[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6493248,"mediaKeyId","5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6","parentId",5664116,"title","Pine Bluff board adopts 2025 budget, approves property sales and services contracts","audioSeconds",835,"startMs",5004000,"endMs",5839000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6&start=5004&end=5839","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6/thumbnail_5004000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6493248/Arkansas/Pine-Bluff-board-adopts-2025-budget-approves-property-sales-and-services-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493248-5644083220bc3e9c734bf51d42a05f2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143335&Signature=c5e330W~2UUjhWDwz0mpdLhdUSLfCpf9LA2-VpcNtVIt7uuxtS5P7keEU9gmnaZUDxPMrxQ76Y4RazC4w3n6QlfKc~IA5xafiIDx9Ct2VTDsN9mCGxND8eTifvIFJO0eskKvMEtfxCmAyetR~xdGDDy3~EohD1jWLBC93yhW~X4lrSUDerO3pFXF9igUDevkuzvwFwZW9Kk~5vvrL9qm2V3TGHXIpNMlNRFTRcskJO6FbPc1-g8iqRzEfkA5PYtb~UJKpCQ~LyQaknHcTbaDFd1tSp~polsypfJb8l4YbbCk8kh0rBZPlheyy48C917-Un8~7PaROreXK~G1picUlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","PINE BLUFF SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-08-22T16:26:02.71Z","article","The Pine Bluff School District Board of Education on Aug. 27 approved the district’s proposed fiscal 2025-26 budget and tax levy and voted to approve a series of administrative contracts and property sales, actions district leaders said are needed to support ongoing construction, special education services and classroom instruction.

The actions matter because they set the district’s funding plan that will appear on a sample ballot ahead of the election, free up funds and property for future capital use, and fund short-term staffing and technology purchases the district says it needs for the school year.

At the start of the meeting the board approved the minutes of the July 22, 2024 meeting. The board then voted to adopt the proposed budget of expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and to approve the related sample ballot; the motion was read into the record and carried by voice vote.

The board approved a package of policy changes for Section 7 of the district policy manual but pulled policy 7.5 (purchasing) for further review.

On property matters the board voted to accept the highest offers and approve sales of three district-owned buildings: Oak Park Elementary, Indiana Street Elementary and the downtown administration building. Board members said the transactions were reviewed previously in the facilities committee and the agreements will be returned to the board if any of the sale terms change.

On special education staffing, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative (ARESC) to provide three virtual, certified special-education teachers to cover resource and some self-contained minutes. District staff described the arrangement as an interim measure while the district continues recruiting on-site certified teachers; the board approved the ARESC MOU after a motion and voice vote. District presenters said the ARESC agreement is expected to cost about $180,000 for the services described.

The board also approved a purchase-service MOU to secure a contracted specialist to assist with special-education conferences, documentation and teacher support in buildings that currently use long-term substitutes.

Board members approved a broadly bundled set of instructional and technology purchases, described by staff as items funded primarily with ARP/ESSER federal funds. The purchased items listed in the board packet and approved together included:
- SchoolStatus (district communication platform) renewal
- 95% Group professional development and curriculum resources
- Just Right Readers (decodable texts for classroom libraries and take-home use)
- REX Academy curriculum for 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CLCC) programming
- Progress Learning (two‑year license for assessment/intervention platform)
- Replacement of roughly 1,500 Chromebooks and associated carts
- Microsoft Surface devices for building leaders and a desktop learning lab at the secondary campus

Separately, the board approved a stipend increase for building testing coordinators from $2,000 to $4,000, with staff saying the higher amount reflects the increased after-hours work associated with testing coordination.

All of the items above were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote during the meeting; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the public transcript. At the end of the public session, board leadership announced the board would go into executive session to discuss a safety assessment and personnel matters.

