Key Topics
Got Data? Confronting Chronic Absenteeism
by Kim Shaw and Sarah McKenzie This week, OEP sent every Arkansas superintendent a report on chronic absenteeism (CA). The reports include both statewide trends and district-specific data from the past two years. If you’ve been following education news, you know...
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 educators. The program is designed to retain high-performing teachers...
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 strive to improve student outcomes, there is a major hurdle: students...
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 time, disparities by student and school characteristics, and offers...
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 time, disparities by student and school characteristics, and offers...
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