The U of A Office for Education Policy announced its 2022 Outstanding Educational Performance awards this week.

Since 2017, the Office for Education Policy awards have gone to Arkansas schools where students demonstrate the highest levels of student academic growth.

"Our awards highlight student academic growth because we know that other indicators of school performance, like achievement, are directly impacted by out-of-school factors like poverty. High student academic growth, however, occurs in schools that are doing what it takes to get high levels of student learning, regardless of out-of-school factors," said Sarah McKenzie, executive director of the Office for Education Policy.

Genoa Central Elementary in Miller County won an OEP award for the highest overall academic growth among elementary schools in 2022. The eStem East Village Junior High earned the award for highest academic growth among middle schools. Haas Hall Academy in Bentonville earned the top award for overall growth among high schools.

The Office for Education Policy's website has a complete list of elementary, middle and high school awardees. Twenty schools are named in each category.

"OEP awards truly are a 'badge of honor' for Springdale schools because our entire learning community works together to help all of our Springdale family learn every day," said Jared A. Cleveland, superintendent of Springdale Public Schools. "We value OEP awards because they are given to schools with the highest levels of academic growth, and we believe growth is the best reflection of the impact that schools are having on students' academic success."

Office for Education Policy awards for high student growth are based on individual students' annual improvement on state-required assessments in English Language Arts and mathematics. Academic growth is a facet of the overall school rating, and OEP awards highlight schools where students are learning much more than expected.

"By recognizing schools where student growth is accelerated, we hope to motivate education stakeholders to focus on this indicator of increased learning growth as the most important measure of school quality," McKenzie said.

About the Office For Education Policy: Opened in the fall of 2003, the Office for Education Policy is a research center within the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. The staff includes faculty members, research associates and graduate students who specialize in education research and policy. The Office for Education Policy serves as a resource to state lawmakers, educators, administrators and other leaders, providing them with current national, state and regional research in education to support them in thoughtful decision-making concerning education in Arkansas.