Policymakers and education scholars from across Arkansas, the country and the world gathered last week to celebrate the Department of Education Reform's first 20 years and envision the next two decades of student-centered education reform.

Over 150 guests explored timely issues together at Education Reform Then and Now: A Policy Conference, held at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

The Department of Education Reform was established in the College of Education and Health Professions in 2005 with support from the Walton Family Foundation and the Windgate Foundation. The support has enabled the department to hire world-class faculty, recruit exceptional students and graduate alumni who have gone on to further advance the department's founding goals with their successful careers. Over the last two decades, the department has become a nationally recognized center of influence in education policy, positioning the University of Arkansas as a hub for rigorous policy research.

Dean Kate Mamiseishvili opened the conference, sharing that no other college or school of education in the country has a department dedicated to education reform.

"The Department of Education Reform was designed to be a bold experiment, unique in its composition of scholars representing multiple disciplines — economics, psychology and political science — and pushing the boundaries of what education could look like," she said.

Mamiseishvili noted that this one-of-a-kind department has shaped the conversation about school performance, student achievement and teacher quality across Arkansas and the nation over the last 20 years.

"The scholars in the Department of Education Reform have not only produced highly cited and influential research, but they have also used their expertise to create a vital space for dialogue about how to improve educational outcomes in Arkansas," she said.

Department head and conference co-chair Harry Patrinos said while the mission hasn't changed over the past two decades, the urgency has grown. Citing the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, he said: "The headlines are sobering."

"As we celebrate twenty years of the Department of Education Reform, we recognize a pivotal moment. Teacher shortages persist. Achievement gaps remain. Questions of equity and opportunity are more pressing than ever," he added. "The latest NAEP results tell us clearly: We cannot wait."

Panelists at the two-day conference came from some of the nation's top universities, including Stanford, Harvard, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, Texas A&M and the University of Missouri. Presenters delved into real-world issues such as the learning crisis in America, teacher quality and the teacher pipeline, school choice and more. Department faculty also released new reports providing a comprehensive State of Education in Arkansas, including learning outcomes, labor market results and policy recommendations.

The two panels that sparked the most spirited conversations were about artificial intelligence in education and one titled "A Burr Under the Saddle: Reigniting the Urgency for Bold Education Reform in the Next 20 Years."

The conference's keynote speakers were Eric Hanushek, senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, and education reform advocate and Marquette University Distinguished Fellow Howard Fuller.

Many of the department's influential alumni served as panelists for the event, which featured roundtable discussions where guests were encouraged to ask questions and contribute solutions for the good of the group.

"The conference delivered a rich exchange of data and ideas about how to improve K-12 education," noted Patrick Wolf, Twenty-First Century Chair in School Choice and co-chair of the event. "People traveled from as far away as Malaysia, Nigeria and the United Kingdom to share in the experience."

Patrinos' remarks set the stage for the department's future. "The next 20 years will test our resolve," he said. "We must stay focused on what works — on reform that is data-driven, equitable and student-centered. That is how we ensure our next generation of learners inherit a legacy of progress."