School Support and Programs

Arkansas Commission on Closing the Achievement Gap

The philosophy of the Commission on Closing the Achievement Gap is to ensure that all children have an opportunity for an education that will focus on equity as a means to achieve a closure in scores between and among diverse learning communities of students.

The Commission will focus on initiatives to ensure that the production of Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT) will be one of the means for closing the achievement gap. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) will be a means for assessing gap closure. Building capacity for parents to become connected and more involved in the education of their children is yet another means for closing the gap. There are other gap closing initiatives that may be recommended as achievement closure strategies.

Next Regular Meeting

1 p.m. May 17, 2012
Commissioner's conference Room, Arch Ford Building
Four Capitol Mall
Little Rock

Resources

Upcoming Event

May 10-11, 2012
Bridging the Gap Symposium
Blytheville High School
Blytheville, AR
Flier | Agenda | Register

Members

Photo of Dr. Dawn Tirado Simpson
Dr. Dawn Tirado Simpson, Chair
P.O. Box 1358, 105 Reserve
Hot Springs, AR 71902-1358
(501) 701-6274 (office phone); 501/246-1331 (work cell)
Director of Vocational Training, Arkansas Career Training Institute (ACTI), Hot Springs Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, Division of the Arkansas Department of Career Education
dawn.simpson@arkansas.gov
dsimpson38@yahoo.com
Reappointed by Governor Mike Beebe 2/27/09; Term Expiration: 3/15, 2013

Photo of Dr. Jesse Hargrove
Dr. Jesse Hargrove
P.O. Box 30674
Little Rock, Arkansas 72260
(501) 370-5286; 562-4218 (h)
Chair, Division of Education, Philander Smith College
jhargrove@philander.edu
Reappointed by Governor Mike Beebe 2/27/09; Term Expiration: 3/15, 2013

Photo of Gus Williamson
Mr. Gus Williamson
1920 Maple Street
Batesville, AR 72501
870/698-9428
Title I Tutor, Batesville School District
mrguswilliamson@gmail.com
Term Expiration: (President Pro Tempore of the Senate; Appointed: 12/15/08)

Photo of Dr. Eddie McCoy
Dr. Eddie McCoy
2417 Marshall Street
Little Rock, AR 72206
501/375-8793 (h); 501/650-5263 (c)
ebmccoy@att.net
Term Expiration: (President Pro Tempore of the Senate; Appointed: 12/15/08)

Photo of Elfreda Boyd
Mrs. Elfreda Boyd
4101 Olive Street
Pine Bluff, AR 71603
870/543-4284 (w); 870/541-0647 (h)
Counselor; Building Test Coordinator, Pine Bluff School District
elfreda.boyd@pbsd.k12.ar.us
Expiration of Term: 2011 (Four-year term by Speaker Petrus; Appointed 1/16/08)

Photo of Jon Fulkerson
Jonathan Fulkerson
1910 North 18th Street
Paragould, AR 72450
870/762-0127 (w); 870/215-6572 (res.)
jfulkerson@bps.k12.ar.us
Expiration of Term: 3/15, 2013; Appointed by Governor Mike Beebe 2/27/09

Dr. Vera Lang Brown
1521 West 17th Street
Pine Bluff, AR 71603
870-575-8275 (O) 870-850-0773 (H)
langbrownv@uapb.edu
Expiration of Term: January 3, 2016; Appointed by Paul Bookout, President Pro Tempore

Mr. Shane Broadway, Director
Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol
Little Rock, AR
(501) 371-2030
jpurcell@adhe.arknet.edu
Ex Officio

Mr. Brooks Harrington, Associate Director
Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol
Little Rock, AR
371-2023
karenw@adhe.edu
[Ex Officio Designee for Shane Broadway]

Dr. Tom Kimbrell
Dr. Tom Kimbrell, Commissioner of Education
Arkansas Department of Education
#4 State Capitol Mall
Little Rock, AR 72201
Tom.Kimbrell@arkansas.gov
Ex Officio

Ms. Susan Harriman, Director of Policy
Arkansas Department of Education
#4 State Capitol Mall
Little Rock, AR 72201
Susan.Harriman@arkansas.gov
[Ex Officio Designee for Tom Kimbrell]