District says it has exited early-intervention review, increased building fund and completed major projects; insurance covers recent Stewart Elementary water-dw

District financial and facilities staff told the Forrest City School District Board of Education that the Arkansas Department of Education's early-intervention review for the district has concluded and the district has been released from that program after completing required steps.

Presenters told the board the district has increased its building fund balance over a ten-year period. The superintendent's presentation included a comparison noting a building-fund balance of about $1,300,000 on June 30, 2014 and a building-fund balance of about $3,100,000 on June 30, 2024. District staff said the district has completed roughly $15,000,000 of facilities projects without issuing a mill levy for those projects (district materials in the packet were cited during the presentation).

The board heard a facilities update: a roofing and emergency repair project at the Lincoln ABC and junior-high cafeteria was reported as approximately 85% complete and expected to finish within about a week of the meeting date; some roofing materials for high-school projects remain on backorder. Staff discussed ongoing planning for an ABC campus gym preservation project and other routine facility work.

Stewart Elementary has experienced multiple water-damage incidents during weather events. District staff reported the insurance company has covered most costs for mitigation and repairs; the district has paid its insurance deductible (reported as $5,000). Staff said the district and its architect agree on a design solution to prevent future leaks involving more extensive barriers and insulation around pipes and openings. The district's vendor for mitigation (Servpro) has coordinated with the insurer on work orders.

District staff also presented a 10-year chart of teacher supplemental pay and bonuses, saying the district has distributed more than $1,800,000 in teacher bonus payments from 2014 through 2024 (the presentation separated bonus payments from retention pay). For 2024 the presentation noted one-time Christmas payments of $750 per employee and $825 for returning employees in a retention category.

Why it matters

Exiting ADE's early-intervention program signals the district's completion of fiscal corrective steps required by the state division that monitors districts with indicators of fiscal stress. The building-fund balance and completed projects affect facilities planning; insurance and mitigation actions affect near-term repair budgets and operations.

Details & context

- ADE early-intervention: district staff said a letter from the Arkansas Department of Education certifies the district completed early-intervention requirements and has been released from the program. - Building fund balances (figures presented by staff): June 30, 2014 balance ~ $1,300,000; June 30, 2024 balance ~ $3,100,000 (figures cited in the meeting packet presented to the board). - Projects: staff said the district executed approximately $15,000,000 in facility projects over the period without a mill levy; examples discussed during the meeting included roofing, emergency repairs and wellness-space work nearing completion. - Stewart Elementary water damage: multiple leak incidents occurred during extreme weather; staff reported insurance mitigation and repair with district deductible ($5,000) paid by the district; a more substantive design change to prevent cold-air intrusion and pipe exposure was planned and agreed by the architect and insurer. - Teacher bonuses: district presentation recorded roughly $1,800,000 in teacher bonus payments between 2014 and 2024; 2024 payments included $750 at Christmas and $825 for returning staff in a retention category.

Speakers

District financial and facilities staff presented these items. A state legislative representative also spoke in support of the district's work; the transcript identifies that speaker as representing the district at state level but does not provide a full name in the public record excerpt.

What the record does not specify

Some year-by-year transfer amounts and certain line-item project costs in the packet are presented by staff but not read in full during the meeting; the transcript includes summarized totals rather than complete accounting tables. Where specific dollar amounts in the transcript were unclear or incompletely read aloud, this article identifies only the totals the staff explicitly referenced (building fund balances and districtwide project totals).

Next steps

Staff said they will continue completion of roofing and wellness-space projects, finalize the architect's recommended preventive measures at Stewart Elementary, and process insurance and mitigation invoices per insurer direction. The board did not identify additional formal votes on facilities at the meeting.

(Transcript evidence: superintendent's finance and facilities report and staff presentation.)