Academies of Central Arkansas outlines regional expansion, proposes agreement with Jacksonville North Pulaski
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Summary
The Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation told the Jacksonville North Pulaski School Board it will present a formal agreement in October to continue and expand the district's academy partnerships; presenters highlighted metrics showing large increases in student internships, industry credentials and experiential learning.
The Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation told the Jacksonville North Pulaski School Board on Tuesday that it will bring a formal agreement to the board in October to continue and expand the district's academy partnerships.
The foundation's presentation, led by Bobby Gosselin and Marcus Stewart, said Jacksonville was the first district in the regional collaboration and now leads the network in metrics such as internships and industry credentials. "We feel like we can build out a team to be able to provide that entry level PE for new folks," Gosselin said, outlining the foundation's role as a convening organization to sustain the academy model across leadership changes.
Why it matters: The academy model pairs high-school pathways with industry partners and college credit to give students workplace experience before graduation. Foundation speakers said the partnership produces measurable results that affect enrollment, graduation readiness and career outcomes in the region.
Details: Marcus Stewart summarized regional results since the foundation's launch. He said the network now counts about 95 signed industry partnerships, and highlighted year-over-year gains in student experiences: a 21% increase in college visits, a 54% increase in industry tours and a 581% increase in job shadowing or mentorships. Stewart said internships rose from 116 to 894 and industry-recognized credentials grew by 280% compared with the prior year.
Jacksonville-specific results: Stewart said Jacksonville saw significant increases across every metric reported and called the district "the first district to have all of your academies have a major partner." He singled out building-level leadership, naming Jennifer Jameson for campus work, and said the foundation will track partner investments; he cited roughly $200,000 in time, talent and equipment donated by partners to Jacksonville campuses last year.
Next step: Stewart said the foundation's proposed agreement will be presented to the board in October by a staff member identified as Mr. Jewett. The foundation's work would include recruiting additional partners, deepening existing partnerships and providing standardized regional onboarding for new staff, Stewart said.
Board reaction: Board members thanked the presenters and asked that the proposed agreement be scheduled for the October meeting. No formal action on the agreement was taken Tuesday.
Ending: The district's board will see the proposed agreement in October and may vote at that meeting on whether to continue a formal relationship with the Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation.
