Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 5.03 Education
Presentation #1 Title
Keeping Appalachia in Mind: Building State Education Agency Capacity in the Region
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This paper will discuss how the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center (ARCC) seeks to engage regional strengths while addressing some of the area’s most intransigent education challenges. The ARCC, which serves Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, is one of 15 regional centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help state education agencies (SEAs) acquire the capacity to achieve key goals. SEAs sit at the hub of education efforts across the nation, responsible for implementing federal and state education policies while also helping their districts and schools accomplish goals—all while facing declining public investments in public. Unsurprisingly, many struggle to build and sustain the material, human, organizational, and structural capacities necessary to support new policy adoptions. The region offers a number of interesting challenges and opportunities. On one hand, the area confronts a legacy of geographic isolation, resource extraction, underdevelopment, and increasing diversity, with a range of rural places (e.g., much of West Virginia), struggling cities (e.g., Memphis), and thriving communities (e.g., Northern Virginia). On the other hand—and counter to prevailing stereotypes about the region—the Appalachian states have led some of the most promising and forward-thinking education initiatives in the nation, including funding equity efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia, value-added systems in Tennessee, and a statewide commitment to use of early warning data to identify and support at-risk students in Virginia. Contrasts such as these inform the ARCC approach to technical assistance, which emphasizes capacity building rather than technology transfer.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Caitlin Howley is the Associate Director of the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center (ARCC), and conducts evaluation of K-12 and postsecondary programs for at-risk students across the region.
Keeping Appalachia in Mind: Building State Education Agency Capacity in the Region
Smith Music Hall 112
This paper will discuss how the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center (ARCC) seeks to engage regional strengths while addressing some of the area’s most intransigent education challenges. The ARCC, which serves Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, is one of 15 regional centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help state education agencies (SEAs) acquire the capacity to achieve key goals. SEAs sit at the hub of education efforts across the nation, responsible for implementing federal and state education policies while also helping their districts and schools accomplish goals—all while facing declining public investments in public. Unsurprisingly, many struggle to build and sustain the material, human, organizational, and structural capacities necessary to support new policy adoptions. The region offers a number of interesting challenges and opportunities. On one hand, the area confronts a legacy of geographic isolation, resource extraction, underdevelopment, and increasing diversity, with a range of rural places (e.g., much of West Virginia), struggling cities (e.g., Memphis), and thriving communities (e.g., Northern Virginia). On the other hand—and counter to prevailing stereotypes about the region—the Appalachian states have led some of the most promising and forward-thinking education initiatives in the nation, including funding equity efforts in Kentucky and West Virginia, value-added systems in Tennessee, and a statewide commitment to use of early warning data to identify and support at-risk students in Virginia. Contrasts such as these inform the ARCC approach to technical assistance, which emphasizes capacity building rather than technology transfer.
