ARKANSAS WORKS:
OVERVIEW
Task Force on Poverty
Arkansas Department of Career Education
Little Rock, AR
March 24, 2010
WHY ARKANSAS WORKS?
Arkansas Needs an Education Cultural Change
 Increase Value Placed on Education
 Produce More Residents with Baccalaureate Degrees
 Increase Knowledge of All Postsecondary Options
 Better Understanding of College and Career Planning
 Become more competitive in the area of Economic
Development nationally and internationally
WHAT
IS
ARKANSAS WORKS?
 Expansion
of the Arkansas College
and Career Planning System
 Collaboration among state agencies
 Funded by Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF)
 Designed to assist Arkansas’ Youth and
Adults
 Two Component System: On-Line Based
Internet Planning Tool and College and
Career Coaches
ON-LINE BASED INTERNET PLANNING TOOL–
POWERED BY KUDER
 Free
and Open to all Arkansans
through Public Sites
 Designed
to Drive Youth and
Adults to Services
 Enhancements:
6-Year Career
Plan, Link 2 College and Connect
to Business
COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHES
COMPONENT
 Three
 43
Year Pilot with Opportunity for Expansion
College and Career Coaches
 Co-located
at 12 two-year Colleges and Provide
Services to Middle/High School students in the 21
most economically challenged counties in the state

Includes Career Development Facilitator (CDF) Training,
which will be completed by April 16, 2010.
WHERE
ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER
COACHES LOCATED?
COUNTY SELECTION
The 10 following factors were used:
 Median Household income 2007
 Unemployment rate as of March 2009
 Unemployment rate for region as of March 2009
 All ages in poverty in 2007
 Under 18 in poverty in 2007
 Ages 5-17 in families in poverty
 Free and reduced price school lunch
 Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25+
 High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+
 Spring 2008 high school graduates entering college
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF
AND CAREER COACH?
THE
COLLEGE
Work as a team and complement
existing College and Career planning
efforts of Arkansas high school
guidance counselors
Support the Student
Expand and Identify College Planning and
Career Exploration Opportunities
Career Coaches will be expected to provide services
and disseminate information that will address the
following areas:
 Academic
Preparation for Postsecondary
Education
 Plans
for Postsecondary Education
 Information
on Financial Aid
 Connections
Between Education and Careers
 Transitioning
to Postsecondary Education
HOW WILL ARKANSAS WORKS AND
CAREER COACHES BE EVALUATED?
Performance Measures
 High School Graduation Rate
 Enrollment in Smart Core
 College-Going Rate
 Reduced Remediation
 Increased ACT Scores
 Increased Applications for State Aid
 Increased Applications for Federal Aid
KEY INDICATORS – TOTAL NUMBER
OF…
Individuals served through expanded career
counseling services and activities in the 21
indentified counties
 Individuals statewide, by county, accessing the
online Arkansas Works Career Planning System
annually
 Completed career plans developed as a result of the
College and Career Coach’s intervention
 Students in the targeted counties receiving
assistance with college admissions, college
enrollment, or college placement testing activities

KEY INDICATORS (CONTINUED)
Increased postsecondary enrollment statewide
and in the targeted counties
 Number of TANF-eligible individuals served
through the Arkansas Works Planning System
 Number of career planning support activities
provided specifically for TANF-eligible
individuals
 Graduation and placement rates of TANF-eligible
individuals

VIRGINIA MODEL –
CAREER PLANNING RESULTS
67% change in students without plans to attend college to
having plans to attend;
 7% increase in statewide community college enrollments
from high schools with a career coach;
 4% increase in statewide community college enrollments
in career and technical education;
 5% increase in student participation in AP, concurrent and
other forms of college credit attained while in high school.

QUESTIONS???
For additional information about Arkansas Works
visit: http://www.arworkscareer.com or
please feel free to contact:
Sonja Wright-McMurray, Associate Director
Arkansas Department of Career Education
sonja.mcmurray@arkansas.gov
501-683-4434