ATC executive director Brandon Lucius and alumna TyKesha Cross (ATC ’20) joined IMPACT Arkansas Fellowship director Dr. John Bacon for a panel discussion at the Southern Education Foundation’s 2023 Issues Forum in Charlotte, NC on November 16. As the only attendees representing Arkansas, the three panelists spoke to the efforts by the University of Arkansas to create a diverse educator pipeline through outreach programs like Arkansas Teacher Corps and IMPACT Arkansas Fellowship. Amidst a few hundred elected officials, academics, and educators from across the south, we proudly shared our story about how Arkansas is becoming a national leader in developing teachers and school administrators. Following the conference, we published an op-ed in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette about our experience.
“…All told, Arkansas is quickly becoming a national leader in educator recruitment and retention. This progress runs contrary to the typical, tired narrative about Arkansas when it comes to education, but it’s hard-earned, and it’s true.”