Five Springdale Schools Recognized for Outstanding Education Performance with Over $200,000 Rewarded

Five Springdale schools received seven 2022 Outstanding Education Performance awards totaling $277,950.

The University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy on Nov. 16 announced the 2022 Outstanding Educational Performance award recipients.

The following Springdale Public Schools elementary and middle schools received the noted awards:

Bernice Young Elementary School earned a Top 5% Performance Award of $49,800.
Hellstern Middle School earned a Top 6-10% Performance Award of $37,750.
Hunt Elementary School earned a Top 6-10% Performance Award of $27,500 and a Top 5% Growth and Graduation Rate Award of $55,000.
John Tyson Elementary School earned a Top 6-10% Performance Award of $26,250 and a Top 5% Growth and Graduation Rate Award of $52,500.
Shaw Elementary School earned a Top 6-10% Performance Award of $29,150.

“This is the second year in a row that we have received rewards and recognition for both growth and achievement,” said Shelly R. Poage, John Tyson Elementary School principal. “We are so proud of our students, families, teachers, all support staff, district personnel and community partners that work together to help our students grow and achieve at high levels.”

The received awards will be applied toward helping the school’s staff and students continue their great work, she said. The school will purchase materials and supplies that help the school reach the goal of having all students reading on grade level and in support of science, technology, engineering, arts and math concepts.

“Funds will also be used to support innovative practices to personalize student learning and to support students in having design thinking, student agency, with voice and choice in their school experiences,” Poage said. “We help our students be empowered to own their learning by developing student agency, along with academic and social-emotional skills. We are truly a school family.”

Since 2017, the Office for Education Policy awards have gone to Arkansas schools where students demonstrate the highest levels of academic growth, according to the University of Arkansas website.

"Our awards highlight student academic growth because we know that other indicators of school performance, like achievement, are directly impacted by out-of-school factors like poverty,” said Sarah McKenzie, Office for Education Policy executive director. “High student academic growth, however, occurs in schools that are doing what it takes to get high levels of student learning, regardless of out-of-school factors."

Up to $100 is authorized per student who attends a public school or public charter school in the top 5% of all Arkansas public schools in student performance or student academic growth, which includes high school graduation rates for secondary schools under criteria set forth by rule of the State Board of Education, according to Arkansas Code §6-15-2107.

As much as $50 is awarded per student to public schools or public charter schools in the top 6-10% of all public schools in Arkansas in student performance or student academic growth, which includes high school graduation rates for secondary schools under criteria set forth by rule of the State Board of Education, according to the code.

A total of $6,877,600 was awarded to Arkansas schools, according to the university’s website.

The Office for Education Policy's website has a complete list of elementary, middle and high school awardees. Twenty schools are named in each category.

Tyson Elementary School