Little Rock, Arkansas – Three Little Rock School District elementary schools will close at the end of the school year following a board decision reached after months of discussion. Western Hills, Mablevale and McDermott Elementary are the campuses affected by the consolidation plan.
During a special meeting Thursday evening, board members voted 5-2 to approve option seven from eight proposals presented for consideration. Members said the decision aims to consolidate enrollment more efficiently and reduce the number of school buildings operating below capacity.
The vote settles which campuses will close, while a separate selection determined how their attendance zones will be reassigned. The board chose Option 7D from four alternatives for placing affected students.
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Under that arrangement, McDermott’s current attendance zone will be divided among Jefferson, Fulbright, Terry and Bale elementary schools. Those four campuses will absorb portions of the area now served by McDermott.
Students in the Western Hills attendance zone will become part of Bale Elementary’s zone. Mablevale’s attendance area will be split among three schools, with students assigned to Otter Creek, Chicot or Watson.
The changes mean Bale will receive the Western Hills zone as well as part of McDermott’s existing zone. The approved arrangement distributes the affected attendance areas across several receiving schools rather than moving all students from the closing campuses to a single location.
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Williams Elementary will also have a role in the transition through what the plan calls a “shadow zone.” That designation gives McDermott families the option to enroll at Williams without having to submit an application.
The Williams provision offers those families an additional choice beyond the four schools assigned portions of McDermott’s attendance zone. Previous reporting has also examined concerns involving McDermott Elementary’s food pantry.
According to district data included in the LRSD Forward plan, closing the three elementary schools is projected to save between $4.6 million and $5.2 million. The closures are scheduled for the end of the school year, rather than taking effect immediately following the board’s vote.
