Pulaski County Special School District

Pulaski County Special School District
Location
925 East Dixon Road Little Rock, Arkansas 77026 United States
Coordinates	34°40′20.4″N 92°15′17.1″W / 34.672333°N 92.254750°WCoordinates: 34°40′20.4″N 92°15′17.1″W / 34.672333°N 92.254750°W
District information
Type	Public (government funded)
Grades	PK-12
Established	July 21, 1927
Superintendent	Dr. Jerry Guess
Accreditation(s)	Arkansas Department of Education
Schools	38 (6 high schools, 6 middle schools, 24 elementary schools, 2 alternate learning centers)
District ID	0511850[1]
Students and staff
Students	17,637[1]
Teachers	1,188.87[1]
Student-teacher ratio	14.40[1]
Athletic conference	5A Central (4 schools), 5A West (1school), 4A-4 (1school)
Other information
Website	www.pcssd.org

Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) is one of three public school districts in Pulaski County, Arkansas; the others are the Little Rock School District and the North Little Rock School District that is accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education. PCSSD has its headquarters in Sweet Home, an unincorporated area near Little Rock.

The current Pulaski County Special School District was established in July 21, 1927 by referendum pursuant of Act 152 of the 1927 Arkansas Acts by the Arkansas legislature joining thirty-eight independent school districts into a "special" school district. Now the second largest (by student population) in the state after the Little Rock School District, the PCSSD is among the 500 largest in the United States. Geographically, PCSSD is the state's fifth largest district and encompasses a total 729 square miles (1,890 km²), and includes all areas of the county—incorporated and unincorporated—excluding areas within the city limits of Little Rock, Cammack Village and North Little Rock. This district enrolls students from Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Jacksonville, Gravel Ridge, Scott, McAlmont, Maumelle, Mabelvale, Woodson, Sweet Home, College Station, Ironton, Cabot, Wrightsville, and Alexander.

History

LRSD vs. PCSSD (Desegregation)

The three school districts within the county—Little Rock School District (LRSD), North Little Rock School District (NLRSD), and Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) have been involved in a desegregation case that the courts determined were unconstitutionally segregated and placed under court supervision since 1982. After numerous actions were satisfied, the courts determined that LRSD to be unitary (or integrated) and generally coterminous with Little Rock's boundaries. In doing so, these actions led to the annexation of J. A. Fair High School and other schools from PCSSD to LRSD in 1987. In 2007, the courts determined that all actions by LRSD were completed and that court supervision continues until NLRSD and PCSSD actions are completed.^[2]

PCSSD school board dissolved

On May 19, 2011, the court determined that PCSSD had not completed nine of twelve actions required by court supervision with regards to being unitary in the desegregation case.

On June 20, 2011, the Arkansas Department of Education abolished and dissolved the PCSSD School Board and fired its current superintendent, Dr. Charles Hopson amid alleged financial troubles and the aforementioned lack of completing required desegregation actions. This also lead to the state department taking over the school district.^[3][4][5]

Enrollment

Since 1997–98, PCSSD has served approximately 17,500 to 20,000 students each year supported by approximately 1,100 to 1,400 full time equivalent teachers, with a steady reduction of the pupil/teacher ratio from 16.60 to 1 (1997–98) to 14.84 to 1 (2011–12).^[6]

Former schools

Primarily as a result of desegregation or the need to replace aging facilities, numerous facilities have been renamed or closed including the following:

Former high schools

• J. C. Cook High School (a Black school in Wrightsville) was closed as a result of desegregation and repurposed as an integrated J. C. Cook Elementary School until 1976.
• In 1963, Pulaski County Training School (a Black school) was renamed as Harris High School.
• In 1970, Harris High School was repurposed as Harris Elementary School.
• In 1971, McAlmont High School (grades 7–12) was closed as a result of desegregation.
• In 1987, J.A. Fair High School annexed to Little Rock School District.
• In 2011, Oak Grove High School was closed as a result of opening nearby Maumelle High School.

Former middle schools

• In 2001, Sylvan Hills Junior High School (grades 7–9) becomes Sylvan Hills Middle School (grades 6–8).
• In 2011, Sylvan Hills Middle School closes its facilities at 401 Dee Jay Hudson Drive; reopens for 2011–12 school year at its new facilities across AR Highway 107 at 10001 Johnson Street.

Former elementary schools

• In 1971, McAlmont Elementary School is closed.
• In 1976, J. C. Cook Elementary School is closed.
• In 1987, Mabelvale Elementary School annexed to Little Rock School District with the opening of Daisy Bates Elementary School.
• In 2006, Homer Atkins Elementary School was converted into a Pre-K school
• In 2011, Jacksonville Elementary School is closed.
• In 2014, Scott Elementary is closed

High schools

The Pulaski County Special School District maintains six comprehensive public high schools and one alternative academy. In 2011-12, PCSSD shutdown Oak Grove High School with the opening of the newly constructed Maumelle High School. The last school built in PCSSD prior to Maumelle High School was J. A. Fair High School, which subsequently moved to the Little Rock School District. The Joe T. Robinson High School moved to new facilities starting in the 1981–82 school year. The North Pulaski High School was established in 1977, Wilbur D. Mills High School opened in 1970, and Sylvan Hills High School was founded in 1956 and moved to its newest facilities in November 1968. Jacksonville High School was originally located on the site of present-day Jacksonville Elementary. Next, JHS moved to 1320 School Drive (now serving as Jacksonville Middle School) until the start of the 1969–70 school year, when it moved to 2400 Linda Lane. The Alpha Academy is an alternative high school for students in danger of graduating due to discipline problems or other reasons.

