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2026 AAEA Summer Conference
Venue: Salon A (M) clear filter
Tuesday, July 28
 

10:15am CDT

What Do We Mean by “Growth”? Rethinking Progress in the Arkansas VAM Model
LIMITED
Tuesday July 28, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Limited Capacity seats available
In education policy and practice, "growth" is often assumed to mean doing better on a test than last year. But is improvement the same as growth? This session unpacks the critical differences between intuitive notions of student progress—such as higher scores or gains from one year to the next—and how "growth" is formally defined within the Arkansas Department of Education Value-Added Model (VAM).


Participants will explore how the Arkansas VAM conceptualizes growth as a statistical estimate of student performance relative to predicted outcomes, rather than simple score increases. Participants will examine how this distinction affects teacher evaluation, accountability decisions, and classroom practice. Through clear examples and practical scenarios, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how growth models work, what they measure (and what they do not), and why the definition of growth matters for educators, leaders, and policymakers.


This session invites educators to think critically about what it truly means for students and schools to grow.
Speakers
avatar for Hope Worsham

Hope Worsham

Assistant Commissioner of Public School Accountability, Arkansas Department of Education
Hope Worsham serves as the Assistant Commissioner of Public School Accountability at the Arkansas Department of Education, where she leads statewide efforts to support school performance and ensure meaningful use of data in decision-making. With a career spanning multiple leadership... Read More →
Tuesday July 28, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Salon A (M)

11:30am CDT

Strength in Schools. Success in Children.
LIMITED
Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT
Limited Capacity seats available
The Siloam Springs School District has spent the better part of the last two years bringing the vision of neighborhood schools to life in order to impact our student's education experience in a positive way. During this session the SSSD administration will discuss the journey in transitioning to a neighborhood school model and the lessons learned through rethinking grade configurations, curriculum alignment, managing facilities, and more.
Speakers
avatar for Shane Patrick

Shane Patrick

Superintendent, Siloam Springs School District
AC

Amy Carter

Assistant Superintendent, Siloam Springs School District
avatar for Joe McClung

Joe McClung

Assistant Superintendent, Siloam Springs School Distirct
Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT
Salon A (M)

12:20pm CDT

DESE Educator Effectiveness & Licensure Updates
LIMITED
Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:20pm - 1:05pm CDT
Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers
avatar for Brandie Benton

Brandie Benton

Assistant Commissioner of Educator Effectiveness & Licensure, Arkansas Department of Education
Brandie Benton previously served as the deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction at Virtual Arkansas. Before joining the team at Virtual Arkansas, Benton was the associate provost for enrollment services and admissions at Henderson State University from July 2017 to June... Read More →
Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:20pm - 1:05pm CDT
Salon A (M)

2:50pm CDT

Waiting on Info
LIMITED
Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm CDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:50pm - 3:50pm CDT
Salon A (M)
 
Wednesday, July 29
 

8:15am CDT

Systems That Stick: Engineering Sustainable School Improvement
LIMITED
Wednesday July 29, 2026 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Limited Capacity seats available
Dr. Eckard and Mrs. Duke serve in a large junior high school (grades 7-9) in Jonesboro. They will discuss various systems created and utilized within their building to increase teachers' capacity around school improvement efforts. Specifically, they will detail how they built teachers' understanding of new school accountability system while making this system "real" to teachers. They will also discuss how they implemented processes to track and discuss student data, and how that process connected to school improvement goals and ATLAS results.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Adam Eckard

Dr. Adam Eckard

Assistant Principal, Jonesboro Public Schools


avatar for Adriane Duke

Adriane Duke

Instructional Facilitator, Jonesboro School District
Wednesday July 29, 2026 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Salon A (M)

9:30am CDT

Transformational Leadership Playbook: Doing What Works
LIMITED
Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Limited Capacity seats available
This presentation will explore how transformational leadership builds a positive, collaborative school culture through intentional action. We will discuss gathering and responding to authentic feedback from students and staff, motivating and incentivizing student effort, promoting strong team building, and maintaining high leadership visibility. The session will also highlight the importance of data-driven discussions and decision-making to guide improvement efforts. Ultimately, the focus will be on turning feedback and data into meaningful action that strengthens climate, culture, and student success.
Speakers
CB

Charles Blacknall

Principal, Malvern School District
Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Salon A (M)
 
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