RISON - The Cleveland County School Board decided Tuesday night to turn back more than $138,000 in state partnership money since the plans approved for the project would have eliminated a classroom at Rison Elementary.
Meanwhile, the board also heard an update on the district and school report cards, and also voted to make William King the new vice president of the board.
Superintendent Davy King told the board during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night that after reviewing the plans that were submitted for a secure entrance to the elementary, he discovered it would convert one of the existing classrooms into a new administrative office.
In December 2025, the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Public School Facilities and Transportation notified the Cleveland County School District that it has been awarded $2,707,623 in state partnership money for construction of a new gym and $138,714.14 to build a secure entrance to Rison Elementary.
King said he thought the secure entrance was going to be a new addition to the elementary but discovered the plans approved by the state were to convert an existing classroom into a new administrative office that would monitor those entering the building. King said he did not want to sacrifice an elementary classroom for a new office.
In addition, King said the district’s match for the partnership project would cost about $200,000. Rather than spending that money to convert a classroom, he said he preferred putting toward renovations to the elementary building itself.
There was some discussion about possibly changing the plans, but King said the partnership money was awarded on the plan that was submitted. He said the plans were developed by former superintendent Jerrod Williams and architect Steve Elliott. While King said the state would allow the district to switch the location of the new administrative office - either at the entrance next to the car drop-off point or the one next to the bus drop-off - it could not alter…