Not all details were specified in the public record: the board packet listed the purchases and described funding sources as ARP/ESSER for several items; specific sale prices for the three properties were included in the packet but were not read into the public transcript. Where numerical or contract details were not stated aloud, the board packet is the controlling record, staff said.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pine Bluff School District | School Board Meeting – August 2024","oneSentenceSummary","The Pine Bluff School District Board of Education on Aug. 27 adopted the proposed fiscal 2025-26 budget with a tax levy and approved a range of administrative items including the sale of three district properties, a $180,000 MOU for three virtual special-education teachers and a set of instructional and technology purchases.","taxTitle","PINE BLUFF SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, Arkansas","taxId",64862,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6493239,"Board hears Capturing Kids' Hearts rollout, K–2 assessment results and K–3 dyslexia screener timing",0,4255000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6&start=4255&end=4255","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6/thumbnail_4255000.jpg","/articles/6493239/Arkansas/Board-hears-Capturing-Kids-Hearts-rollout-K2-assessment-results-and-K3-dyslexia-screener-timing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493239-6c4399cf5d953f2a8f5de89b4a6ac73e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143335&Signature=XkHhii~~x1aNhphGxW0oXZ1NJ5Iy9Usg7g0W6e61HZ1APREP8NvRuxKROVnYSJ6TSzhyMSls5x4wT0x0m1jNOueZ4pyj0vZccEdts-LgGoD5pHPpBYEJLps7tmD2z1o3EzVeOvi2pAPq3aOoRBzfk4BO~GK6KrZE1DKybdqPnDTToFvrB0da6b0aA~-UeapSgW5eqK2vV2bQhsBBfIJQiiXnF8oJ0WYcb3If3873gE7bSu-R0lp2ViTCxAgRsIATpdb3iHVRrxhJdRNIMrgkr~aFAOmQ7dkhdu8QtsoaeThuwIra4W-8gkM~EB6LH47E~vCxJ2oe-7Rhtzma4kDr8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pine Bluff School District board on Aug. 27 received updates on a districtwide rollout of Capturing Kids' Hearts social‑emotional and relationship‑building training, a Broadmoor Elementary parent‑night demonstration of the strategy and preliminary K–2 literacy assessment results that district leaders said will inform early interventions.

The report is significant because the programs and early‑year screening data shape classroom practice, parent engagement and the district’s plans to identify students who need early reading interventions.

Superintendent Dr. Barbary and curriculum staff described a two‑day Capturing Kids' Hearts training the district held over the summer. Staff said the training took place at eight sites and trained roughly 50 people per site; district leaders said principals and selected building staff will serve as “process champions” who will provide monthly building‑level training and coaching so the work is not a one‑time event.

Broadmoor Elementary Principal Timothy Scott (presenting himself as \"Proudcrest of Broadmoor Elementary\") described a parent night held Aug. 20 that walked parents through the school’s morning meeting routine and the Capturing Kids' Hearts practices. Scott said the event aimed to help parents see the classroom routines and learn how to support behavior, social‑emotional work and homework at home. He also described instructional strategies the school is emphasizing, including small‑group instruction, targeted intervention and weekly homework and reading logs sent home.

Curriculum staff reported early K–2 assessment measures. Staff said kindergarteners tested at low levels for letter‑sound mastery at the beginning of the year; a presenter said kindergarten beginning‑of‑year letter‑sound mastery measured at about 5 percent, while first‑grade beginning‑of‑year letter‑sound mastery was about 82 percent and second grade about 92 percent. Staff noted the kindergarten cohort measured lower than the previous year’s kindergarten cohort that later reached about 90 percent by the end of the prior year; district leaders said they are investigating enrollment differences and retention that could affect cohort comparisons. Staff said teacher‑collected local screening data will be used for immediate intervention because state dyslexia‑screening results from the Atlas platform are not scheduled to be released until mid‑October.

On state dyslexia screening, staff referenced new legislation requiring a K–3 screener hosted on the Atlas platform and said the district’s window to begin that state screener opens Aug. 28; staff cautioned district leaders that Atlas results will not be available until October and that local screeners are being used now to expedite intervention.

District leaders also reported that 76.7 percent of classroom teachers are fully licensed for the subjects they teach, with ongoing efforts to place remaining teachers in certification pathways and to partner with local university programs for certification supports.

