Tri-District Parents Council Records Are Available to Researchers

The Tri-District Parents Council (sometimes shortened to Tri-District Council) was created in March 1985 as an association of African American parents living in Pulaski County, Arkansas, who were working to improve academic achievement of black students in the three public school districts of Pulaski County. One of their objectives was to use current discussions of school district consolidation in Pulaski County to facilitate education, motivation, and organization of residents in the black community interested in improved educational achievement of children enrolled in Pulaski County public schools. A second objective was to facilitate the planning and implementation of the proposed program to consolidate the three school districts. A third objective was to increase participation of residents in the black community in the policy planning and development within the three school districts. The Council was active into the twenty-first century.

The records of the Tri-District Council, donated to the CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, include records of informational events sponsored by the Council, materials from the three school districts, other reports and publications gathered by the Council, and court records involving the ongoing effort to desegregate schools in Pulaski County. Among the documents and brochures distributed to parents were: “On Parental Involvement and School Achievement,” “Developing Strategies for Academic Excellence,” “A Report Card for Parents,” and, “Questions to Ask When You Visit Your Child’s School.” The materials can be viewed in the Research Room of the CALS Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Art at CALS Library Square in the Rivermarket District of downtown Little Rock. The finding aid to the collection is available online.

By Steve Teske, CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies Research Services Division