Arkansas Senate Honors Department of Education Reform

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From left: Robert Maranto, Robert Costrell, Albert Cheng, Sarah McKenzie, Gema Zamarro, Jennifer Ash, Patrick Wolf, Jonathan Wai, Josh McGee and Sarah Moore.

Faculty from the University of Arkansas' Department of Education Reform traveled to Little Rock recently to testify before the Arkansas Senate.

They updated the Senate on the department's education policy work and offered their expertise as needed in the future. Sarah Moore and Jennifer Ash, alumni from the program, joined faculty.

The Senate passed a resolution at the Feb. 16 meeting, recognizing the department's achievements throughout the past two years. Sen. Bob Ballinger was the resolution's lead sponsor, which honored the department, and Patrick J. Wolf, a Distinguished Professor of Education Policy and 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice.

"I appreciate the Senate honoring this department for their years of work to provide invaluable research to improve the education of students across the nation," Ballinger said. "They are an Arkansas treasure, and it's good they are getting this attention."  

The resolution cited the department's service and various projects, including those related to arts integration, trauma-informed public charter schools, education about the Holocaust, and STEM curricula. It also detailed the department's extensive research into school choice, education policy, and teacher quality.

The department's mission is to advance education and economic development by improving academic achievement in elementary and secondary schools.