PRIORITIES

Educational Equity

EDUCATIONAL EQUITY will exist when all Arkansans can attain the skills and education needed to support their families and communities, especially those striving to move out of poverty. 

Excel by Eight

Educational and health equity are the priorities of Excel by Eight, a campaign to build a reliable resource grid to ensure all Arkansas families and communities have what they need to thrive. 

ForwARd Arkansas

 Through strategic partnerships and networks, ForwARd Arkansas works to dismantle and reconfigure the education system to provide an excellent, equitable education for all Arkansas students.

Woman sharing in a group meeting

Teacher Preparation & Pipeline

Strengthening the teacher pipeline is essential  to achieving equity for all children in Arkansas. WRF  seeks to support innovative approaches to prepare students for careers in the field of teaching.

INVESTMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Research shows that investments in children’s earliest years help prepare them for success in school, work, and life. In Arkansas, 12% of births are premature and only 10% of infants and toddlers have access to high-quality child care.


We will achieve equity when Arkansas has the policies, practices and opportunities in place to give our children the best possible start in life.


Read about WRF’s Impact, Influence and Leverage on Early Childhood Education

ACCESS TO HIGH-IMPACT TEACHING

We all know the difference a high-impact teacher can make in the lives of kids. Yet Arkansas schools, particularly in southern Arkansas and the Delta region, face a significant shortage of teachers, and COVID-19 has further widened the gap.


We will achieve equity when we can recruit diverse talent with higher compensation and supply them with the academic credentials and support they need to create high-impact classrooms for every student. 

Read “Missing Out: Arkansas’ Teacher Shortage and How to Fix It”