The Arkansas Education Association is pleased long-time public education champion Dr. Jay Barth will serve as the Chief Education Officer for the City of Little Rock. Mayor Frank Scott’s announcement today ensures the city’s work to support our students and schools will be led by someone with a proven track record of advocating for public education in our state and in Little Rock.

Most recently, Dr. Barth served on the state board of education and was consistently a leading voice for the students, families, and educators in the Little Rock School District. Perhaps most notably, he voted against the state takeover of the LRSD and stood with our local education association (LREA) against the waiver of due process for district educators. Jay’s unwavering support for public school students and educators often meant he was the sole vote against the forces working to undermine public education in Central Arkansas and the state.

AEA has long been a proponent of the community school model and stands ready to serve as a resource to support the students and educators in this effort as our community continues to push for the return of a democratically elected local school board with full decision making authority to the Little Rock School District.