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HomeMy WebLinkAbout17154 1 RESOLUTION NO. 17,154 2 3 A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER 4 INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE LITTLE 5 ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE 6 HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($500,000.00) FOR THE 7 SUSTAINABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL 8 MODEL FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR; TO PROVIDE FOR 9 FUNDING BY THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK AND THE LITTLE ROCK 10 SCHOOL DISTRICT;AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11 12 WHEREAS, the City of Little Rock, Arkansas (the "City"), recognizes that a vibrant partnership 13 between the Little Rock School District("LRSD")and community partners,including City Government,is 14 essential to the sustainable implementation and continued growth of the Community School Model; and, 15 WHEREAS, the Community School Model is a comprehensive approach to public education that 16 brings together schools,families,students,community organizations,and governmental partners to address 17 the academic,social,emotional,health,and other needs of students and their families;and, 18 WHEREAS, key practices of the Community School Model include powerful student and family 19 engagement; collaborative leadership and shared power and voice; expanded and enriched learning 20 opportunities; rigorous, community-connected classroom instruction; a culture of belonging, safety, and 21 care; and integrated systems of support; and, 22 WHEREAS, when faithfully implemented, the Community School Model demonstrates empirical 23 evidence of success, including reduced absenteeism rates,decreased in-school disciplinary infractions,and 24 improved academic achievement; and, 25 WHEREAS,seven(7)Little Rock Community Schools have increased their average daily attendance, 26 demonstrating the potential benefits of the Community School Model for students, families, schools, and 27 the broader Little Rock community; and, 28 WHEREAS, following five (5) years of State control of LRSD, the City committed, as part of the 29 community discussion and debate concerning the reconstitution of LRSD, to invest in the Community 30 School Model as a tangible demonstration of the community's commitment to improving educational 31 outcomes within LRSD; and, 32 WHEREAS, the Little Rock City Board of Directors previously voted to provide initial funding for 33 key programmatic elements of the Community School Model in partnership with LRSD; and, [Page 1 of 3] 1 WHEREAS, LRSD has likewise demonstrated its commitment to the Community School Model by 2 funding the salaries and benefits of Community School Coordinators for eight (8) schools to pilot the 3 Community School Model;and, 4 WHEREAS, the City and LRSD desire to continue and strengthen their partnership through a 5 Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") to establish a sustainable framework for implementing and 6 supporting the Community School Model for the 2026-2027 School Year;and, 7 WHEREAS, for the 2026-2027 School Year, the City and LRSD shall each provide the sum of Five 8 Hundred Thousand Dollars($500,000.00),for a combined amount of One Million Dollars($1,000,000.00), 9 to be known as the"Total Agreement Funding"; and, 10 WHEREAS,the Total Agreement Funding may be in the form of budgeted funds,salaries and benefits 11 for employees,dedicated to Community Schools programs,or the cost of programs and services that fulfill 12 one or more of the pillars or key practices of the Community School Model; and, 13 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY 14 OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS: 15 Section 1.The City Manager is hereby authorized to execute all necessary documents to implement a 16 Memorandum of Understanding with the Little Rock School District, in an amount not to exceed Five 17 Hundred Thousand Dollars ($5000,000.00), to fund the sustainable implementation, continuation, and 18 growth of the Community School Model for the 2026-2027 School Year, in a form approved by the City 19 Attorney. 20 Section 2.Pursuant to the MOU,for the 2026-2027 School Year,the City of Little Rock and the Little 21 Rock School District shall each provide Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00), for a combined 22 "Total Agreement Funding"of One Million Dollars($1,000,000.00). 23 Section 3. The parties' respective contributions to the Total Agreement Funding may be satisfied 24 through a combination of budgeted monetary funds,programs,services,salaries and benefits for employees 25 dedicated to Community Schools programs,and the cost of,or other resources that fulfill the pillars or key 26 practices of the Community School Model,as provided in the MOU. 27 Section 4. Funding for the City's obligation under the MOU in the amount of Four Hundred Fifty 28 Thousand Dollars ($450,000.00) is available from Account No. S15C741 for Fiscal Year 2026. The 29 remaining Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) necessary to satisfy the City's Five Hundred Thousand 30 Dollar ($500,000.00) commitment shall be included in the City's Fiscal Year 2027 budget, subject to 31 approval and appropriation by the Board of Directors. 32 Section 5. Severability. In the event any title, section, paragraph, item, sentence, clause, phrase, or 33 word of this resolution is declared or adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration or 34 adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of the resolution which shall remain in full force and [Page 2 of 3] 1 effect as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or unconstitutional was not originally a part of the 2 resolution. 3 Section 6. Repealer.All laws, ordinances,resolutions,or parts of the same,that are inconsistent with 4 the provisions of this resolution,are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency. 5 ADOPTED: September 15,2026 6 ATTEST: APPROVED: 7 8 lkiLG06VH 5L7 _ 7 9 Allison Segars,City C Frank Scott,Jr.,Mayor 10 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM: 11 12 m - 13 Thomas M.Carpenter,City Attorne 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23 // 24 // 25 I/ 26 // 27 // 28 // 29 // 30 // 31 // 32 // 33 // 34 // [Page 3 of 3]