A lengthy board discussion on Nov. 13 focused on whether Little Rock should continue or revise its financial and operational commitment to the Academies of Central Arkansas and the Ford NGL implementation framework.

An Academies/Foundation representative presented a scorecard showing limited alignment between LRSD practice and Ford NGL implementation components, and urged the board to decide whether the district is willing to commit to the work that high-fidelity implementation requires. "The main takeaway is that a district that prioritizes the academy's model and implementation, you would not expect to see ... 29% level of fidelity to implementation at this point in the journey," the representative said.

Superintendent Doctor Wright told the board that several aspects of the Ford NGL model do not align with how some LRSD schools operate and cited students' attendance at off-campus programs such as Metro as a scheduling and "teaming" barrier to achieving Ford NGL fidelity. "The Ford NGL model in and of itself, it does not align with the way that our schools have been operating," Wright said.

Directors pressed the foundation on why districts must provide cash contributions rather than in-kind support and asked for specifics about what the foundation does that the district does not already deliver. Foundation representatives said the partnership bundles partner recruitment, ongoing partner-management, storytelling and regional coordination, and that branded partners have committed in-kind time and, in some cases, direct support. The foundation noted a previously used funding number of $35 per participating high-school student for 2025-26.

Board members asked the district and foundation to return with a concise set of options: (1) a full, fidelity-first commitment and associated costs and changes; (2) a smaller, tailored agreement for Little Rock; or (3) to decline and retain district-led academy efforts. Several directors recommended the partners develop a one- to two-page cost/benefit and implementation plan for one pilot school so the board can evaluate a concrete path forward.

What happens next: district staff and foundation leaders were asked to meet and present a joint recommendation and a clearer cost/benefit statement before the board votes on whether to commit funds for 2025-26.