Charlexis James' experience as a science educator in Little Rock made her a prime candidate to join the Arkansas Teacher Corps, a three-year program that helps develop teachers' knowledge, skills and mindsets in the classroom.

"ATC is definitely a life-changer," she said. "It has opened my eyes to the fact that, even as someone with experience, there are a number of things I can adjust and take back to my classroom."

James is one of 44 fellows who make up the program's largest cohort since its launch in 2013. ATC is a partnership between the College of Education and Health Professions, the Walton Family Foundation, the Arkansas Department of Education and participating Arkansas K-12 school districts.

ATC Executive Director Brandon Lucius said recruiting larger cohorts is the result of an intentional effort to grow the program. In 2023, ATC received a $3.6 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation to help expand and strengthen the program.

"The teacher shortage in Arkansas is real, particularly in hard-to-staff areas like the Delta," Lucius said. "Larger cohorts mean that we are able to support more outstanding teachers across the state in getting fully licensed to teach."

"Not only are those credentials a huge weight off the shoulders of our educators, but ATC's high-quality, rigorous training and coaching lead to better classroom teaching, greater student learning, and improved student outcomes," he added.

The 2024 cohort recently came together from across Arkansas to participate in ATC's annual Summer Institute, a six-week intensive training curriculum that prepares fellows to teach in high-need areas of Arkansas.

This year's institute was held from June 2-July 12. Hendrix College in Conway and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro each hosted a week of training, and the rest of the institute was held virtually via Zoom. Throughout the six weeks, fellows learned more about their content areas, developed their lesson-planning skills, practiced their instructional delivery and more. 

Each summer institute is centered around a theme, like 2024's theme of "What You Tend Will Grow." ATC leaders used this year's theme to emphasize the need to tend to one's needs and pour into each other to help foster student growth.

ATC director of teacher development Kendra Ide helped lead this year's summer institute and said conducting the training alongside director of coaching Jamie Powell was a rewarding experience.

"Knowing that we are training an inspiring cohort of teachers that will bring their knowledge and expertise to all corners of Arkansas is very humbling," Ide said. "It's an honor to grow alongside teachers who are committed to creating safe and inclusive classrooms for all students."

Shika Brown, an elementary educator from Marion, credits the summer institute with ensuring she's well-prepared to hit the ground running this upcoming school year.

"ATC is definitely pushing me to grow as an educator," she said. "I've learned so much in the summer institute, and I know next school year I will be more confident and prepared for my students."

The Arkansas Teacher Corps partners with school districts to recruit, train, license and support committed Arkansans as empowered teachers who facilitate excellent, equitable education in the state. The program provides an accelerated path to teaching at a time when many Arkansas schools face severe teacher shortages.

In addition to the training they experience at the summer institute, fellows receive 40 hours of professional development and 40 hours of individualized classroom coaching each year throughout the three-year fellowship. Since launching in 2013, more than 100 fellows have completed the program and helped raise over $100,000 in grants to support student learning and provide additional enrichment opportunities.

Tieawauna Jackson, an elementary educator who teaches in Helena-West Helena, said she hopes her experience with ATC will impact her for years to come.

"ATC has given me a family I didn't know I needed," Jackson said. "The support I've received, the tools I've gained, and the connections I've made are all going to change the way I teach."