The Pulaski County Special School District presented a proposed 2026–27 calendar that would add a weeklong fall break at the end of the first nine weeks; the board heard mixed parent feedback, discussed childcare and athletics impacts, and directed the administration and PPCs to gather more input before a February decision.
At its Jan. 13 meeting the Pulaski County Special School District board approved minutes, multiple policy updates, the 2026 six‑year master plan (5–1), and authorized the ALE to apply for an LEA conversion charter; the board also approved several personnel‑related policy clarifications and the consent agenda.
At a community master-plan meeting, an unnamed district presenter said a federal judge will inspect Mills High School on Jan. 16 as the court’s remaining facilities obligations are addressed; the district signaled optimism about concluding oversight.
An unnamed district presenter detailed the district’s 2026 facilities master plan, listing recent capital work, committed school rebuilds and planned projects, and warned that rising construction costs and limited funding mean many projects await financing decisions.
District construction staff warned several campus wastewater systems may fail ADEQ renewal inspections and estimated multi‑month engineering and permitting timelines; the board also received updates on Robinson High construction, potential Phase 2 work and a proposed GPS/tagging system for buses.
The PCSSD board approved an amendment to the PPC shared sick‑leave policy (increasing donation cap), adopted the Illustrative Mathematics secondary curriculum, approved consent agenda items and student waivers, upheld a superintendent recommendation to terminate a bus driver after a hearing, and approved a $35,000 settlement in a separate case.
Pulaski County Special School District leaders outlined which D/F 'focus' schools need targeted intervention under the state’s new accountability rubric and said common formative assessments (CFAs) will be the district’s primary tool for real-time instruction adjustments while statewide summative tests and interim exams inform growth metrics.
CFO Rita Guess told the board period-4 figures show a beginning balance of about $2.7 million, month revenues near $15 million and expenses of $17.57 million, leaving a legal fund balance of $682.72. She recommended rebuilding reserves ahead of large county tax receipts.
Pulaski County Special School District received a district letter grade of D (381.57 points), 4.4 points short of a C. Dr. Justin Luttrell outlined appeals that were granted and a strategy focused on growth for the lowest-performing students and monthly data-driven improvement reports.
The board approved several policy updates: certified/classified maternity leave aligned with new law, clarified shared sick-leave procedures, tightened credit-recovery and ALE initial-credit language, and clarified graduation and promotion rules; most items were approved by voice vote and several go into immediate effect.
