Little Rock board reviews CityGate draft to redraw school board zones, asks for more neighborhood-focused maps

The Little Rock School District Board of Education on July 10 held a planning and review session with consultant Fred Hejazi of CityGate GIS to discuss draft "Draft 2" maps that would reduce the district's nine board zones to seven and bring populations closer to equal ahead of upcoming filing deadlines.

CityGate's presentation explained that the maps are built from U.S. Census geography (TIGER) and the decennial census tabulations provided under Public Law 94-171. Hejazi said the firm balanced districts to keep population deviations small (targeting under about 5% between highest and lowest districts where practical), used major roads to reduce neighborhood splits where possible, and showed on-screen population block totals while noting the current work used 2020 census blocks and voting-age population columns.

Board members focused discussion on neighborhood continuity and school assignment balance rather than the underlying census mechanics. Director Anna Strong suggested using Mississippi Avenue and I-430 as clearer dividing lines in a northwest sector rather than the narrow, puzzle-piece border on the current draft. Director Adams said he favored major roads as boundaries but raised a governance point: McDermott Elementary sits near a border and Zone 4 currently would have fewer schools than other zones; he asked whether adjustments could place an additional school in Zone 4. Hejazi said he could try those edits but warned moving a line in one place forces population changes elsewhere because some census blocks contain large numbers of residents.

Director Volley asked whether an equity impact or racial equity assessment had been performed. Hejazi said elected maps are drawn primarily on population and contiguity but that the mapping tool keeps race and voting-age population visible so the consultant can avoid unintentionally diluting a group's voting strength; he also said the online public-commenting tool supports Spanish, Chinese and Korean and works on mobile phones. Multiple board members urged translation and plain-language materials and asked CityGate to host or help host community listening sessions in Little Rock. Hejazi agreed to provide printable large-format maps and to run alternate draws reflecting the board members' neighborhood suggestions.

Several board members asked legal questions about timing. Board discussion noted the filing period for candidates opens in November and that signatures collection can begin in August; multiple directors asked the superintendent and district counsel to confirm whether the board could push its final vote into August to allow more public meetings without missing any legal deadlines. Board members said they want to consult attorney Chris Heller about statutory deadlines and the district's options. No formal vote on a final map was taken at the July 10 session.

What happens next: CityGate will prepare alternate map versions requested by board members and provide large-format prints for board-hosted community meetings; the district will circulate plain-language materials and language translations; and the board expects to discuss legal timing with counsel before selecting a final map for certification.