The assumed course of study for students at each high school follows the Smart Core curriculum developed by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), which requires each student to complete 22 units to graduate; 16 units are from the Smart Core and 6 units that are career focused in occupational pathway areas. According to the Arkansas Department of Career Education (ACE), the Standards of Accreditation of Public Schools require that each school offer three programs of study in three different occupational pathway areas. If a program is offered at a secondary vocational center, students must be enrolled in the 2010-11 school year.^[7]

• Jacksonville High School offered 10 programs of study in 9 different pathways.
• Wilbur D. Mills High School offered 13 programs of study in 13 different pathways.
• North Pulaski High School offered 12 programs of study in 12 different pathways.
• Joe T. Robinson High School offered 10 programs of study in 10 different pathways.
• Sylvan Hills High School offered 9 programs of study in 9 different pathways.

Sortable table

School Name	Location	Grades	Opened/ Current Facility	NCES School ID	CEEB Code	Website(s)
Alpha Academy	Little Rock	7–12		None	N/A	None
Jacksonville High School	Jacksonville	9–12	? (Opened); 1969 (Current)	051185000919[8]	041225	Official website PCSSD page
Maumelle High School	Maumelle	9–12	2011	0511850001559[9]	041861	Official website]
Wilbur D. Mills University Studies High School	Sweet Home	9–12	1970	051185000945[10]	042390	Official website PCSSD page
North Pulaski High School	Jacksonville	9–12	1977	051185000932[11]	041227	Official website
Joe T. Robinson High School	Little Rock	9–12	1927 (Opened) / 1980 (Current)	051185000923[12]	041430	Official website PCSSD page
Sylvan Hills High School	Sherwood	9–12	1956 (Opened) / 1967 (Current)	051185000941[13]	041872	Official website

Middle schools

Exterior view of entrance to Sylvan Hills Middle School that was constructed in 2011.

In fall 2011, a new 44 acres (18 ha) campus facility for Sylvan Hills Middle School opened for grades 6-8 students and staff, replacing the original high school (1955-1967) / middle school (1967-2011) facilities located adjacent to the Sylvan Hills High School and Sylvan Hills Elementary School campus.

Sortable table

School Name	Location	Grades	NCES School ID	Website(s)
Alpha Academy	Little Rock	7–12	None	None
Fuller Middle School †	Sweet Home	6–8	051185000914[14]	Official website PCSSD page
Jacksonville Middle School	Jacksonville	6-8	051185001510[15]	Official website PCSSD page
Maumelle Middle School	Maumelle	6–8	051185001106[16]	Official website PCSSD page
Northwood Middle School †	North Little Rock	6–8	051185001238[17]	Official website PCSSD page
Joe T. Robinson Middle School	Little Rock	6–8	051185001258[18]	Official website PCSSD page
Sylvan Hills Middle School	Sherwood	6–8	051185000942[19]	Official website PCSSD page

† denotes Title I school

Elementary schools

Front entrance to Harris Health & Science Specialty Elementary School

The Pulaski County Special School District operates 24 elementary schools including several magnet schools and specialty schools providing focus on particular subject areas. In 2008, the William Jefferson Clinton Elementary Magnet School was named a National Blue Ribbon School, followed by a National Blue Ribbon School designation for Arnold Drive Elementary School in 2010.^[20]

In 2008, Arnold Drive Elementary and Warren Dupree Elementary were honored as a National Title I Distinguished School. Harris Health & Science Specialty Elementary School is designated as an Arkansas Reading First and NASA Explorer School. In 2011, Arnold Drive Elementary is the only PCSSD school awarded Exemplary (Reward) Status by the Arkansas Department of Education.^[21] Sherwood Elementary's Odyssey of the Mind team takes the Arkansas State Tournament and went to the World Finals.^[22] Also, Dupree Elementary received a National School of Distinction status from the Schools Fight Hunger program.^[23][24]

Originally, Harris Elementary School named in honor of Viola H. Harris, a former administrator of the district and McAlmont Elementary School, served as Pulaski Technical School before being renamed as Harris High School starting in the fall of 1963 and lasting until 1970 when the district reorganized its facilities as a result of desegregation and the facility became an elementary school. The high school's mascot of the Panthers remains today as Harris Elementary School's mascot.^[25]

