The Arkansas State Board of Education on Wednesday approved the Blytheville School District to enter the state’s second transformation contract, allowing a public charter organization to help manage the struggling district.
Transformation contracts, created under the 2023 LEARNS Act, allow “D” or “F”-rated schools or those under Level 5Intensive Support to partner with state-approved entities to create a “transformation campus.” Blytheville was placed under Level 5 classification in May after ongoing academic, financial and administrative challenges led the state to dissolve its school board.
Eight groups expressed interest in managing the district, six submitted applications, and four advanced to final interviews. The board approved a contract with AMS Impact Group, a charter management organization that runs the Academies of Math & Science in Little Rock and nine schools in Arizona.
ADE Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said AMS personnel spent days in the community meeting with residents and had already been working alongside ADE staff in Blytheville. If approved, the organization will oversee daily operations, curriculum support, professional development and community engagement, including a potential advisory board.
“Transformation is beginning, but we have a long way to go in Blytheville,” Smith said.
Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said the board’s decision to dissolve the district’s previous board was the result of a yearlong effort to stabilize operations. “This is a district that couldn’t even get a toilet to work,” Oliva said. “So when the expectation is that basic facilities can’t work, how can we expect students to learn?”
Oliva added that ADE staff and AMS representatives have focused on preparing for the first day of school and engaging families. “Students are telling teachers and administrators that they feel like this might be the first time that they actually learn something this is such an exciting time,” he said.
The state approved its first transformation contract last year with the Marvell-Elaine School District and Friendship Education Foundation. That contract runs through June 2026 with annual payments of $200,000 after a $50,000 transition period.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI