Overview

Creating a Smart Arkansas is what the Arkansas Department of Education is all about. How do we do this? By supporting students, teachers and school administrators through top-notch curriculum development and ongoing, research-based learning opportunities for educators, the state has already witnessed unprecedented gains in educational attainment of students. Proof:

• In 2008, more than 50 percent of Arkansas' public school students at all grade levels scored at grade level or above on the Arkansas Benchmark Exams.
• The achievement gap between majority and minority students narrowed for the second year in a row on the 2008 Arkansas Benchmark Exams.

Specifically, the department's Smart Arkansas initiative encompasses the state's efforts to increase educational attainment in Arkansas through Smart Start, Smart Step, Smart Future and Smart Leadership components.