Forward Arkansas Announces First LeARner Collective Cohort
Inaugural cohort to consist of 20 schools from the Delta and Northwest Arkansas
Forward Arkansas announced today the schools selected to participate in the inaugural LeARner Collective cohort. The LeARner Collective is an opportunity for teams made up of teachers, principals and staff from schools across Arkansas to work together to develop innovative and practical solutions to address their specific needs and challenges.
The first cohort will include 20 schools from the Northwest and Delta regions of the state:
- Ardis Ann Middle School, Bentonville
- Explore Academy, Pine Bluff
- Friendship Aspire Academy, Downtown Pine Bluff
- Gentry Middle School, Gentry
- Gentry Primary School, Gentry
- Grimsley Junior High School, Bentonville
- James Matthews Elementary School, Pine Bluff
- Jerry "Pop" Williams Elementary School, Farmington
- Lowell Elementary School, Rogers
- Marvell-Elaine Elementary School, Marvell-Elaine
- Marvell-Elaine High School, Marvell-Elaine
- Northside Elementary School, Rogers
- Oakwood Preschool, AR River Education Service Cooperative, Pine Bluff
- Pea Ridge Intermediate School, Pea Ridge
- Pea Ridge Primary School, Pea Ridge
- Pine Bluff Junior High Academy, Pine Bluff
- Southwood Elementary School, Pine Bluff
- Randall G. Lynch Middle School, Farmington
- Taylor Elementary School, White Hall
- White Hall High School, White Hall
“Forward is excited to partner with Arkansas educators to support their ongoing commitment to putting students at the center of everything they do,” said Ben Kutylo, executive director of Forward Arkansas. “Educators are problem solvers and innovators by nature; we want to build on that. Through this program, we will empower local school teams to reflect on the challenges their students face and determine better ways to address those challenges utilizing the strengths they have locally.”
The first cohort of The LeARner Collective, supported by the Walton Family Foundation, will kick off in late January 2024. School teams will receive tailored support as they develop creative, equitable and student-centered solutions that improve conditions for learning success. Participating schools will each receive a $5,000 grant to support their work through the program.
