Education Renewal
Zone
Advisory Board Meeting
October 23, 2012
During today’s meeting, we will:
- Review the mission and goals of the Education
Renewal Zone
- Brainstorm ways the ERZ can partner with schools
- Learn about programs and activities the ERZ is
planning & opportunities for schools to get
involved
- Establish the role of the Advisory
Board and determine dates for future
meetings
“The most effective groups have members
that understand the group belongs to the
members, not the leader.”
- Robert Garmston
Advisory Board Meetings
• Be present (mentally and physically)
• Be respectful with words and actions
• Give yourself permission to enjoy the learning
• Practice polite technology
Background and history
• Established by the state legislature in 2003
• Currently 5 other ERZs in Arkansas:
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Arkansas State University
Henderson State University
Southern Arkansas University
UA Fort Smith
UA Monticello
Background and history
• Northwest ERZ funded on July 1, 2012
• Yearly competitive grant
• Formerly had ERZs at UA
What is an ERZ?
• A multiyear Pre-K through 16 initiative funded by the
state of Arkansas to help improve public school
performance and student academic achievement
• Collaborative effort between Arkansas Department of
Education, institutions of higher education, regional
education service cooperatives, and other technical
assistance provider entities, schools, and
participating communities.
ERZ Concepts
• Collaboration
• Community and parent involvement
• Distance learning
• Faculty sharing
• Mentoring
• Professional development
• Recruitment and retention
• Teacher preparation programs
Mission
• The University of Arkansas, the Northwest
Arkansas Education Services Cooperative, as well
as the partner schools, their students, their parents,
and their communities work together to provide
and implement customized strategies, effective
tools, and authentic partnerships to improve overall
public school performance and student academic
achievement.
Northwest ERZ
Current School District Partners:
• Elkins Public Schools
• Fayetteville Public Schools
• Gentry Public Schools
• Lincoln Public Schools
• Springdale Public Schools
Additional school partners considered as
requests arise.
What is an Advisory Board?
• Comprised of principals and district
administrators from partner schools,
University partners, and community partners
• Provides guidance on overall direction of
the ERZ and offers feedback on specific
initiatives
What is an Advisory Board?
• Offers forum for stakeholders to
communicate opinions, share expertise, and
coordinate services
• Advocates for ERZ locally and state-wide
• Meets quarterly
ERZ Goals
• Goal #1: Ensure that each partner school has a
comprehensive professional development
program
• What is a comprehensive professional development
program?
• Are teachers’ professional growth plans
individually tailored?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #2: Assist partners in developing a P-16
curriculum that is rigorous, intentionally
aligned, and reflects the needs of stakeholders
• Have schools aligned curriculum with Common Core
State Standards?
• What types of assistance would benefit schools
as they implement Common Core?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #3: Develop mentoring programs for
students, pre-service teachers, new teachers, and
experienced teachers
• Do new and experienced teachers have adequate
mentoring opportunities?
• What types of student mentoring programs
are needed?
• Are current mentoring programs for preservice teachers adequate?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #4: Assist schools with strategies to
recruit and retain highly qualified teachers
• What are the needs of schools in recruiting and
retaining highly qualified teachers?
• What are cost-effective ways to retain teachers?
• How can the University partner with
schools to help in this area?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #5: Develop and implement strategies to
encourage parental and community
involvement
• How can the ERZ assist schools in increasing
meaningful parent and community involvement?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #6: Encourage collaboration between the
University of Arkansas, partner schools, NWA
Education Services co-op, and community
organizations
• What opportunities exist that foster collaboration among
the partners listed?
• How can additional collaboration be facilitated
by the ERZ?
Small Group Discussions
Facilitator
Ensure participation of all group members; keep group
on task
Time Keeper
Remind group of time remaining at regular intervals
Recorder
Write down key points on chart paper
Reporter
Synthesize and report key points
ERZ Goals
• Goal #1: Ensure that each partner school has a
comprehensive professional development
program
• What is a comprehensive professional development
program?
• Are teachers’ professional growth plans
individually tailored?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #2: Assist partners in developing a P-16
curriculum that is rigorous, intentionally
aligned, and reflects the needs of stakeholders
• Have schools aligned curriculum with Common Core
State Standards?
• What types of assistance would benefit schools
as they implement Common Core?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #3: Develop mentoring programs for
students, pre-service teachers, new teachers, and
experienced teachers
• Do new and experienced teachers have adequate
mentoring opportunities?
• What types of student mentoring programs
are needed?
• Are current mentoring programs for preservice teachers adequate?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #4: Assist schools with strategies to
recruit and retain highly qualified teachers
• What are the needs of schools in recruiting and
retaining highly qualified teachers?
• What are cost-effective ways to retain teachers?
• How can the University partner with
schools to help in this area?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #5: Develop and implement strategies to
encourage parental and community
involvement
• How can the ERZ assist schools in increasing
meaningful parent and community involvement?
ERZ Goals
• Goal #6: Encourage collaboration between the
University of Arkansas, partner schools, NWA
Education Services co-op, and community
organizations
• What opportunities exist that foster collaboration among
the partners listed?
• How can additional collaboration be facilitated
by the ERZ?
Current ERZ Activities
• Adopt-A-Classroom (Goals 3, 6)
• NWA P-16 Task Force (Goal 2, 6)
• First meeting on November 13th
• Pre-service teacher tutoring (Goals 3, 4, 6)
• Education Renewal Zone: College of
Education and Health Professions
Possible Future ERZ Activities
• Ideas from this and future Advisory Board
meetings
• Middle level training/conference (Goal 1)
• Recruiting and retaining highly qualified
teachers (Goal 4)
• What works?
• Teacher Value Plan
Next ERZ Advisory
Board Meeting
• Date and location
• Future proposed meeting dates:
• December 12, 14, or 18
• February 11, 12, or 26
• April 9, 19, or 26
• Topics to cover
Thank you
for coming!