Research & Evidence

From Policy to Practice: Early Implementation of Statewide Teacher Residency Requirements in Arkansas

In response to new state requirements for teacher preparation, all educator preparation programs (EPPs) in Arkansas are shifting candidates' clinical preparation to a year-long residency model. Given research from other settings that establishes the benefits of well-implemented teacher residencies, this state-wide change has the potential to produce better-prepared candidates who tend to stay in the teacher workforce longer. The experiences of two early-implementer Arkansas EPPs, who received grant funds to develop and roll out their residency models starting in 2023-24, offer numerous lessons for EPPs and districts in Arkansas that are currently in the earlier stages of implementing a residency program. Additionally, similarly situated personnel in other states can glean highly relevant insights from the experiences of these programs.  In this presentation, the Learning Policy Institute will share findings from case studies of these two early-implementer EPPs, focusing on how these programs have developed residencies to align with state requirements and have exceeded these requirements in ways that reflect the research on high-quality residency preparation.

Session Presenters
Julie Fitz, Senior Researcher at Learning Policy Institute, and Jennifer Robinson, Senior Researcher and Project Director at Learning Policy Institute

Arkansas Ballroom

Residency Foundations

From Syllabus to Site: Planning for Course Alignment and Residency Readiness

This session supports educator preparation programs in intentionally aligning coursework, clinical experiences, and residency expectations so candidates enter yearlong placements prepared to contribute on day one. Participants will examine how program-level planning—rather than isolated course redesign—drives residency readiness and instructional coherence.



Session Presenter

Khiandra Woods, US PREP Transformation Specialist, UAPB School of Education, Kimberley Davis-Hunt, Dean of the School of Education at UAPB, William Torrence, Associate Professor and Catricia Carter, Site Coordinator

Manning

Scaling & Sustaining

Scaling with Quality & Monitoring Fidelity in Yearlong Residency Programs

This session explores how to scale yearlong residency programs while maintaining the integrity of US PREP’s core design features. Participants will examine how strong partnership structures, clear expectations, and aligned data systems support quality and fidelity across sites. Using practical tools and collaborative discussion, we will identify common implementation challenges and develop strategies to ensure consistency without sacrificing local context. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to monitor fidelity in supportive and sustainable ways, strengthening the residency experience for all stakeholders.

Session Materials

Session Presenter
Jenn Perez, Jessica Pussman, US PREP Transformation Specialists and Laura Craig, College of Education Partnership Coordinator at SDSU

Chicot

Leadership

Leadership Consultancy - Solving Problems of Practice Together

In this highly interactive session, leaders engage in a structured consultancy protocol to surface a real challenge from their context. With peers acting as thought partners, each presenter receives targeted feedback, new perspectives, and actionable next steps. This session deepens cross-institutional support networks and models a process that leaders can replicate with their own teams.

Session Materials

Session Presenter

Sarah Beal, US PREP Executive Director

Grand Ballroom

Scaling & Sustaining

Practical Tools to Unpack

High-Quality Instructional

Materials

Effective mentoring is a powerful lever for strengthening instruction and retaining new and novice teachers—but mentors need the right tools to do this work well. In this interactive session, participants will explore key resources, engage with practical tools, and participate in discussions to support across a variety of educator preparation and induction contexts.

Session Materials

Session Presenter
Sarah Saltmarsh, Max Chang and Lauren Gray, US PREP Transformation Specialists

Hoffman

Scaling & Sustaining

Data Review for Continuous Improvement: Moving Beyond Compliance

This session explores how Education Preparation Programs can use data review processes as tools for continuous improvement rather than compliance-driven reporting. Presenters share practical and collaborative strategies for analyzing   candidate and clinical data to inform decision-making, strengthen partnerships, and drive meaningful program change.

Session Presenter

Rachel Eels and Laura Langley, UALR School of Education

Grampas

Scaling & Sustaining

Grow Your Own: Building Enrollment Through Sustainable Partnership Pathways

As enrollment challenges and teacher shortages persist, educator preparation programs, community colleges, and school districts are seeking innovative Grow Your Own (GYO) solutions to elevate teacher preparation and strengthen the workforce. In this session, we will reimagine what’s possible and share ways in which districts, educator preparation programs and community colleges have collaborated through Partnership Pathways to build pathways to teaching that are clear, accessible and effective. We will gain a deeper understanding of how aligned partnerships can increase enrollment, strengthen teacher preparation quality, impact teacher retention and sustain GYO initiatives over time.

Session Materials

Session Presenters
Khiandra Woods and Laura Brulé Bradford, US PREP Transformation Specialists

Ouchita

Research & Evidence

Automating & Visualizing
Your Performance
Data

Are you overwhelmed with the amount of data you are collecting each semester and not quite sure what to do with it? This session can help. We’ll look at practical ways to centralize your information, streamline repetitive tasks with simple automations, and build clear, useful visuals that highlight program performance. You’ll also see demonstrations of common use cases across different tools and leave with adaptable strategies you can use in any EPP, no matter what platforms you prefer.

Session Materials

Session Presenter

Lynze Greathouse, Assistant Professor, MAT Director at SAU

Neosho