The Administrator Newsletter - December 2025/January 2026

VOLUME 51 • ISSUE 6 DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026

THE

ADMINISTRATOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS CULTURE IS THE CURRICULUM: LEADING WITH VISION IN THE NEW YEAR Dr. Megan Duncan encourages reflection as we enter a new year.

Executive Viewpoint

Page 3

PAYING BILLS RIGHT MAKES THE SEASON BRIGHT

Executive Viewpoint • P. 3

Charles Warren engages in some accounting talk.

Instructional Insights • P. 4

President’s Perspective

Page 5

Asked & Answered • P. 4

President’s Perspective • P. 5 Administrator Spotlight • P. 7 Upcoming Events • P. 9

ADMINISTRATOR SPOTLIGHT: BETSY LAUGHTER In the Spotlight this month is Betsy Laughter, Principal at Marion Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School in the Marion School District.

Page 7

Arkansas Advantage • P. 11 Salary Survey • P. 13 Awards • P. 15 Publication Sneak Peek • P. 17 Job Openings • P. 20 CoSN • P. 20

AAEA Staff

2026 Calendar of Events

Dr. Megan Duncan Executive Director m.duncan@theaaea.org

January

Dr. Karla Neathery Assistant Executive Director k.neathery@theaaea.org Sarah Jerry K-12 Elevate Portal Supervisor s.jerry@theaaea.org Sharon Chuculate Fiscal Services Coordinator s.chuculate@theaaea.org

Certified Facilities Director Classes, January 27, 2026 Southeast AR ESC, Monticello

February

AASBO Conference, February 11-12, 2026 Hot Springs Convention Center TEL-AR Conference, February 18-19, 2026 Wyndham Riverfront Hotel, North Little Rock Human Capital Leader Certification: Human Capital 101, February 23, 2026 Little Rock School District

Sarah Shamburger Business Manager s.shamburger@theaaea.org

ArkASPA Spring Conference, February 24, 2026 Wyndham Riverfront Hotel, North Little Rock

Alyse Mattox Communications & Technology Specialist a.mattox@theaaea.org

AACIA Conference, March 3, 2026 Benton Event Center

Melanie Thrasher Business Analyst m.thrasher@theaaea.org

Women in Leadership Conference, April 15-16, 2026 Robinson Center, Little Rock

March April

CASBO Classes, April 22-23, 2026 UCA Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center

Lana Webb Membership & Certification Coordinator l.webb@theaaea.org

AACTEA/ACTE Region IV Joint Conference, April 29-May 1, 2026 Embassy Suites, Rogers

Molly Franxman Administrative Assistant m.franxman@theaaea.org

June

Mike Mertens Consultant m.mertens@theaaea.org Lenett Thrasher Consultant l.thrasher@theaaea.org 1

AASA Superintendent Symposium, January 21-22, 2026 DoubleTree Hotel, Little Rock

AAFC Spring Conference, April 29-May 1, 2026 Hot Springs Convention Center

AASEA Conference, June 9-10, 2026 Benton Event Center

July

AAEA Summer Conference, July 27-29, 2026 Statehouse Convention Center/Marriott Hotel

For more information, visit theaaea.org/events.

2025-2026 AAEA Board of Directors Charles Warren AAEA President Chief Financial Officer, Fort Smith

Dr. Jason Reeves AAEA President-Elect and AASSP Past President Superintendent, Mountainburg

Dr. Jared Cleveland AAEA Secretary Superintendent, Springdale

Stacy DeFoor AAEA Past President Assistant Superintendent, Sheridan

Dr. Debbie Bruick-Jones AASA President Superintendent, Bentonville

Dr. Jeremy Owoh AASA President-Elect Superintendent, Jacksonville/ North Pulaski

Dr. Karen Walters AASA Secretary Superintendent, Bryant

Betsy Laughter AAESP President Principal, Marion

Shavon Jackson AAESP President-Elect Principal, Russellville

Steven Helmick AAESP Past President Principal, Little Rock

Jason Selig AASSP President Director of Instruction, Lake Hamilton

Charles Nelson AASSP President-Elect Principal, Greene County Tech

Melissa Powell ArkASPA President Assistant Superintendent & Director of HR, El Dorado