Sortable table

School Name	Location	Grades	NCES School ID	Website(s)
Adkins Pre-Kindergarten School	Jacksonville	PK	051185000901[26]
Arnold Drive Elementary School †	Jacksonville	PK–5	051185000926[27]	Official website
John W. Baker Inter-district Elementary School	Jacksonville	K–5	051185000903[28]	Official website
Daisy Bates Elementary School †	Little Rock	PK–5	051185001391[29]	Official website
Bayou Meto Elementary School †	Jacksonville	PK–5	051185000905[30]	Official website
Cato Elementary School †	North Little Rock	PK–5	051185000906[31]	Official website
Chenal Elementary School †	Little Rock	PK-5	051185001484[32]	Official website
William Jefferson Clinton Speech Communications and Technology Magnet Elementary School †	Sherwood	PK–5	051185000122[33]	Official website
College Station Magnet Elementary School †	College Station	PK–5	051185000910[34]	Official website
Crystal Hill Elementary School †	North Little Rock	PK–5	051185000058[35]	Official website
Harris Health & Science Specialty Elementary School †	North Little Rock	PK–5	051185000916[36]	Official website
Joe T. Robinson Elementary School †	Little Rock	PK–5	051185000922[37]	Official website
Landmark Fine Arts Specialty Elementary School †	Little Rock	PK–5	051185000927[38]	Official website
Lawson Elementary School †	Little Rock	PK–5	051185000928[39]	Official website
Murrell Taylor Elementary School †	Jacksonville	PK–5	051185001256[40]	Official website
Oak Grove Elementary School †	North Little Rock	PK–5	051185000933[41]	Official website
Oakbrooke Elementary School †	Sherwood	PK–5	051185001239[42]	Official website
Pine Forest Elementary School	Maumelle	PK–5	051185001257[43]	Official website PCSSD page
Pinewood Elementary School †	Jacksonville	PK–5	051185000935[44]	Official website
Scott Elementary School †	Scott	PK–6	051185000938[45]	Official website
Sherwood Elementary School †	Sherwood	PK–5	051185000939[46]	Official website
Sylvan Hills Elementary School †	Sherwood	PK–5	051185000940[47]	Official website
Tolleson Elementary School †	Jacksonville	PK–5	051185000925[48]	Official website
Warren Dupree Elementary School †	Sherwood	K–5	051185000912[49]	Official website

† denotes Title I school

References

1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Pulaski CO. SPEC. School DIST.". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
2. "LRSD vs. PCSSD (Desegregation)". Arkansas State Legislature. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
3. Brantley, Max (June 20, 2011). "State takes over Pulaski School District". Arkansas Times. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
4. "State dissolves PCSSD board, removes superintendent". FOX 16. June 20, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
5. "Pulaski County Dissolves School Board, Removes Superintendent". NWAhomepage.com. June 20, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
6. "Public School Enrollment / Teacher Counts". U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Survey", 1997-98, v.1a. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
7. "Pulaski County Special School District, District Status Report for 2009-10" (PDF). Arkansas Department of Career Education. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
8. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Jacksonville High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
9. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Maumelle High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
10. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Wilbur D. Mills High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 21, 012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
11. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for North Pulaski High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
12. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Joe T. Robinson High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
13. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Sylvan Hills High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
14. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Fuller Middle School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved Aug 20, 2012.
15. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Jacksonville Middle School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
16. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Maumelle Middle School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
17. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Northwood Middle School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
18. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Joe T. Robinson Middle School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved Aug 20, 2012.
19. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Sylvan Hills Middle School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
20. "National Blue Ribbon School Program" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education (ED). Retrieved August 28, 2012.
21. "2011 Exemplary Schools" (PDF). Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
22. "Sherwood Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team takes state". PCSSD Lin. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
23. "Dupree Elementary students help fight hunger". PCSSD. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
24. "Warren Dupree Elementary School, School Profile". Schools Fight Hunger. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
25. Ramey, Simuel; Smith, Karoma (February 10, 2011). "Onward my sisters and brothers! Onward! The History of McAlmont, Arkansas". People's Tribune. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
26. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Adkins Pre-k Center". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
27. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Arnold Drive Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
28. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Baker Interdistrict ELEM. SCH.". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
29. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Bates Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved Aug 20, 2012.
30. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Bayou Meto Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
31. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Cato Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
32. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Chenal Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
33. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Clinton Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
34. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for College Station ELEM. School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
35. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Crystal Hill Elementary". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
36. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Harris Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
37. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Joe T. Robinson ELEM. School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
38. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Landmark Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
39. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Lawson Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
40. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Murrell Taylor ELEM. School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
41. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Oak Grove Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
42. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Oakbrooke Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
43. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Pine Forest Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
44. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Pinewood Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved Aug 20, 2012.
45. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Scott Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved Aug 20, 2012.
46. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Sherwood Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
47. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Sylvan Hills Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
48. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Tolleson Elementary School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
49. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Warren Dupree ELEM. School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

External links

• Official website
• NCES Common Core of Data webpage
• ED/IES/NCES Report: Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2002–03 Appendix A. The 500 largest public school districts in the United States and jurisdictions, by school district: School year 2002–03