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Little Rock board questions $209,000 convening fee as foundation seeks formal role for high‑school academies
Summary
The Academy of Central Arkansas Foundation presented the Ford NGL academy model and asked the board to contract with a community 'convening' organization. Board members praised the model’s goals but pressed the foundation and district staff on a roughly $209,000 contract, implementation details and how the plan would affect existing programs such as Metro and magnet schools.
Marcus Stewart, president of the Academy of Central Arkansas Foundation, told the Little Rock School District board on Oct. 30 that the regional, business‑linked academy model is designed to give students work‑based learning, concurrent college credit and industry connections, and that a community foundation is needed to recruit and coordinate partner employers.
"We are the convening organization for this work," Stewart said, describing the foundation’s role in pairing business partners with academic academies, coordinating large regional events and reporting partner investments. He said partner in‑kind commitments often start at a six‑figure level and described steps other…
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