LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Little Rock School District has a lot of decisions to make, and they want your help to do it.
"We're just to the point now in our school district where we have to make some tough decisions, and we have to make those tough decisions rather fast," Little Rock Superintendent Jermall Wright said. "It is a very tough situation to be in and a very tough situation to deal with."
There's a lot that needs to happen across the district. Easily, the biggest is money the district needs to cut to not go over their 2025 budget.
According to a proposal from the district, if revenue stays the same, they'll need to cut between $15-$16 million.
Where they're looking to cut that money from is not an easy choice.
"About 75% to 80% of our total budget is made up of personnel," Wright said. "Anytime that you have to make cuts to operating costs, and 80% of your costs are related to salaries and the people, that's where the bulk of your reductions will have to come from."
According to that district proposal, part of this need can be chalked up to declining enrollment, more support staff and money to upgrade campuses.
"The last couple years have been rising in increased costs with material, suppliers, construction," Wright said. "We have to look at that too."
Buildings are a big thing to consider, as dozens of LRSD buildings need over $250,000 in repairs.
"We have a lot of old buildings that have been around for a long time. They have a lot of need," Wright said. "We have to make sure that we take care of those buildings... we have to make sure that we can thrive in the future."
That's where you come in – the district is looking for your ideas.
"We want folks to realize that this is not something we're just doing to check a box,
Wright said. "This is something we're doing because we're really interested in hearing from the public."
Page 12 of the proposal reads, "There are no bad ideas." The Little Rock School District wants to hear anything that could help make the district better.
"These are big decisions that we are going to have to make, that are going to have a lasting effect for years or even decades to come," Wright said. "We want to make sure that we do this right."
The public input section is open until Nov. 3, at 5 p.m. Click here for a link to that proposal and the public comment section.