Education Secretary Johnny Key, who acts as the Little Rock School District’s school board while the LRSD is under state takeover, has approved new LRSD school board election zones. The concept Key approved is based on existing election precincts. It was recommended by the LRSD Community Advisory Board on Feb. 20.
The new zones are required because the State Board of Education took advantage of a new state law that allows school districts with more than 20,000 students the option of having seven or nine members. The change is widely considered as a means to make it less likely the board will have a majority of black members as it did when the state took over the district in 2015. The new nine-person school board will be elected Nov. 3.
Advertisement