Board members asked for additional enrollment breakdowns (for example, how many kindergartners came from district preschool) and staff said they would provide those figures in a follow-up. Curriculum and assessment staff said they will continue to provide quarterly updates on literacy screening and intervention progress.","District leaders described a districtwide Capturing Kids' Hearts training, a Broadmoor Elementary parent night demonstrating the approach, and early K–2 assessment results; officials also noted the state's K–3 dyslexia screening via the Atlas platform will be available starting Aug. 28",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6493243,"East Harding high school construction: demolition progress, traffic plans and dust controls outlined",557,1710000,2267000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6&start=1710&end=2267","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5664116-9b8c2d982304f6e48962295d387d44e6/thumbnail_1710000.jpg","/articles/6493243/Arkansas/East-Harding-high-school-construction-demolition-progress-traffic-plans-and-dust-controls-outlined","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493243-e72fb618578b31af9d6b4fba69dc91dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143335&Signature=ZTtbhXa75ok52pqT3toPAy7m~8Pf8nosMQhQESqhbEe5Xf08eocSeOnjiduLMyxO-RQBhqvoxfGpj-xPqqKIojlViAko7xJVgVjp37zO8Oe8St-EIuCoYOBMB9gCMUnb~dW~elV1XkT2H9gvNRIKA3hN~hMi7rlVGi5TMgNF0TzdhZ298Mvr00C8kyQpj668iLlt8FEc04TnYeEC6iaqvrg2hi41nqybyugYcbf9F2SuVnm9acpLKjZppqDzdrZMr~bZ4S3I3206tzbldQROJpmPRthQ0zpXhAcedz7BIrO0qBrJQ0UG9GIpEESvT~hfj-jLhQI7XKokSZCUSoyVEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District construction staff presented a progress update on the new East Harding high school site, described scheduled demolition milestones and outlined temporary traffic and parking plans for the upcoming football season at the Aug. 27 Pine Bluff School District board meeting.

The update is significant because demolition, large earthworks and construction staging are under way near active school and neighborhood areas; the district said planning is aimed at preserving game‑day access while keeping students, visitors and workers safe.

A project presenter showed still photos and video of demolition and site work. Staff said crews have brought in roughly 35,000 cubic yards of fill to raise the building footprint and that major demolition work is proceeding across multiple campus buildings. A demolition milestone for the Patterson building was projected to be complete the week of Sept. 9; the McGeorge building demolition was estimated for about mid‑October, followed by the removal of the Trice Academy building. The Trice Gymnasium and visiting‑team locker room will remain in use through the football season.

Site sequencing described by staff calls for crews to bring in precast concrete pieces for storm drainage starting about Sept. 5 and to begin concrete layout for the southeast corner of the new building. Staff said once central demolition is finished, crews will shift to heavy site work and then begin building foundation work, moving in a roughly clockwise pattern around the building footprint.

On traffic and parking, the district said it is designating primary parking for home football games in the northern lots (including parking near the Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative/ARESC and the softball complex) and will run a limited shuttle for spectators who need assistance. A controlled‑access ADA lot will be maintained in the northeast corner of the existing campus parking, with school personnel managing access. Eighth Street between Beach and Laurel will be closed for high‑school Friday night games to reduce crossing conflicts and allow emergency vehicle staging; the two main ticket booths will remain at the southeast and northwest corners of the stadium. Staff also described a fenced pathway to move visiting teams from a staging area to the stadium and a separate players'/coaches' parking area north of the multipurpose building.

A board member asked whether the district had received community complaints about dust from demolition. Construction staff said the district had received one call and that crews are using water trucks to wet down work areas, spraying building exteriors during demolition and working with the local utility to cap fire hydrants to assist with dust control. Staff said these measures are intended to minimize particulate matter for residents and for people with respiratory sensitivities.

Board and staff said they have coordinated with local police and fire to develop a traffic management plan and emphasized signage, controlled access and staff/volunteer marshals for game nights. Staff asked residents to observe posted detours and to use designated parking lots during events.

District staff said they will continue to provide schedule updates as demolition milestones and site work progress.","District and project staff showed progress photos and outlined demolition and traffic-control plans for the new East Harding high school; demolition milestones and football‑game parking changes were announced and staff described dust‑mitigation measures after a community concern was raised","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Pine Bluff board adopts 2025 budget, approves property sales and services contracts

Board hears Capturing Kids' Hearts rollout, K–2 assessment results and K–3 dyslexia screener timing

East Harding high school construction: demolition progress, traffic plans and dust controls outlined