Arkansas Teacher Corps Prepares Educators to Lead and Inspire in High-Needs Schools Across the State

Ava Hollins-Rogers' early life felt like being in a box with immovable walls. Then she discovered teaching, which led to a transformational experience with Arkansas Teacher Corps (ATC) that expanded her world.

ATC has been combating teacher shortages in high-needs schools across Arkansas since 2012 by providing a non-traditional pathway to full licensure for non-certified school staff and community members. ATC is often referred to as "grow-your-own" because most of the aspiring teachers accepted into the program are raised in the areas where they want to stay and make a difference.

Hollins-Rogers was teaching on a short-term emergency license in the Arkansas Delta when she applied to the three-year ATC program. Her first step in the program was attending a summer intensive — or "teacher boot camp," as it's often called at ATC — an immersive training that has proven foundational to a teacher's long-term success with students and as educators. Last week, ATC's 14th cohort took the same first step, and Hollins-Rogers was among the speakers at a reception held the first week of boot camp to celebrate the program's success and to welcome the 35 new fellows embarking on their journey to becoming certified teachers. The event was hosted by the U of A's College of Education and Health Professions, where the program is housed in the Department of Education Reform.

"Let me tell you about every opportunity I've had since being with ATC," Hollins-Rogers told the crowd, who shared about the many ways her involvement with the program has forged a new identity as a leader. "Development with ATC doesn't end after three years."

In addition to leadership responsibilities within her school district, Hollins-Rogers has participated in the Arkansas Teacher Leadership Cohort through the Arkansas Leadership Academy's Teacher Leader Program and the Rural School Leadership Academy and has earned professional certificates through Harvard University. 

The new cohort of ATC fellows knows her as a leader in their summer immersive. She is helping them prepare for tests like the Praxis across various content areas they'll need to master before becoming fully certified. ATC is known for its high-quality teacher training, and applicants seek out the program for its thorough preparation and coaching support. Fellows become part of the ATC family, Executive Director Brandon Lucius told the audience at last week's reception.

He outlined several of ATC's achievements, such as a high retention rate — fellows from the program are 20% more likely to still be teaching after five years than non-ATC teachers in the same schools — and 10% of ATC graduates have earned Teacher of the Year awards. This is largely due to the support and training the program provides, he said. "But a huge part of why our folks are successful and why they stay around is because of the culture that we've built," Lucius said. "It's the relationships, the connections we have with each other. One thing we've really worked on this first week is the idea of the ATC family. Let me thank you all for being here at our ATC family reunion."

College of Education and Health Professions Dean Kate Mamiseishvili also spoke at the event, formally recognizing several guests, including Michael Crouch, senior program officer for the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group, for his support and advocacy of the program.

"The program could not exist without the generous support from the Walton Family Foundation from the beginning to this day," she said.

Mamiseishvili also welcomed Brandie Benton, assistant commissioner for the Office of Educator Effectiveness and Licensure at the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). ATC is a partnership between the college, K-12 schools and ADE. She also acknowledged Danyell Cummings, public education coordinator for the Administrative Office of the Courts of the Arkansas Supreme Court. She serves on the Department of Education Reform's community leadership council.

Mamiseishvili noted that ATC is leaving a remarkable legacy through its impact in the state of Arkansas. After sharing a few lines from the popular children's book by Kobi Yamada, Because I Had a Teacher, she told past and present fellows in the room that the most important legacy is how ATC-prepared educators inspire and empower students to dream.

"You show them the strength they didn't know they had, help them imagine a future they could not have seen without you," she said. "You are creating the dream makers and future builders."

Tyrah Elerby was among the 35 new fellows at teacher boot camp. She has been teaching for three years in Pine Bluff and wants to become certified. Elerby, who graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a different major, has since decided the elementary classroom is where she wants to devote her time. She applied to ATC because she wanted to grow her teaching skills and be involved in a network of like-minded educators who support one another. She said the summer kick-off training was intense, but she had already gained new insights about herself and the need for emotional vulnerability, which will make her a better teacher.

ATC emphasizes emotional resilience training and mental health support, which helps lead to its high retention rates. Fellows learn mindfulness techniques for self-care and managing student behavior.

New fellow Caley Loewenstein, who is seeking certification as an art teacher, said she is thrilled to have been accepted into the program. She said the teacher boot camp was stretching her in new ways that will only benefit her future students.

"I'm becoming more competent every day," she said.

Vyshnavi Gogineni, a new fellow from India who recently graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a master's degree in information technology, is working toward certification in computer science. She will teach in Marion, a school district that needs teachers who specialize in this content area. She said the ATC summer program has been a confidence builder.

"As someone entering the field of education for the first time, ATC's summer institute has made the transition feel smooth and manageable," she said. "The program moves at a pace that allows me to learn and grow with confidence, and the community has been incredibly welcoming, supportive and encouraging. I'm grateful to be part of an environment where I feel valued and set up for success."

The summer intensive will run for six weeks, with several weeks on Zoom in the middle, then one last week in person. After that, new fellows will receive more than 40 hours of professional development and 40 hours of individualized classroom coaching each year during the three-year fellowship. The support system will remain in place even after the program ends.

Since the first official cohort began in 2013, ATC has recruited, trained and supported nearly 350 teachers to serve in 107 schools and 46 districts throughout central, eastern and southern Arkansas. A total of 156 ATC fellows have completed the three-year fellowship, with more than 80% earning a standard five-year teaching license in one or more content areas, resulting in over 250 certifications. 

Fellows come from a variety of backgrounds. The new cohort is made up of 49% uncertified teachers, 17% school staff, 17% career changers and 17% recent college graduates.