Key Topics
Explaining the 2025 Arkansas Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program
By Josh B. McGee The LEARNS Act (Act 237 of the 2023 Regular Session) established the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program—commonly known as Merit Pay—to recognize and reward Arkansas’s outstanding...
2024–25 Arkansas Teacher Retention: Statewide Stability Amid Ongoing Local Challenges
by: Josh McGee, Roy McKenzie, and Gema Zamarro
Chronic Absenteeism: Showing Up is Half the Battle
By Kim Shaw Learning loss, decreased test scores, and diminished classroom engagement are just a few of the post-Covid-19 pandemic K-12 student outcomes that continue to make headlines. As schools...
The Rise of Chronic Absenteeism in Arkansas: Post-Pandemic Implications for Schools and Communities
Volume 22, Issue 3 May 7, 2025 This brief examines chronic absenteeism in Arkansas K–12 public schools—defined as missing 10% of the year—before and after the pandemic. It highlights shifts over...
The Rise of Chronic Absenteeism in Arkansas
Volume 22, Issue 3 May 7, 2025 This report examines chronic absenteeism in Arkansas K–12 public schools—defined as missing 10% of the year—before and after the pandemic. It highlights shifts over...
Don’t Leave Working Arkansas Families Behind: What’s at Stake with Proposed Head Start Cuts
By Hannah Denker When it comes to helping Arkansas families work and thrive, Head Start and Early Head Start programs play an essential role, especially in rural communities where child care options...
The Arkansas Teacher Merit Pay Program: A Game-Changer for Educators!
The Arkansas Teacher Merit Pay Program: A Game-Changer for Educators! By Ashley Daniel Big news for educators across Arkansas: the LEARNS Act has officially established and implemented the Merit...
Supporting Arkansas’s Early Childhood Workforce: Progress, Challenges, and What’s Next
by Hannah Denker We took a look at the newly released 2024 Early Childhood Workforce Index to see how Arkansas stacks up—and where we might go from here. The early childhood workforce in Arkansas...
GT Growth Awards for 2024
Academic Growth (a.k.a. Value-Added or VAM) is a measure of how much students' scores on state assessments in English Language Arts and Math improved over the school year compared to students across...
2024 Beating the Odds: High-Poverty Arkansas Schools Achieving Big Gains
Key Differences: OEP Awards vs. Arkansas Rewards and Recognition OEP Awards Focuses on growth in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). Recognizes student improvement. Awards include...
2024 OEP Growth Awards
Hooray! Today is one of our favorite days of the year! The day we announce the OEP Growth Awards! Every year we love to celebrate the schools where students are learning SO MUCH! OEP is focused on...
Arkansas Early Childhood Care and Education Federal and State Programs Funding Report
Volume 22, Issue 1 February 19, 2025 This report analyzes the funding landscape for Arkansas’s early childhood care and education (ECCE) system, focusing on key revenue sources, expenditure trends,...
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