LRSD board holds special meeting to discuss new leadership transition following Superintendent Jermall Wright’s resignation announcement

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The topic of transitioning was the focus at the Little Rock School District board’s special meeting on Monday after the superintendent announced his resignation last week.

Many people at the meeting were still in shock after hearing news of Superintendent Jermall Wright’s resignation announced in a letter sent to LRSD Board President Michael Mason last Thursday.

“I was surprised and disappointed,” LRSD board member Greg Adams said. “I don’t think that this was something… We had not talked about it as a board with him.”

“The people on this board know that they have a very important decision to make,” LaToya Morgan said. “You know we can’t go back and forth about it; we have to accept it and move forward.”

Morgan, one of the public commenters at the special meeting, believes that the board should step up and find a new leader to guide the district following the resignation.

However, many of the public comments asked for both Wright and the board to reconsider in the best interest of the students and the community.

“My hope is that Dr. Wright reconsiders and knows that as a community and as a parent, we value him,” Angela Mull said.

Public comments were the first things heard before a closed-door executive session to discuss Wright’s resignation, a transition plan for future leadership and the potential punishment of a board member.

The executive session lasted for more than an hour. When the board returned, it announced that no decision had been made, and the meeting was adjourned.

Adams said that this is a challenging time for him and the board as a whole.

“There’s no changes to how we started the meeting to how things are now,” Adams said.

“We are actively working to ensure that a new superintendent is named in a timely manner and are in the process of outlining a comprehensive transition plan,” LRSD Board President Michael Mason said.

Wright’s contract was set to end at the end of June in 2026.

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