Arkansas Tech University has earned a $100,000 Forward Arkansas grant and will participate in a consortium of higher education institutions working to enhance K-12 teacher recruitment, training and retention in the Natural State.
“Arkansas Tech University was chosen for this honor through a competitive process,” said Dr. Linda Bean, dean of the ATU College of Education. “Our proven commitment to increasing teacher diversity and our track record of placing educators in high-need locations were among the factors that led to our selection. It will be a privilege to work with colleagues from across the state on this important initiative.”
The Forward Arkansas Educator Preparation Program Design Collaborative includes ATU, Arkansas State University, Harding University, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Central Arkansas.
Founded in 2014 with grants from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation, Forward Arkansas works with school districts, educational partners and state leaders to transform learning, build educator capacity and provide equitable resources to ensure every student has access to, and is prepared for, opportunities in life and career.
“We want to support and champion Arkansas institutions that have the bold ideas and committed leadership needed to transform our state’s teacher pipeline,” said Ben Kutylo, Forward Arkansas’s executive director. “Through the collaborative, we aim to help Arkansas recruit more qualified teachers, better prepare educators for the challenges of the classroom and improve overall teacher retention rates.”
Learn more about Forward Arkansas at www.forwardarkansas.org.
Learn more about the ATU College of Education at www.atu.edu/education.