Shantele Raper AACTEA President Assistant Superintendent, Rivercrest

Lea Metcalf-McDonald AAFC President Executive Director of Curriculum, Texarkana

Pam McCammon AASBO President Business Manager, Greenbrier

Justin Robertson AASBO Past President Chief Financial Officer, Russellville

Domonique Alexander AASEA President Special Education Supervisor, Fort Smith

Dr. Kelli Martin AACIA President Deputy Superintendent, Greenbrier

Valerie King AAGEA President Director of Gifted Programs, Siloam Springs

Molly Davis AAMLA President Principal, Rogers

Randall Bolinger ASPMA President (until Oct) Maintenance/Facilities Supervisor, Siloam Springs

Raymond Reynolds ASPMA President (begin Oct) Maintenance/Facilities Supervisor, Searcy

B.J. Burgess TEL-AR President Director of Technology, Greenbrier

Dr. Megan Duncan AAEA Executive Director

2025 AAEA Corporate Sponsors Presidential

American Fidelity Assurance Co. Bailey Education Group Curriculum Associates Educational Benefits Lifetouch National School Studios NIET - National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Solution Tree

Prestigious

Cognia Renaissance Learning Stephens

Distinguished

Apptegy Arkansas Army National Guard Capturing Kids’ Hearts Coryell Roofing and Construction Lexia Learning The Kirkland Group

Diamond

Amazon Business Baldwin & Shell Conscious Discipline First Security Beardsley Imagine Learning Modern Classrooms Project OnToCollege Phoenix Contractors

Platinum

AAMSCO Architecture Plus Arkansas Public Safety Solutions C.R. Crawford Construction Energy Systems Group ESS Hight Jackson Associates PA HMH | NWEA Just Right Reader Legacy Construction Management Nabholz | Entegrity Energy Partners Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects Powers of Arkansas Progressive Technologies Pro Service Builders Reach University TRANE

Gold

CDI Contractors Cromwell Architects Engineers Cynergy Rehab Group Goalbook IXL Learning Kinco Constructors Middleton Heat and Air Paragon Architecture Red Comet TIPS The Interlocal Purchasing System White River Services and Solutions WIlson Language Training

Silver

American Bus Sales Correll French Architects, PA K12 Tutoring My Benefits Channel SEAS SmartData All-In-One Strategos Group

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Executive Viewpoint Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director

CULTURE IS THE CURRICULUM: LEADING WITH VISION IN THE NEW YEAR

There’s something about turning the page to a new year that invites reflection. Whether you’re a superintendent reviewing district goals, a principal walking the halls with fresh eyes, or a central office leader checking on children. December offers a natural reset to chart a new direction. It is a chance to take a moment to reflect on the work we have accomplished with our children in our first semester. It also provides a mirror to ask ourselves, what kind of culture am I creating for educators and children to thrive?

You bring the weather wherever you are. Culture is everything and the weather or energy you bring into an environment will completely set the tone for any interaction. If it feels stormy where you are, we should reflect and ask, am I the one bringing this stormy weather? Are you bringing that emotion into the space with you?

Growing up, it was instilled in me that my attitude impacts my altitude. It is not an idealistic approach, it is a choice. My Dad had two favorite sayings, one being, "happiness lies between the ears." The second was, if I told him I was bored, he would respond, “Nothing is boring honey, there are only boring people.”

Are you planning on having a good day? If you are then you likely will. What type of weather will you provide to others with whom you interact?

How would you like those in the room to remember you? Emit that weather and watch the culture change. Those who are not seeking that experience will seek out the weather they crave, like follows like.

Culture is the experience, how will you brand your experience for 2026? Not the kind that lives in a branding slogan or on a poster in the hallway. Your personal brand is the kind you feel the moment you walk through the front doors of your building. It’s the look exchanged between an educator and child who feel mutual respect. It’s the staff meeting where people come with a positive attitude ready to seek solutions as a team. The places in schools where laughter and learning coexist. And it’s the subtle and powerful belief that everyone has something meaningful to share to impact the greater good for our children.

As we begin this new year, watch the weather…your weather. I challenge each of us to reflect on the culture we are creating through interactions. Not a paper survey, but with a gut check, would you want to be impacted by the weather you are creating? Our culture is our curriculum and it starts with each of us.

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Asked & Answered Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Assistant Executive Director Will our district still get the Literacy Tutoring Grants for eligible students like we did last year?

