Rogers School Board approves discipline, AI and facility agreements, renames New Tech campus

The Rogers School District Board of Education on April 22 approved a set of policy updates and administrative agreements, including revisions to the student discipline policy, a new student artificial-intelligence policy, a naming-rights sponsorship for district athletic fields and a construction guarantee for the district's newly acquired IT building. The board also voted to rename Rogers New Technology High School to the Rogers Academy of Leadership and Innovation for the 2025'1026 school year.

The board moved several housekeeping and governance items in a single meeting that ran through presentations, staff reports and public recognitions before reaching the formal votes.

The administration proposed revisions to Policy JK (student discipline) and accompanying guidelines as an annual compliance review. Key recommended changes included removing a requirement to send certified/registered mail for certain notices, clarifying language about "zero tolerance" for alcohol/tobacco/drugs to reflect progressive discipline, and changing disciplinary steps for tobacco-related violations (first violation proposed as three days in-school suspension, rising to potential alternative placement after repeated violations). The administration also struck and deferred cell-phone rules pending a model policy from the Arkansas School Boards Association to match new state law.

The board adopted the recommended revisions for Policy JK as presented. Board discussion clarified the changes would take effect July 1, 2025 (the 2025'1026 school year). Administration asked the minutes to reflect…