through day-to-day ups and downs.

“I got to see my students grow, as I grew right along with them,” she said. “One of my favorite memories was the kindergarten meet-and-greet night. It’s funny to think about how shy and nervous all the students were at first compared to how comfortable and confident they are now. It’s just been so special to see their progress and growth not just socially, but also academically.”

Brown said the yearlong residency helped her grow in patience and confidence, two skills critical for any educator but especially kindergarten.

“With kindergarten, you need a lot of patience,” she said. “In the beginning it’s about teaching them how to be good school citizens.”

Brown’s journey to the classroom hasn’t always been straightforward. Although she was inspired to become a teacher by her second-grade teacher, Miss Harrison, she initially explored other paths.

“I changed my major three times before joining the Elementary Education program,” she said. “But I realized I was already doing so many things that revolved around children like working in daycare, teaching Vacation Bible School, and teaching children’s church. It just made sense for me to be a teacher.”

Her decision to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was an easy one.

“It’s close to my parents’ home, and we used to come to Little Rock almost every weekend so I was very familiar with the city,” Brown said. “I toured this campus twice, and I knew the first time I came that this was the school I wanted to attend.”

Since starting in 2020, Brown has made the most of her college experience. She served as a resident assistant for three years, joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., participated in the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, and was active in Chi Alpha, a Christian ministry on campus.

One of her favorite professors was Dr. Rachel Eells, director of the School of Education, who left a lasting impression.

“I absolutely loved her class,” Brown said. “She was my professor back in 2022–23, and I still remember a lot of what I learned. She’s also such an amazing and genuine woman.”

After graduation, Brown plans to begin her teaching career in Arkansas, and she’s excited for what lies ahead.

“I’ve been looking forward to graduating since the day I got into college,” she said. “Because of COVID, we could only have our immediate family attend our high school graduation. It will be nice to be able to have more of my family members attend my college graduation. I’m excited to get out into the world, start teaching, and have my own classroom. I thank God for blessing me to get to where I am today.”

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock Partners with LRSD, NLRSD, and PCSSD to Simplify College Admissions Process for Students

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 13:00:27 +0000

In a groundbreaking initiative, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has signed direct admission agreements with three local school districts, streamlining the path to higher education for thousands of students in central Arkansas.

(LRSD), (NLRSD), and (PCSSD) have signed Memorandums of Understandings to become direct admission district partners with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

“Recent student surveys indicate that nearly one-third of high school seniors have doubts about going to college due to financial reasons, are unsure how to get started, or are apprehensive about their ability to meet admission standards,” said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “The direct admission agreements specifically address these concerns by partnering with area school districts to streamline the college admission process and automatically awarding financial aid to eligible students.”

Undergraduate students from LRSD, NLRSD, and PCSSD who apply to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will receive a waived application fee as well as a streamlined admission application. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will receive student transcripts directly from the State of Arkansas electronic transcript system, which relieves the school districts of the need to provide student transcripts.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock through the direct admissions program,” said Dr. Jermall Wright, superintendent of Little Rock School District. “This ongoing collaboration will open incredible opportunities to our students, providing a seamless pathway to higher education and empowering them to achieve their academic and career goals. By working together, we are ensuring that every student in the Little Rock School District has the support and resources they need to succeed in college and beyond.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock is also dedicated to helping Arkansans graduate from college with little to no debt. The students will automatically be considered for the Trojan Guarantee Scholarship, a last-dollar scholarship that covers the cost of tuition and mandatory fees after federal, state, and institutional aid is applied, resulting in a no-cost bachelor’s degree for eligible students, as well as ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Half-Off Scholarship, which covers half of the tuition and course fees for eligible freshman for up to two years.

This partnership with Little Rock School District, North Little Rock School District, and Pulaski County Special School District aims to ease the college acceptance process, providing students with a clearer and more accessible route to earning an affordable, high-quality college education.

“We are very excited to enter this partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to support our students in their postsecondary future,” said Dr. Charles McNulty, superintendent of PCSSD. “We have a strong commitment as a district to ensure our students are college and career ready with initiatives like AVID and the PCSSD Academies of Central Arkansas. This partnership with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock provides one more pathway for our students to achieve their dreams after graduation. We couldn’t be more excited to work with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in this endeavor, which we hope sparks future opportunities to collaborate together for the benefit of our students!”