Yes. The Literacy Tutoring grant amount has increased from $500 to $1500 per eligible student per year, prioritizing students at risk for retention in grade three according to Act 195 of 2025. The Arkansas Literacy Tutoring Grant Program offers families the opportunity to access high quality literacy tutors at no cost for their child. Districts are required to notify families when their student is eligible for the Literacy Tutoring Grant Program. The Arkansas Department of Education will inform superintendents of eligible students in two stages for the $1,500 Literacy Tutoring Grant. For additional information see Commissioner’s Memo LS-26-027.

If you have questions for Dr. Neathery, email her at k.neathery@theaaea.org.

Instructional Insights Q&A: How Arkansas’s Educator Professional Designations Elevate Building Leaders Submitted by the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching The Lead Professional Educator designation is elevating the teaching profession in Arkansas, including the practices of building leaders. At Springdale Public Schools’ Southwest Junior High, Assistant Principal and National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) Fellow Emma Clay has seen firsthand how NIET’s Lead Pathways Designation elevated her work as she entered her new role of Assistant Principal. “Every part of it I could immediately use,” she said. “It made me feel more confident and grounded with a structure to know I was on the right track.” She recently reflected on her experience in a Q&A: Q: How did you first hear about the NIET Lead Pathways Designation, and what made you want to join? I heard about the lead teacher program from my principal. Our district had received a flyer, and he sent it to our leadership team, asking who might be the best candidate. I mentioned a couple of names and then said, “You know what, I would also really like to do that,” because it was hitting on all the things I was trying to do.

Q: What was the experience like? We learned about instructional coaching and how to build capacity within teachers in our building. Since I didn’t have my own classroom, I adopted an eighth-grade English class and practiced strategies like success criteria, proficiency scales, and unpacking standards. Every part of it I could immediately use.

Q: Why is teacher leadership important? Without teacher leadership, we can’t make the progress we need to make. Coaches and administrators can only go so far. Teacher leaders are the ones in the classroom with that direct link to students. If we build capacity through teacher leaders, it strengthens us as a whole and makes improvement more sustainable in the long run.

More than 800 teachers have achieved the Lead Professional Educator Designation through training and support from the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET), a nationally recognized expert in educator leadership and instructional excellence. Interested in learning more information on how to identify and support educators to earn the lead teacher designation? Contact NIET’s Executive-in-Residence Karli Saracini at ksaracini@niet.org or Central Region Director Amy Gayle at agayle@niet.org.

4

President’s Perspective Charles Warren, AAEA Board President

PAYING BILLS RIGHT MAKES THE SEASON BRIGHT The extra work done around the winter holidays is another reminder of the similarities of workloads for an educator and a School Business Official (SBO). Hopefully, a teacher can relax after grading papers and posting grades during the winter break. An SBO may have to run calendar year-end reports and set up W-2s and 1099s to print before they can enjoy the same holiday break.

It was Christmas Eve of 1984 when I first realized what a burden it was to hold a real job. I had only known the last weeks of December and the first week of January to be family time. I was with my parents, both educators, all day long during these weeks growing up. Now, I was a stocker at the local grocery store. I was working the 7 to 4 shift on December 24th when the store manager told me to stay late to mark down the Christmas candy to get the candy out the door. I didn’t mind the overtime pay, but I was exhausted when I returned home at 8:00pm that evening. If I was going to work in the business world, my understanding of how I spent the Christmas/New Year’s Day holiday season needed a serious reality check.

While I was working as an employee at the grocery store, I also worked for my cousin collecting late fees at his VHS rental store. This is when I learned the difference between an employee and an independent contractor (IC). I got a Form W-2 as an employee of the grocery store, but I got a Form 1099 from my cousin collecting late fees. I was an IC because I worked whenever I had time to track them down.

I later learned that the Form 1099 is the IRS reporting form for paying a vendor (that is not a corporation) more than $600 in a calendar year. It doesn’t matter when your fiscal year might be, this is a calendar year reporting requirement. Differentiating an employee (getting an annual Form W-2) from a vendor (getting that annual Form 1099) is an important responsibility of the SBO. There is a whole industry dedicated to training business offices how to distinguish an IC from an employee.

There’s a whole volume of tax court cases testing the same issue. It’s more expensive for an organization to pay an employee than an IC. Additionally, a person gets more money – initially – as an IC than as employee. This feels like a win-win situation for the organization and the IC, but it creates a lot of pressure to call a person an IC even if the circumstances don’t support it. A good SBO stands firm and follows the facts and the law even if it “costs more” to the school district.

