Josh McGee, associate director of the Office of Education Policy, and Sarah McKenzie, executive director.
The Walton Family Foundation has awarded new grants to the following organizations: College of Education and Health ProfessionsThe Office of Educational Policy will strengthen research on early childhood education in Arkansas.
New three-year grants totaling more than $400,000 will help the Office of Educational Policy improve early childhood education by supporting data collection and research in four key areas: finance, workforce, quality measurement, and program and policy evaluation. You will be able to expand your education business.
The office already has several projects underway that will take advantage of this new funding. These include assessing early childhood income and expenditures, developing early childhood awards and recognition, and partnering with groups such as the Early Care and Education Project to evaluate the outcomes of early childhood policies and programs. .
“High-quality early childhood education is a strong starting point for the learning experience for students in kindergarten through high school,” said OEP Executive Director Sarah McKenzie. “With a thorough understanding of early childhood education in Arkansas, we can create a roadmap for future policies and promote student success.”
In collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Education, the department’s data efforts will improve the quantity and quality of data collected about the early childhood education ecosystem and create links to the state’s K-12 data. is focused on. The overall goal is to move the state of Arkansas “toward a best-in-class data system that can be seamlessly leveraged to provide actionable insights.”
Founded in 2003, the Office of Educational Policy is the research arm of the Education Reform Division in the College of Education and Health Professions and has served as a vital resource for state education officials for more than 20 years. This office bridges the gap between research and practice using data and evidence to improve K-12 education in Arkansas.
The Office of Education Policy is led by MacKenzie and Deputy Director Josh McGee. MacKenzie and McGee are professors in the Office of Education Reform, specializing in education policy and research at the state and national level.
Mackenzie holds a Ph.D. He holds a degree in Educational Statistics and Research Methods, has served as a subject matter expert for the U.S. Department of Education, and is a certified teacher with experience teaching students from preschool through the college level.
Maggie holds a Ph.D. He is in economics. He previously served as Chief Data Officer for the State of Arkansas and has extensive experience in leadership roles in education, government, nonprofits, and philanthropy. In August 2024, she will become the Endowed Chair of Education Accountability and Transparency in the Department of Education Reform.
Please visit the Education Policy Office Website Learn more about education research projects, datasets, and more.
