Gates Grant

Submitted by
The Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Leadership Academy

Overview and Introduction

Education in Arkansas is uniquely poised to submit a proposal seeking funding for expanded emphasis on building a cadre of well-qualified leaders to manage public schools in our state. Governor Mike Huckabee has personally collaborated with Director of Education Raymond Simon to initiate a comprehensive program of school improvement and educational accountability that started with a focus on Grades K-4 (Smart Start) and is expanding to middle-level grades – Grades 5-8 – (Smart Step). The final component, yet unnamed, will include Grades 9-12 and is not projected to be implemented until the 2003-2004 school year.

Addressing the System

Educators in Arkansas recognize that for lasting educational reform to be realized, the entire system must be impacted while specific content components are addressed. The Arkansas Leadership Academy is a statewide, collaborative partnership designed to impact system change in Arkansas education. The 44 partners include the state departments of general, higher, and workforce education, 13 universities, 15 educational cooperatives, the Walton Family Foundation, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Arkansas Educational Television Network, 9 professional state associations including the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, the Arkansas Education Association, the Arkansas School Boards Association, and Arkansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. (Arkansas Leadership Academy URL - www.arkleadership.org).

The focus of the training provided is on systems thinking and system change as reflected in the Academy’s Hallmarks: Expand the Vision, Sustain the Focus (on statewide initiatives), Provide Strategic Leadership Skills, and Create Synergy Across the State. The Academy’s vision to create a statewide learning community is based on the belief that to change a system we change our knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, practices, and policies.

System impact occurs as the partners begin to change ourselves in these areas and as we invite school districts and other stakeholders to become a part of the quest for the vision. Together, knowledge and leadership skills are developed to bring about a focus on sustained change based on improving Arkansas education.

The process of this change occurs through five major components. Although we work to change ourselves in all of the areas above, specific areas are targeted in each of the following major components:

Partners: Target Change – Practice and Policy. We work to change our practices to support schools and design policy to move the system. For example, unless Colleges of Education teach prospective teachers and administrators technology leadership while modeling cutting edge technology, those educators coming into our system will be behind. Another example, unless boards of education set policies that embrace and set expectations for technology use, it will be difficult for schools to provide the technology leadership needed.

Individual Institute: Target Change – Attitude and Behavior. CEO’s of school districts and schools (superintendents and principals) and CEO’s of partner organizations (Deans, Presidents, Executive Directors, etc.) are engaged in a five and one-half day intensive, residential institute. Participants are invited to become a part of the vision and to look critically at themselves as leaders. They are offered cutting-edge business leadership models.

Team Institute: Target Change – Knowledge and Practice. As CEO’s attitudes and behaviors change about leadership, they often want to empower and include others but do not have the skills to help others operate in new ways. The team institute is designed for schools to send a team of teachers, parents, administrators, and other stakeholders to a five and one-half day intensive, residential institute. They receive tools, skills, and knowledge that build their capacity to operate in new and powerful ways while working on plans to reinvent their schools.

Principal Institute: Target Change – Knowledge, Behavior, and Practice. This yearlong institute (meeting four times a year for 3 – 4 days each) is based on the following five strands: Leading and Managing Change, Building and Maintaining Accountable Systems, Deep Knowledge about Teaching and Learning, Creating and Living the Vision and Mission, and Building Collaborative Environments.

Teacher Institute: Target Change – Knowledge, Behavior, and Practice. This yearlong institute (meeting four times a year for 3 – 4 days each) is based on improving student achievement in the classroom. Teachers use action research, reflective practice, networking, etc. to change classroom practices for improved student learning. Each teacher has a Peer Learning Coach to help guide the work throughout the year. Each institute provides Technology Coaches to help teachers realize and use the power of technology.

Support Components: As the Arkansas Leadership Academy has evolved the following components were added to enhance the work. Each of these also impacts the system of Arkansas education: Electronic Learning Environment; Support Networks; Team Connections; Renewal; Seminars; and Coach Training. (The Coach Training provides facilitative training for moving the work of teams.)

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