When I became an SBO, I discovered that all the school districts share the same accounting software. It’s owned by PowerSchool, but I’ve been around long enough to have heard it called eFinance or Pentamation. It might also be referred to as the Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN). I’ll call it PowerSchool for now. Regardless of the software’s name, paying vendors, in all their forms, keep our districts operational.

At Fort Smith Public Schools, vendors are paid by Jan Moir, our Accounts Payable Coordinator. She’s been working at the district for – get this - over 50 years. Vendors can be paid by check or a direct deposit or a virtual credit card or a corporate credit card. She prefers to pay with a credit card, and she works hard to capture every credit card rebate we can earn. She doesn’t just run accounts payable; she owns it.

I think she’s a good representative for all the great people processing requisitions, purchase orders, and invoices for Arkansas schools. They move a lot of money – from paying a large textbook contract to a small utility bill. Please take a moment to thank them – some of them literally keep the lights on.

All Arkansas school districts use PowerSchool to pay bills, but we must all create our own set of internal controls. “Internal controls” is a pesky little phrase that means there are rules to paying a vendor or an continued 5

employee. These rules are meant to protect us from fraud or abuse, but honestly, sometimes they are annoying. Transaction review takes time – especially the ones that required your actual signature.

Stacy Hopkins has taught classes to SBOs about internal controls, so she has some bona fides. She’s the Chief Financial Officer at Springdale School District. She’s also been an SBO at Pangburn School District.

She’s on the board of AASBO and she’s also on the board of the Southeastern Association of School Business Officials (SASBO). SASBO is an organization of SBOs from twelve states in the southeast. In fact, she’s on the officer rotation to be President of both AASBO and SASBO in a couple of years. Like me, she’s a recovering CPA. When I reached out to Stacy, she talked about the importance of a principal’s role in good internal controls. The principal is the school’s CEO and authorizes most of the building-level transactions. She calls the principal the first line of defense for financial integrity.

She spoke many times about “segregation of duties.” It’s a term familiar to SBOs but maybe not so much with administrators. It means that more than one person should be involved in paying a vendor or processing payroll. Stacy pointed out that it’s a more difficult obstacle at small school districts like Pangburn, but it is still important.

Yes, it’s important, but it’s also annoying. It’s so much easier for one person to open the mail, collect the invoice, key the invoice into PowerSchool, write the check to the vendor, mail the check, and then verify the check cleared on the next bank statement. The problem is that if one person could do that, they could write tons of checks to themselves.

In fact, that’s why good internal controls include employees taking vacation and another employee crosstraining to do the job while they are gone. As a CPA, I can’t tell you how many times we caught an employee stealing money because we uncovered the fraud while they were on vacation. I know you trust your team, but cross-train everyone and make them all take vacations.

Stacy also highlighted the rule changes regarding disclosures of potential conflicts of interest. I use the term “ethics disclosures” even though that can get confused with a teacher’s “code of ethics.” These ethics disclosures require school boards to review district transactions with companies owned by a district employee or member of the employee’s household.

This year, Arkansas legislators expanded the list of school district employees that must disclose the conflict of interest of family members to now include principals and assistant principals. That means if you’ve got an assistant principal and their father-in-law owns a construction company, your district must disclose this potential conflict of interest and get school board approval (and DESE approval if the transaction is $10,000 or more).

Stacy revealed this can be an arduous task for both small and large districts. At Pangburn, like many small towns, most local vendors are related to a school administrator. That means a lot of disclosures. At Springdale, like many large cities, there are many administrators on staff, so the likelihood of a potential conflict of interest goes up. This also means a lot of disclosures.

That’s enough nerdy accounting talk. I hope everyone enjoys the well-deserved break this Christmas season. Enjoy your time with family and friends – especially around mealtime. Get your shopping done early. I assure you that I won’t be in a grocery store on Christmas Eve – the scars are still too fresh.

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Administrator Spotlight:

Betsy Laughter

Principal, Marion Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School Betsy Laughter, Principal at Marion Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School in the Marion School District, says that education was not on her radar as a career until her junior year of college. "Initially my degree was going to be in English, with hopes of going on to law school," she states. "After several years of working in that setting, I realized that I really wanted to help kids before the court system became involved." After graduating from Arkansas State University in 2005 with a BSE in English, she was offered a position at Marion Junior High teaching 8th and 9th grade ELA. "I wasn’t sure if teaching was for me, but after teaching one year, I was hooked," she says. She went back to school for an MSE in Reading, graduating in 2012, and took a position at Marion Elementary as the Library Media Specialist, earning a MS in Library Media Science in 2014. In 2015, she returned to the junior high school to teach 9th grade ELA, while also completing her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership. In 2016, she transitioned to serving as assistant principal at Marion Intermediate School. "When our district restructured in 2018, I moved to Marion Visual and Performing Arts Magnet as an assistant principal. I have had the honor and privilege of serving as the principal of VPA since 2020."

