When Exactly Were LRSD’s Glory Days?

For those who believe “local control” to be the panacea for all that ails the Little Rock School District, please share the glory days year or year(s) you believe is/are closest to what the district could/should be. Here’s a start on a list of accomplishments of the respective boards and their superintendents.

The only accomplishment the district’s website history lists after 2002 was being declared unitary by the U.S. District Court in February of 2007.

[Work in Progress]

2004

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Robert Daugherty
  • Bryan Day
  • Baker Kurrus
  • Larry Berkley
  • Tony Rose
  • Sue Strickland
  • Roy Brooks, Superintendent
    • State Championship – Football – Central
    • State Championship – Girls Track and Field – McClellan
    • State Championship – Girls Tennis – Central
    • State Championship – Girls Basketball – Parkview

2005

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Robert Daugherty
  • Bryan Day
  • Baker Kurrus
  • Larry Berkley
  • Tony Rose
  • Sue Strickland
  • Roy Brooks, Superintendent
    • State Championship – Boys Tennis – Central
    • State Championship – Girls Basketball – Parkview

2006

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Robert Daugherty
  • Melanie Fox
  • Baker Kurrus
  • Larry Berkley
  • Charles Armstrong
  • Dianne Curry
  • Roy Brooks, Superintendent
    • State Championship – Boys Tennis – Central
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Parkview

2007

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Robert Daugherty
  • Melanie Fox
  • Baker Kurrus
  • Larry Berkley
  • Charles Armstrong
  • Dianne Curry
  • Roy Brooks, Superintendent
    • District declared unitary by U.S. District Court
    • Highest enrollment (25,738) on recent record
    • State Championship – Quiz Bowl – Parkview
    • State Championship – Boys Tennis – Central
    • State Championship – Girls Basketball – Parkview

2008

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Robert Daugherty
  • Melanie Fox
  • Baker Kurrus
  • Jody Carriero
  • Charles Armstrong
  • Dianne Curry
  • Linda Watson, Superintendent
    • State Championship – Quiz Bowl – Central
    • State Championship – Quiz Bowl – Parkview
    • State Championship – Boys Tennis – Central
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Hall

2009

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Robert Daugherty
  • Melanie Fox
  • Baker Kurrus
  • Jody Carriero
  • Charles Armstrong
  • Dianne Curry
  • Linda Watson, Superintendent
    • State Championship – Boys Tennis – Central

2010

  • Katherine Mitchell
  • Mike Nellums
  • Melanie Fox
  • Greg Adams
  • Jody Carriero
  • Tommy Branch, Jr.
  • Dianne Curry
  • Linda Watson/Morris Holmes, Superintendent
    • Roberts Elementary opens as largest elementary in district, first school west of I-430 since 1978
    • State Championship – Quiz Bowl – Parkview
    • State Championship – Girls Tennis – Parkview
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Hall
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – McClellan

2011

  • Norma Johnson
  • Mike Nellums
  • Melanie Fox
  • Greg Adams
  • Jody Carriero
  • Tommy Branch, Jr.
  • Dianne Curry
  • Morris Holmes, Superintendent
    • Highest revenue on record ($348,859,027)
    • State Championship – Quiz Bowl – Parkview
    • State Championship – Girls Tennis – Central
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Hall
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Parkview

2012

  • Norma Johnson
  • Mike Nellums
  • Leslie Fisken
  • Greg Adams
  • Jody Carriero
  • Tommy Branch, Jr.
  • Dianne Curry
  • Morris Holmes/Marvin Burton, Superintendent
    • State Championship – Girls Basketball – Parkview
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Hall
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Parkview

2013

  • Norma Johnson
  • C.E. McAdoo
  • Leslie Fisken
  • Greg Adams
  • Jody Carriero
  • Tara Shephard
  • Dianne Curry
  • Marvin Burton/Dexter Suggs, Superintendent
    • Desegregation Settlement Agreement approved
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Jefferson Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Williams Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 20% Performing in Arkansas) – Terry Elementary
    • State Championship – Girls Basketball – Hall
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Hall

2014

  • Joy Springer
  • C.E. McAdoo
  • Leslie Fisken
  • Greg Adams
  • Jim Ross
  • Tara Shephard
  • Dianne Curry
  • Dexter Suggs, Superintendent
    • District ends exemption from inter-district School Choice
    • Forest Heights STEM Academy opens
    • A School (300 of 300; Tied for 1st in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • A School (290 of 300; Tied for 11th in Arkansas) – Terry Elementary
    • A School (289 of 300; Tied for 12th in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • A School (277 of 300; Tied for 24th in Arkansas) – Carver Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Gibbs Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Terry Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 10% Performing in Arkansas) – Williams Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 20% Performing in Arkansas) – Jefferson Elementary
    • State Championship – Girls Track and Field – Parkview
    • State Championship – Boys Tennis – Central

2015

  • Board Removed
  • Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Tony Wood Assumes Responsibilities
  • Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key Succeeds Tony Wood
  • Dexter Suggs, Superintendent
  • Baker Kurrus succeeds Dexter Suggs
    • Cuts licensed staff (which includes administrators) by 166 (22%)
    • A School (285 of 300; 2nd in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • B School (269 of 300; Tied for 7th in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • B School (265 of 300; Tied for 10th in Arkansas) – Parkview High School
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performing in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performing in Arkansas) – Gibbs Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performing in Arkansas) – Jefferson Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performing in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performing in Arkansas) – Williams Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 6-10% Performing in Arkansas) – Forest Heights STEM Academy K-8
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Cloverdale Middle
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Forest Heights STEM Academy K-8
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Forest Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Gibbs Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Mabelvale Middle
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Mann Middle
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Pulaski Heights Middle
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Williams Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 6-10% Growth in Arkansas) – Henderson Middle
    • Reward School (Top 6-10% Growth in Arkansas) – Jefferson Elementary
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – McClellan

2016

  • Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key
  • Baker Kurrus, Superintendent
    • Pinnacle View Middle School opens temporary sixth grade
    • Baseline Elementary removed from Academic Distress
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Parkview
  • Mike Poore succeeds Baker Kurrus
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performance in Arkansas) – Fair Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Performance in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 6-10% Performance in Arkansas) – Forest Heights STEM Academy K-8
    • Reward School (Top 6-10% Performance in Arkansas) – Gibbs Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Fair Park Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 5% Growth in Arkansas) – Roberts Elementary
    • Reward School (Top 6-10% Growth in Arkansas) – Gibbs Elementary
    • State Championship – Boys Basketball – Parkview

2017

  • Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key
  • Michael Poore, Superintendent
    • Fair, McClellan High Schools removed from Academic Distress
    • Low-enrollment Franklin, Wilson, Hamilton, Woodruff closed
    • Pinnacle View Middle School opens as largest building in district
    • District one of twelve in Arkansas to improve in all grades on ACT Aspire
    • Second lien bonds approved to build, refurbish student facilities
    • Ground broken for Little Rock Southwest High School
    • U.S. Department of Education names Don R. Roberts Elementary National Blue Ribbon School
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