Windgate grant to support UALR School of Education

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) has received a $3.5 million grant from the Windgate Foundation to endow the directorship of its School of Education.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Windgate Foundation for their generous support of this effort,” said UALR Chancellor Christina Drale said in a statement. “High quality teacher education has never been more important. This funding will help us sustain strong leadership for the program and will make possible further investment in innovative teacher preparation at UA Little Rock.”

The Windgate Director of the School of Education will play a direct role in ensuring the School of Education graduates day-one ready teacher candidates, noted the UALR statement. Primary goals will be strengthening partnerships with K-12 schools and state school districts, increasing enrollment, supporting curricular innovation and meaningful assessment, raising awareness of the program, and raising funds to support teacher preparation efforts.

“We were impressed with the work of Chancellor Drale and the education leadership team in articulating their vision and plan to transform teacher education,” said Pat Forgy, executive director of Windgate Foundation. “These critical improvements will allow UA Little Rock to provide a clear pathway for classroom-ready teachers in Arkansas. It is our honor to support this effort, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have in the years ahead.”

Since 2021, UALR has received more than $550,000 from Forward Arkansas to develop an innovative model focused on reimagining teacher education.