Betsy says her favorite thing about her job is being in a position to help kids. "Whether it is directly or indirectly, I get to witness firsthand the impact that a positive learning environment and positive academic experience can have on a student and our community. Being in a PK-6 school, I get the opportunity to build relationships with students for up to 8 years. Getting to know students and their families over the years has become one of the most meaningful parts of my job." Over her career, Betsy has seen education move from being more compliance-driven to a holistic approach that balances academic rigor, equity, mental health, technology, and community. She finds that the most challenging part of her job is balancing instructional leadership, management, and staff and student needs. "I strive to make sure that I am constantly prioritizing appropriately, communicating clearly, and leading with vision and flexibility. The challenge lies in meeting high expectations while fostering a positive culture where staff feel supported and students can thrive."

One approach that has helped her is in an openness to trying new things and accepting that they may not always succeed. "Growth comes through the risks we take, not just the success we achieve," she says. "This perspective has shaped the way I lead - building a culture that encourages exploring, reflecting, and refining." Betsy believes that school leadership is paramount to a successful school, and says those interested in pursuing the career "must be willing to carry the weight of shaping instruction while simultaneously shaping the culture of the entire school community. You’ll probably work harder than you ever expected, but it will be some of the most meaningful work you’ll ever do. With the right mindset and approach, you’ll find that the challenges are outweighed by the joy of making a difference every single day."

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!

Q&A ?

with Betsy Laughter

What might other administrators be surprised to know about you?

Other administrators might be surprised to know that, while I take instructional leadership and accountability very seriously, I also love a good prank. I’ve found that laughter and playfulness can be powerful tools for building relationships and keeping school culture light, even when the work feels heavy. It reminds everyone that joy belongs in our schools, too.

What do you enjoy doing during your time off?

We are currently in a season of competitive sports and kid’s activities. You can usually find me at a baseball park, a volleyball court, a cheer competition, or volunteering at church. If we have a weekend off, we love spending time together. You won’t find a family more competitive at card games or board games!

What do you feel is your greatest professional accomplishment?

Helping my staff receive the designation of “Promising Practices” from Solution Tree. They have worked so hard, and I know that their hard work will result in continued positive growth for students.

What is one of the things on your “Bucket List?”

In this season of life the only things on my bucket list are watching my kids grow and thrive, and watching my school live out our mission of “Learning. Growing. Achieving. Setting the Stage For Success!” I want to see every kid and staff member experience success!

If you weren’t in your current position, what would you be doing?

If I weren’t a principal, I would be teaching. If education weren’t an option, I’m a licensed real estate agent and would dedicate my time to coaching others through the home buying and selling process.

What do you see as the biggest benefit of AAEA membership?

The biggest benefit to AAEA membership is networking and having the opportunity to build relationships with people across the state who are in the trenches. Since becoming actively involved in AAEA and AAESP, I have learned so much. I’ve gotten to see innovative ways other schools are solving problems, and I’ve had incredibly talented thought partners for any challenge I’ve faced. The benefits of membership far exceed the cost.

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UPCOMING EVENTS | JAN/FEB

Superintendents!

Register Now! School Business Officials!

Register Now! 9

Register Now! Personnel Administrators!

UPCOMING EVENTS | FEB

Technology Education Leaders!

Register Now! 10

Hope Public Schools: Building Systems for Continuous Growth Leading with Purpose Hope Public Schools is a district focused on progress through intentional systems, collaboration, and a shared belief that every student can achieve success beyond high school. With the leadership of Superintendent, Dr. Jonathan Crossley, Hope educators and administrators are working together to strengthen instructional practices, develop staff capacity, and create pathways that prepare students for life after graduation. School Board Secretary, Bill Hoglund, summarizes this vision well, “If we can provide an exceptional education, all students can live extraordinary lives.” That conviction drives the district’s daily work, from pre-K classrooms to collegiate-level courses, and fuels a culture where continuous improvement is both an expectation and a shared responsibility.

