1. Network of Supports for At Risk Kids – Closing the Gap Task Force Higher Education Remediation, Retention and Graduation Rates

2. PreK – 12 th Grade How Does Arkansas Rate? Leaders and Laggards: State Report Cards http://www.uschamber.com/icw/reportcard/default

3. US Chamber Rating DAcademic Achievement CAchievement of Low Income & Minority DReturn on Investment BTruth in Advertising - Student Achievement CRigor of Standards

4. US Chamber Rating CPost Secondary and Workforce Readiness A21 st Century Teaching Force CFlexibility in Management and Policy AData Quality

5. Closing the Gap 1.Pre - Kindergarten 2.Response to Intervention (RtI) 3.Drop Out Programs

6. Pre - Kindergarten Schools of the 21 st Century Yale University Model – Dr. Ed Zigler Existed in Arkansas since 1993 Currently over 50 Districts in Network Longitudinal Data since 2003 Half the number of special education placements in K and 1 st Reading grade level increased the past three years Retained half as many students in K and 1 st http://www.yale.edu/21c/arkansas/

7. Pre - Kindergarten Arkansas Better Chance Program NIEER (National Institute for Early Education Research) Report Following Compare Students having been in an ABC Program to those not in the program 31 % gain in vocabulary of children in an ABC Program 37% gain in math skills 116% growth in print awareness http://nieer.org/docs?DocID=158

8. Pre - Kindergarten Early Childhood Education and Economics PreK Now Report $1.00 spent returns $1.58 for the state Direct financial impact to the parents and children involved even greater (http://www.preknow.org/documents/AREconAnalysisReport_Nov2006. pdf).http://www.preknow.org/documents/AREconAnalysisReport_Nov2006. pdf

9. Response to Intervention RtI – National Program Focus – Improving Achievement for ALL Students 54 State Teams – Washington, DC ADE – Now formed C-TAG (Closing the Achievement Gap) Working Group

10. High School Dropouts Education Vital Signs 2007 Report 2004 high school graduate would earn close to $10,000 per year more than drop out 2005 male college graduate median earnings were 63% higher than non college graduates In 1985 that percentage was 37%, in 1975, 19%

11. High School Dropouts ERS 2007 Winter Spectrum Integrating Support Networks –No such thing as a typical drop out –Services to support students must be integrated within the school –These include not only learning opportunities, but human services as well –Peer and adult mentoring found as common thread in successful support network programs

12. Closing the Gap Challenges for Arkansas’ Pre-K through 12 Programs Academic Achievement Return on Investment Rigor Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness