Data shows that early-career teachers often do not feel prepared for the challenges they may confront in the classroom or to teach their assigned subject areas. As a result, many educators leave the classroom within their first five years. Fortunately, studies also consistently find that enhancing preparation and support for early-career teachers can help boost retention rates.
So, in 2021, Forward Arkansas launched a first-of-its-kind initiative to do just that. Over a two-phased process, we provided eight traditional, university-based EPPs with financial resources and technical assistance to develop plans for transformation. Two of the eight received continued support to implement their vision and strategy. Since then, the EPP Design Collaborative has helped EPPs across the state increase the quantity, diversity and quality of prospective teacher candidates by:
- Modernizing and strengthening the teacher preparation experience
- Promoting strong district partnerships, including for paid teacher residencies
- Encouraging better utilization of real-time data
- Supporting continuous improvement and accountability
- Creating an ongoing Community of Practice that includes all 19 Arkansas EPPs