Creating Opportunities through Innovation Hope Public Schools is among only a few districts in Arkansas to be awarded the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant. The district received the grant in 2022, providing five years of federal funding to expand innovative learning opportunities across all campuses. The program, led by Dr. Carol Ann Duke, Director of Magnet Programs, has given each campus a distinct theme that connects student learning to real-world exploration, emphasizing literacy, STEAM, and public service. The magnet grant has expanded opportunities for both students and staff, supporting professional learning, parent engagement, and enrichment experiences that deepen classroom instruction. As Maurice Henry, Director of Maintenance and Transportation, shared, “The programs we offer our students are unbelievable. Kids are showing results.”

Foundations for Lifelong Learning Early learning is a central focus in Hope educator’s approach to growth. At Clinton Primary School, Principal Ashlea Stewart and Lyndsi Easterling, Director of Hope Pre-K, have established an aligned system from prekindergarten through fourth grade that emphasizes literacy, relationships, and readiness. Programs like Pre-K Rise and the Dolly Parton Birth-to-Five Literacy Initiative encourage hands-on parent partnerships where families learn alongside their children, building reading routines, strengthening vocabulary, and building a love of learning that begins at home.

Inside classrooms, children experience interactive, language-rich instruction that develops both academic and social skills. Activities include the EAST program beginning in second grade, tiered reading instruction and interventions, STEAM Fridays, and magnet grant-funded field trips that connect classroom learning to the community. The partnership between Clinton Primary and 11

Hope Pre-K also models the district’s commitment to building strong systems to sustain growth over time. Together, their teams are setting structures in place to ensure consistency, feedback, and family engagement across grade levels.

Building Skills for Learning and Life At Beryl Henry Elementary, Principal Kedrick Jones and his team are encouraging the development of students’ self-regulation and executive functioning skills. Staff members are using structured routines and consistent language to help students manage emotions, make responsible choices, and approach learning with focus and persistence. This work has led to a 40 percent decrease in discipline referrals, allowing teachers to devote more time to instruction. Students are learning how to problemsolve, interact respectfully, and take ownership of their behavior, skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom.

Across the district, leaders and instructional facilitators are using classroom walkthroughs, coaching, peer observations, and data review cycles to strengthen instruction. Dr. Carla Narlesky, School Improvement Specialist, works with educators to analyze instructional trends, provide actionable feedback, and refine Tier 1 practices. The goal is to create a coherent system of teaching and learning that promotes both academic and social growth for every student.

Expanding Pathways to Postsecondary Success At the secondary level, Hope continues to lead the way with the Hope Collegiate Academy, directed by Heather Flowers and Hope High School Principal Kimberly Dunham. The Collegiate Academy is one of the first college immersion programs of its kind in Arkansas, allowing students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree from the University of Arkansas – Hope Texarkana (UAHT) at no cost to families. The Academy maintains a 100 percent graduation rate from both institutions, illustrating the district’s commitment to preparing students for college and career success. By aligning instruction, mentorship, and postsecondary partnerships, Hope Public Schools ensures that students graduate ready for post secondary courses.

Continuous Improvement in Action Hope educators and leaders are deeply invested in creating structures that will support long-term growth. Through collaboration with the Southwest Educational Cooperative and Southern Arkansas University, educators continue to expand teacher residency and mentorship opportunities, strengthening the local educator pipeline. Together, they are building a system that honors the community’s history while advancing toward a future defined by opportunity and continuous improvement. From preschoolers learning their first sounds to High School graduates earning college degrees, Hope Public Schools continues to demonstrate that meaningful change begins with a clear vision, collective effort, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every student.

