Education Commons^™

Arkansas Teachers' Grading Practices And Implications, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we assess current grading practices in Arkansas. We find teachers’ grading practices are inconsistent across the state. We suggest districts assess their grading practices and provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to reflect on their grading practices.

The Usage And Impact Of Act 1240 Teacher Licensure Waivers In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Policy Briefs

Act 1240 of 2015 allows Arkansas school districts to petition for waivers allowing for the employment of teachers who are not licensed under the standard procedures of the state. Since the program’s inception in the 2016-17 school year, the number of teachers employed under Act 1240 waivers has increased, with the Arkansas Department of Education reporting 836 teachers hired using Act 1240 waivers in 69 districts during the 2021-22 school year. This represents approximately one quarter of the districts within the state, but only approximately 2 percent of the nearly 40,000 teachers employed last year.

Using publicly available data from …

Exploration Of Motivations For Adopting A Four-Day School Week Or Year Round Calendars: Evidence From Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Kate Barnes

Policy Briefs

This brief provides an overview of the motivations for Arkansas school districts adopting a four-day school week or year-round calendar. In addition to examining these motivations, this brief provides an overview of the districts adopting non-traditional calendars and policy recommendations for districts and communities considering changing calendars.

Knowing What Works For Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The Office for Education Policy aims to serve as a resource to aid lawmakers and educators in education related decisions. The OEP recently became partners with the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), a research unit of the U.S. Department of Education, which reviews K-12 curricula and interventions. The goal of this article is to highlight the resources offered through the WWC, and draw attention to some of the WWC services and products that may be useful to educators in Arkansas.

How Does The 2007 Seattle Decision Affect Arkansas?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

On December 2, 2008, lawmakers announced that Arkansas’ school choice law would need to be revisited during the upcoming 2009 session. OEP provides this report to summarize the actions of the U.S. Supreme Court in Seattle and an account of Arkansas’ current school choice law, and then provides some suggestions as to what policymakers might do this January.

Understanding The Parents V. Seattle Decision And Its Effects On Arkansas Schools, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 28th that school districts may no longer use a student’s race as a deciding factor for school assignment, as a way of attempting to maintain or achieve integration. This decision came in response to a court case in which it was found that two school districts, Seattle and Jefferson County, KY, violated the 14 th Amendment, due to the fact that they were using race as a deciding factor to achieve diversity in individual schools. Schools in Jefferson County, which include the city of Louisville, were operating under a plan that was adopted …

Supplemental Education Services In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 gives eligible students who attend Title I schools not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) for at least three consecutive years the right to receive free supplemental education services, such as after-school tutoring. Under NCLB, states must provide a list of approved supplemental services providers to districts, who then, theoretically, provide the list to parents of eligible students prior to the start of the school year, so that they can choose the best provider for their children (U. S. Department of Education, 2005).

Alternative Learning Environments In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

One intervention that has been shown to be successful in helping students who have not done well in traditional school settings is alternative learning environments (ALE), or alternative schools (Lehr, Lanners, & Lange, 2003). The U.S. Department of Education (2002) defines an alternative school as “a public elementary/secondary school that addresses the needs of students that typically cannot be met in a regular school, provides nontraditional education, serves as an adjunct to a regular school, or falls outside the categories for regular, special education or vocational education.”