ForwARd Arkansas announced today that Ben Kutylo has been named executive director, effective July 27, 2020. In this role, Kutylo will lead the organization’s work to develop and support the broad implementation of innovative solutions to improve learning and career outcomes for all Arkansas students.
Read MoreThe “digital divide” allowing some but not all students access to digital learning involves more than just technology. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for long-term change.
Read moreOn July 1, the Batesville School District will officially adopt a Community School strategy—becoming the first in Arkansas to hire a community school coordinator to manage this initiative.
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Arkansas leaders became interested in the community school model even before the pandemic hit. And now, thanks to a grant from the NEA Foundation, this approach will be developed and piloted in nine schools beginning this school year.
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I sat down with one of these valued community partners, Dr. Jim Rollins, as he steps down as superintendent of Springdale Public Schools—after nearly 40 years at the helm—to learn more about what has inspired him, what he takes away from his time with the District and what makes him optimistic about the future.
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Historically, pandemics are non-discriminatory, reaching across both racial and economic lines. But COVID-19 is not following suit and is dramatically highlighting the disparities and inequities within our country.
Read MoreFrom advancing legislation that supports the needs of Arkansas students, to hosting our second annual Data & Policy Symposium and championing the community schools model, ForwARd implemented impactful initiatives for students and their families in 2019.
DownloadThis report examines the potential relationship between attending the district-provided Pre-K program amongst students with similar observable characteristics, using anonymous student-level data points for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years and grades kindergarten to 2nd.
DownloadThis report analyzes the associations between district-provided Pre-K attendance and academic and non-academic outcomes for Springdale Public Schools.
DownloadThe goal of this report is to provide a descriptive analysis of the perceptions of quality and effectiveness of one district-provided Pre-K program from the perspectives of current Pre-K parents, Pre-K teachers, and Kindergarten parents.
DownloadThis report seeks to expound upon the existing Pre-K literature and gain a more holistic understanding of the effects of Pre-K, by providing a parent and teacher perspective of district-provided Pre-K within an individual community.
DownloadThe ESSA Parent Toolkit Flyer was developed by ForwARd Arkansas in August 2019 to serve as a tool for school districts to educate parents and community members about the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and about what they can do to support their schools.
DownloadThe ESSA Parent Toolkit was developed by ForwARd Arkansas in August 2019 to serve as a tool for school districts to educate parents and community members about the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and about what they can do to support their schools.
DownloadThis project was carried out under the direction of Dr. Jay Barth, M.E. and Ima Graves Peace Distinguished Professor of Politics and Director of the Arkansas Policy Project, in collaboration with ForwARd Arkansas and with support from the Rural Community Alliance.
DownloadThis toolkit provides resources that highlight the step by step process of engaging business and community in educational philanthropy and utilizing the local non-profit infrastructure to advocate at the state level.
DownloadThis toolkit provides resources for replicating Independence County's IMPACT Education Summit. The summit had approximately 400 attendees included all stakeholders such as educators, parents, students, business leaders, state agencies, local college representatives, etc.
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