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$$$$$$$$$$$$$ SALARY SURVEY

13

School Year

Superintendent

High School Principal

Elementary Principal

1999-00

66,626

53,012

51,172

2000-01

69,827

55,248

53,567

2001-02

72,647

57,808

56,079

2002-03

75,067

59,525

57,817

2003-04

77,529

61,536

59,764

2004-05

87,180

67,869

65,407

2005-06

89,755

69,117

67,147

2006-07

94,514

70,622

65,095

2007-08

96,871

71,601

66,148

2008-09

98,794

74,178

72,187

2009-10

99,734

74,251

72,940

2010-11

102,783

75,120

73,904

2011-12

104,477

75,378

74,704

2012-13

106,502

76,205

75,940

2013-14

107,910

78,049

76,555

2014-15

109,499

78,087

76,370

2015-16

111,984

79,892

78,600

2016-17

113,712

81,303

80,122

2017-18

115,635

82,190

80,570

2018-19

116,668

83,463

81,146

2019-20

119,041

84,238

82542

2020-21

121,888

85,705

83,495

2021-22

124,603

86,924

84,494

2022-23

128,432

89,005

86,258

2023-24

132,482

92,294

89,862

2024-25

135,370

93,530

91,815

2025-26

137,614

94,851

93,026

2025

A total of 223 school districts and charter schools participated in the annual AAEA survey of salaries for school administrators and classroom teachers for the 2025-26 school year. The survey was conducted September through December. Data from 2024-25 is used for those districts that did not respond to AAEA’s request for current year data.

The average salaries for various categories of state school administrators and classroom teachers, grouped by school district size, are shown in the tables on page 14.

Continued on next page

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 2025

SALARY SURVEY Enrollment

Superintendent

Deputy/Asst.

Superintendent

Business Manager

High School Principal

Asst. HS Principal

Above 4,000

237,137

145,605

129,390

124,305

96,738

3,000-3,999

192,567

131,008

89,135

106,672

90,363

2,000-2,999

165,992

112,121

85,154

97,658

83,736

1,000-1,999

135,326

102,761

63,687

90,678

76,396

500-999

116,900

96,128

56,208

86,600

76,315

Below 500

104,484

-

53,574

83,124

69,429

State Average

137,614

125,532

68,046

94,851

89,081

Enrollment

Jr. High/Middle Principal

Elementary Principal

Asst. Elem.

Principal

Special Ed. Supervisor

Classroom Teacher

Above 4,000

109,944

102,605

85,544

107,421

63,772

3,000-3,999

95,857

94,952

78,973

99,579

58,088

2,000-2,999

92,287

91,397

75,509

90,521

58,268

1,000-1,999

86,039

85,531

73,058

79,536

55,171

500-999

83,813

83,814

73,772

72,366

55,266

Below 500

80,000

80,485

70,910

66,546

53,052

State Average

96,534

93,026

80,945

85,796

59,291

State Salaries compiled by AAEA Research - December 2025 Classroom Teachers Average salary in Arkansas increased from $58,330 in 2024-25 to $58,337 this year.

• National average for 2023-24 was $72,030 • Estimated national average for 2024-25 is $76,250 Source: NEA Additional Information for 2024-2025 • Average beginning hourly rate of pay for bus drivers: $30.07 • Average salary for technology coordinators: $65,354 • Average salary for federal coordinators: $90,393 • Average beginning daily rate of pay for substitute teachers: $89.63 • 84% of districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced substitute teacher services.

• 26% of districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced cafeteria services.

• 52 districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced at least a portion of custodial services.

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Awards Technology Director of the Year Micheal Summers Mr. Michael Summers, Director of Technology for the Jonesboro School District, was recently named the Technology Education Leaders of Arkansas (TEL-AR) Technology Director of the Year.

This award is sponsored by American Fidelity. Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director, Mike Mertens, AAEA Consultant, and Darrell Parks, TEL-AR Vice President, presented Mr. Summers with the award at his school district on November 11, 2025.

AASSP Principal of the Year Lisa Williams Ms. Lisa Williams, Principal at Rogers High School in the Rogers School District, was recently named the Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Principal of the Year. This award is sponsored by Lifetouch. Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director; Dr. Jeff Perry, Rogers Superintendent; and Tammy Carmichal, Lifetouch, presented Ms. Williams with the award on December 16, 2025.

AASSP Assistant Principal of the Year Dr. Jayna Moffit Dr. Jayna Moffit, Assistant Principal at Rogers Heritage High School in the Rogers School District, was recently named the Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Assistant Principal of the Year. This award is sponsored by Lifetouch. Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director; Dr. Jeff Perry, Rogers Superintendent; and Tammy Carmichal, Lifetouch, presented Dr. Moffit with the award on December 16, 2025.

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AAMLA Principal of the Year Chelsea Jennings Mrs. Chelsea Jennings, Principal at Sonora Middle School in the Springdale School District, was recently named the Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators (AAMLA) Principal of the Year. This award is sponsored by Lifetouch. Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director; Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Assistant Executive Director; Molly Davis, AAMLA Board President; Dr. Jared Cleveland, Springdale Superintendent; Melissa Fink, Springdale Associate Superintendent; and Tammy Carmichal, Lifetouch, presented Ms. Jennings with the award on December 16, 2025.

