Campus Talk: Arkansas Schools Receive $3.1 Million In Federal Improvement Grants

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ARKANSAS SCHOOLS RECEIVE $3.1 MILLION IN FEDERAL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
Three Arkansas priority schools have been selected to receive federal School Improvement Grants worth approximately $3.1 million. Baseline Elementary School in the Little Rock School District will receive $1.64 million, Bellepoint Alternative School in the Fort Smith School District will receive $1.02 million and Osceola High School will receive more than $453,000 for the upcoming school year.

School districts underwent a competitive application process, where they were required to show how they would implement school improvement models approved by the federal government. These models include making improvements through such things as curriculum reform, professional development, and extended learning time.

Since 2009 when the SIG program was redesigned, Arkansas has received more than $60 million in funds. Recipients can use the federal funds, which are renewable for up to five years pending federal allocations, for before and after school instructional planning, planning for extended school days, and additional support staff and interventions to help reduce suspensions and dropouts.

Funds also can be used for technology initiatives, weekend tutoring programs, to hire firms that specialize in improving schools, and to partner with higher education to highlight science and math careers.

GOVERNOR APPOINTS THREE TO BOARD OF EDUCATION
Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Charisse Dean, Brett Williamson and Susan Chambers to serve on the Arkansas Board of Education. They will replace Sam Ledbetter, Alice Mahony, and Kim Davis. Dean and Williamson will serve through June 2022 and Chambers will serve through June 2021.

ASU BEGINS ONLINE MASTERS’ PROGRAM IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION
Arkansas State University now offers a Master of Science in sport administration degree through the university’s online degree portal, AState.edu/online. The degree is administered by the Department of Health, Physical Education and Sport Sciences in the College of Education and Behavioral Science.

The master’s in sport administration program is a 36-credit hour program designed for working professionals. The program serves graduate students who are interested in management or administrative opportunities in professional sports, intercollegiate athletics, sports recreation facilities, sports media, and sports marketing and management agencies.

TWO ARKANSAS TEACHERS CHOSEN AS NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS
The White House recently announced the winners of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Amanda Jones, a science teacher at Poyen High School in Poyen, and Brian Leonard, a mathematics teacher at Lake Hamilton High School in Pearcy, were honored as recipients of the 2013 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The award is the nation’s highest honor for mathematics and science teachers for Grades K–12.

This year, a national committee of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators selected 108 teachers from the nation to receive the awards. In addition to a presidential citation, Jones and Leonard will each receive a $10,000 award and a trip to Washington, D.C. for professional development activities and an awards ceremony. They will also be recognized at the state level during the 2015 Arkansas Curriculum Conference.

DHS FORGES UNIQUE JUVENILE JUSTICE PARTNERSHIP WITH SHORTER COLLEGE
Youth at the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center now have the opportunity to receive college-level instruction and credit through an agreement with Shorter College, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Youth Services (DYS) and college officials recently announced.

This is the first time youth in the juvenile justice system in Arkansas have been given access to on-site, college-level instruction led by a credentialed professor. Currently, 10 youth are enrolled in classes in the program, which started on June 1. A Shorter College professor goes to the Treatment Center four times a week to teach.

Participating students must have already earned a high school diploma or GED before enrolling, and they can earn up to 12 college credit hours during the summer and 9 hours during the fall and spring semesters. Once students transition out of the Treatment Center, they are able to complete their degree program at Shorter College or transfer their credits to other colleges across the state of Arkansas through the Arkansas Credit Transfer Program.

The private, two-year, historically black liberal arts college situated in North Little Rock offers academic programming toward the Associates of Arts Degree in Basic Studies. Students can choose to concentrate in one of 5 areas: General Studies, Christian Leadership, Child Development, Entrepreneurial Studies and Criminal Justice.