Dr. Gregory Pilewski, superintendent of NLSD, said he is excited about this partnership and the opportunities it will afford the students.

“This partnership will assist our counselors and administrators in guiding students to consider the wealth of possibilities at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, in addition to the financial break that can be realized by going to this institution,” Pilewski said. “We look forward to working with the university to expose our future-ready scholars to the academic and social experiences that are available to its students.”

You can learn more about joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock by visiting /admissions.

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Mentor Little Rock School District Students Through New Partnership

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 17:04:24 +0000

(LRSD) students are set to embark on an innovative educational journey to learn advanced tech skills, thanks to a new partnership between the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (��Vlog��ý Little Rock) and LRSD.

This unique collaboration will see college students from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Emerging Analytics Center (EAC), a research center that focuses on visualization, augmented and virtual realities, and interactive technologies, sharing their expertise with LRSD students attending the Metropolitan Career-Technical Center (Metro), a campus that prepares students for high-wage, high-demand careers through hands-on learning and realistic technical training.

This innovative partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration between academia and industry to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s dynamic workforce. Partnerships like these help Little Rock School District prepare students to tackle the challenges of higher education and the workforce with confidence and competence, according to Dr. Jermall Wright, superintendent of Little Rock School District.

“We understand that achieving these objectives requires robust partnerships,” Wright said. “We firmly believe that collaboration with industry leaders, community stakeholders, and educational institutions is essential in providing our students with well-rounded and relevant educational opportunities.”

The collaboration provides LRSD students with the chance to work alongside students and faculty from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s EAC. High school students will receive mentorship and training in programs like Unity, 3D Studio Max, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

“These interactions provide insights and inspirations in a way that textbooks and lectures simply cannot,” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Provost Ann Bain said. “This partnership will help ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students learn how to communicate complex ideas in simpler terms, enhancing their ability to lead, to empathize, and to inspire. These are soft skills that are crucial in today’s workforce. Through this program, our students are preparing to be not just better employers but future leaders.”

During a tour of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (DCSTEM), Regina Howard, instructor for the networking and cybersecurity pathway at Metro, identified a trip to the Emerging Analytics Center as the highlight of the tour. Later, Metro students had the opportunity to participate in a pilot Intro to Project 360 course, where they learned how to develop 360-degree virtual reality tours with guidance from EAC mentors.

“The demand for these types of applications increased after the pandemic,” Howard said. “We are very appreciative to the EAC for providing us with not only field experiences but project opportunities. Profession-based learning allows students to immerse themselves in projects they are passionate about. This approach to learning creates a dynamic and exciting energy between partners, students, and instructors.”

Trelan Washington, a senior at Little Rock Central High School who has been taking classes at Metro for three years in the networking and cybersecurity pathway, had the opportunity to learn valuable tech skills by developing a virtual reality tour of the automotive classroom at Metro along with a racing game embedded in the tour.

Little Rock Central High School student Trelan Washington demonstrates a virtual tour he created while working through a partnership with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Little Rock School District. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

“I got the idea of creating a 360-degree tour after our class took a field trip to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and I saw all their 360 tours,” Washington said. “Through the making of this project, I did learn a lot. I better acquainted myself with Unity and the C# language. I also learned about GitHub and the importance of backing up your work.”

After showing the audience a demonstration of his virtual tour and racing game, Washington announced that he has chosen to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the fall.

“His commitment to academic excellence has always been stellar,” Howard said of Washington. “This project allowed him to increase his technical skill set and improve his soft skills. While working on Project 360, Tre has gone from being reserved to being more assertive in expressing his opinions and advocating for solutions. Last fall, Tre confidently presented at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s DCSTEM Nerd Night.”

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Little Rock School District - News - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock and LRSD Launch Early College Associate Degree Program

Three ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Matched with Mentor Teachers in Little Rock School District

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Education Graduate Tinaya Brown Finds Her Calling in the Classroom