FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Luis Fernando Restrepo has been appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe to the Arkansas Commission on Closing the Achievement Gap. Restrepo is the assistant vice provost for diversity affairs and professor of Spanish, comparative literature, and Latin American and Latino studies in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Through a partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education, the commission strives to ensure that all children have an opportunity for an equitable education that will eliminate the disparity in test scores between and among diverse learning communities of students.

“As an educator, I believe that we cannot overlook the historical disparities that set our students apart from early on in their schooling experience,” said Restrepo. “For our democracy to be just and prosperous, it is our moral obligation to seek educational equity. No excuses. I am humbled by this opportunity to serve our state and to work with such an engaged and dedicated group of commission members.”

During the spring 2013 semester, Restrepo will be co-teaching an honors course with Bob Maranto, holder of the Endowed Chair in Leadership for education reform, and Patrick Stewart, assistant professor of political science, on the topic of educational equity. The class will focus on the very issues to be addressed by the Commission on Closing the Achievement Gap.

Restrepo’s duties through the office of diversity affairs include developing strategies to attract and retain underrepresented students, faculty and staff; implementing recruitment and retention initiatives; helping to coordinate the Razorback Bridge Program; supporting development of the AmeriCorps program; and building relationships with high schools in Arkansas and with colleges and universities across the country that have historically served black and Hispanic students. Through the commission appointment, Restrepo hopes to also raise awareness of the state of Latino education in Arkansas and beyond.

The commission, among its other duties, is charged by the Arkansas General Assembly to develop a plan for the state that enables all public school students to meet the state’s academic achievement standards while also narrowing the achievement gap in public schools between students at different economic levels and between students among major racial and ethnic groups. The commission must also monitor the efforts of the Department of Education as it relates to the achievement gap and present a report of progress each year to the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education, Gov. Beebe and the State Board of Education.

Throughout the year, the commission members hold educational symposiums to address the factors contributing to the achievement gap in schools throughout Arkansas. School district representatives — teachers, instructional facilitators, education service center directors, career coaches, building principals — are invited to offer their input on the issues.

Serving with Restrepo on the commission are representatives from K-12, vocational, higher education and legislative backgrounds:

• Dawn Tirado Simpson, commission chair, Arkansas Career Training Institute

• Jesse Hargrove, Philander Smith College

• Gus Williamson, Batesville School District

• Eddie McCoy, consultant

• Elfreda Boyd, Pine Bluff School District

• Jonathan Fulkerson, Blytheville School District

• Vera Lang Brown, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

• Shane Broadway, Department of Higher Education, ex officio

• Brooks Harrington, Department of Higher Education, ex officio designee for Shane Broadway

• Tom Kimbrell, Arkansas Department of Education, ex officio

• Susan Harriman, Arkansas Department of Education, ex officio designee for Tom Kimbrell