Every Community School will look different because the needs of every neighborhood across our beautifully diverse city are different. The Community School Model doesn’t replace high-quality teaching or a challenging curriculum available to all students. A Community School supports these aspects of a world-class education, meaning that more students are able to live up their full potential.
— Jay Barth, Ph.D., Chief Education Officer, The City of Little Rock
To meet the various needs of students and families in Arkansas’s largest school district, Little Rock is piloting the the Community Schools Model in four elementary schools that serve economically insecure children and families. These schools were specifically selected based on:
- Surrounding neighborhood characteristics
- Physical space available to bring the community into the school on a regular basis
- Feeder patterns into middle and high schools
Each school has a designated coordinator who will oversee the provision of wrap-around services, expanded and enriched learning time, and professional growth opportunities for parents and community members. Each school will embrace collaborative leadership model to ensure parents, school leaders, and community members collaboratively plan how resources and other forms of support are provided.
More from Little Rock
Announcement of Little Rock’s Inaugural Community Schools
Model Launch Coverage by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
City of Little Rock Series about Community Schools
