Tuition Help

Posted on May 24, 2020 Written by

ATU’s offers several forms of tuition help. This webpage describes several types of aid and includes a link to information about various Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) grants. Additional details can be found on the Federal and Private Student Loans page. Both of these pages now include a chatbot for further guidance, or you can contact the Financial Aid Office directly.

In addition, most students in our EDLD program are eligible for the TOP grant. This grant can reimburse teachers and administrators up to $3,000 a year for tuition and fees. Over the years, every student in our program who has applied for this grant has received it. (UPDATE: In April 2025, DESE announced plans to change this grant to “advance pay” rather than “reimbursement.” If that happens in the Fall of 2025 as planned, it means the grant will essentially begin working like a scholarship.)

Finally, the Arkansas Department of Education (DESE) Grant Opportunities webpage lists numerous state grants. These include the STEP grant (up to $4,000 year) and the “Geographical Need” grant ($1,500 year). The site also provides links to numerous external grant opportunities … from AAC to AEA to Walton and Rockefeller grants.

Hopefully the information above will prove helpful as you explore options for helping you finance the degrees/endorsements you need to expand your educational career.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Principals and Absenteeism

Posted on May 12, 2020 Written by

According to a recent study, a principal can have just as much impact on student attendance as he/she does on student achievement — especially in high-poverty schools where unexcused absence rates can be almost twice that of other schools.

While the study itself doesn’t address how to improve absenteeism, there are some good ideas in this article about the study. It’s well worth a quick read.

Bartanen, B. (2020). Principal Quality and Student Attendance. American Educational Research Association. Retrieved from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0013189X19898702

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: , , , , , ,

Online Instruction

Posted on April 28, 2020 Written by

As the COVID 19 shutdown continues for most of the country, here’s some timely information … not only for now, but for future reference as well!

According to a just-released study in the open-access journal Online Learning, the very best online instruction contains five key themes. These insights on effective virtual instruction were gleaned by closely examining commonly-shared techniques from top-rated online instructors.

May these ideas prove helpful as you continue to work with your teachers during these challenging times to provide meaningful instruction through online delivery.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: , , ,

Survival Tips

Posted on April 14, 2020 Written by

According to the Learning Policy Institute (2019), the public school principal turnover rate over the past few years has risen to 18 percent … 21 percent in high-poverty schools!

In this pressure cooker that school administration has become, it’s a good idea to step back for a moment and examine your priorities. Or as my old mentor used to say, “Never let the URGENT crowd out the IMPORTANT!”

Here are some brief tips and strategies from experienced principals across the country that should provide relief and help you make your job more focused and productive. Note: These were compiled by ASCD from comments shared on Twitter.

Reference: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/product-files/NASSP_LPI_Principal_Turnover_Research_Review_REPORT.pdf

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: , , , , , ,