Nancy Rousseau

Rousseau was born in New York around the mid-1950s, and was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey.^[2] After graduating high school in Tenafly, she went to study at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She ultimately earned her undergraduate, a bachelor's degree in English education, from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.^[3] After entering the education field, she later earned her master's degree in educational administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.^[3]

Her first educational position was as an English teacher in Port Washington, New York, where she earned a "New Teacher of the Year" Award.^[3] She then taught English in Midwest City, Oklahoma, relocating to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1976. From 1976 to 1986, she served as an English teacher at Pulaski Academy, a prominent local private school. She joined Little Rock Central as an assistant principal after earning her master's degree.^[4] From 1998 to 2002, she served as principal at Pulaski Heights Junior High School in Little Rock. During her time there, she led the school's transition from a junior high to a middle school. In 2002, she returned to Little Rock Central as principal.^[5] In April 2024, the school celebrated her continuous 22 years in the role.^[5] As of 2023-2024, the school contained 2,260 students, all under Rousseau's care.^[6] During her time as principal, she has overseen multiple commissions celebrating the historical integration of the school.^[4]

In 2024, after 22 years working in the district, Rousseau requested the Little Rock school district increase her pay to at least match that of George Maxey, a newly appointed principal in the district. Maxey was being paid US$170,747 a year, whereas Rousseau was compensated only US$137,080, a difference of US$33,667.^[2]