J.A. Fair High School originally was a part of the Pulaski County Special School District. It opened in August 1982 (with additions in 1983, 1984 and a classroom and cafeteria addition in 2004) and is named for James Augustus "Gus" Fair. The school operated as a junior/senior high school (grades 7-12) from 1982 to 1987. It was annexed by the Little Rock School District and converted to a senior high school in 1987. In 2000 J.A. Fair became a magnet school, offering magnet programs in environmental science, systems engineering/information sciences and medical studies. The school discontinued traditional high school operations at the end of the 2019-20 school year, with students reassigned to the new Little Rock Southwest High School for 2020-21 and subsequent school years.