PULASKI COUNTY, Arkansas — About five years ago, students and staff at Mills High School spent a day protesting outside the school. Their message was to correct inequalities between schools in the Pulaski County Special School District.
It was part of a decades-long desegregation lawsuit in the district that still continues today. However, school officials explained how that could be coming to an end.
The goal of the lawsuit is to have the district be at unitary status. This means that the court is satisfied with the district's removal of racial segregation.
In the most recent ruling by a federal judge, Mills High School needed to have the same construction quality as Robinson Middle School before unitary status could be declared.
PCSSD Superintendent Charles McNulty explained how it has taken almost three years to get to this point, and that the PCSSD school board approved the construction of the Mills High School expansion last week.
"We are really excited about squaring up and complying with the judge's orders, but also providing an amazing education experience for students," said McNulty.
The main building will have a wing added to include more classrooms and open spaces. It will expand the east portion of the building to add 10 more rooms for student learning.
There will also be a new 2,200-seat indoor arena and a softball field built on the property.
An arena will replace the back parking lot and include space for ROTC. The softball field will be built near the football field with a new concession stand for fans.
The total cost of the project is estimated at about $15 million.
Crews have already started marking off areas and getting gravel brought onto the campus.
District leaders expect construction to be finished within a year and a half.