AAMLA Assistant Principal of the Year Cara Sedberry Ms. Cara Sedberry, Assistant Principal at George Junior High School in the Springdale School District, was recently named the Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators (AAMLA) Assistant Principal of the Year. This award is sponsored by Lifetouch. Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director; Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Assistant Executive Director; Molly Davis, AAMLA Board President; Dr. Jared Cleveland, Springdale Superintendent; Melissa Fink, Springdale Associate Superintendent; Dr. Jeff Flanigan, Principal, George Junior High School; and Tammy Carmichal, Lifetouch, presented Ms. Sedberry with the award on December 16, 2025.

Scholarships Available!

AAEA and our Constituent Groups are proud every year to offer a number of scholarships to students in Arkansas. Applications are available online at theaaea.org/page/scholarships.

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Publication Sneak Peek: Instructional Leader This segment features content from other AAEA publications. Instructional Leader is a quarterly publication available to subscribing districts. The following excerpt comes from the December 2025 issue.

The Identity Crisis in Secondary Schools Contributor: Chris Cochran, Assistant Principal, Rogers School District

A Coming Identity Crisis You can feel it in nearly every conversation about the future of school. The world of work is moving in one direction. Secondary schools are still pointed in another direction.

Jobs are changing at a pace that is hard to absorb.

Technical skills that once lasted a career now have a shelf life measured in years, sometimes months. At the same time, employers across industries continue to express the same concern: they struggle to find young workers who can communicate clearly, adapt to change, and solve complex problems with little direction.

Secondary schools sit in the middle of this tension.

For much of the last century, their mission was clear. A diploma signaled readiness for a set of predictable roles in a relatively stable economy. That clarity is fading. Students are moving through systems designed

for an economy of routine tasks and long-term positions, then graduating into a labor market defined by automation, shifting roles, and constant learning.

As the distance between these two realities grows, secondary schools face a hard question about identity: what does it mean to be a "college and career-ready" school when the careers themselves are changing faster than the system built to prepare students for them?

This article looks at how work is changing, why schools are struggling to keep pace, and what it will take to realign around the human capacity students will need most.

Work Is Changing Faster Than Schools The labor market is not just shifting, it is speeding up.

By 2030, a large share of jobs will be created, transformed, or eliminated. Roles that once stayed continued

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Skills inside those jobs are turning over just as quickly. Roughly half of today’s job skills are expected to be outdated within five years. Many technical skills now have a useful life of only a few years. A worker might master a tool or platform one year only to see it replaced a few years later. Staying employed depends less on what people already know and more on how quickly they can learn and adapt to what comes next.

At the same time, automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping what people actually do at work. Software takes on routine clerical and administrative tasks. Robotics handles more of the predictable work in production. AI systems now support or replace pieces of analysis, writing, design, and customer service that once belonged only to humans.

This pace of change puts pressure on both sides.

Employers need people who can step into evolving roles with confidence. Students are trying to prepare for careers that may not yet exist. When the world of work moves in cycles measured in months and schools move in cycles measured in years, the gap between them does not close on its own. It widens.

Schools Built for a Disappearing Middle The design of secondary schools still reflects an earlier economy. Fixed periods, subject silos, standardized curriculum, and tests that reward accuracy and compliance made sense in a labor market built on routine work. That is no longer the world our students are entering.

For decades, many graduates moved into clerical, administrative, and production roles that valued consistency over creativity. These jobs sat in the "middle" of the labor market: stable, predictable, with clear advancement. "Career readiness" meant being prepared to enter this middle layer and follow known processes well.

That middle is shrinking. Automation, outsourcing, and digital systems have reduced the need for many routine tasks, while the roles that remain now demand higher levels of both technical and human skill. At the same time, new jobs are appearing in fields that did not exist when current course catalogs were written.

Yet the core structures of school look much the same.

Students still spend most of their time in settings that separate academic work from real work. They rarely have sustained opportunities to solve open-ended problems with real consequences, work across differences, or practice adapting when plans change.

This is where the identity crisis comes into focus.

Secondary schools are doing what they were built to do. The problem is that they were built for a labor market that is disappearing. Until the mission and design of schools catch up with the world students are actually entering, even strong performance inside the system will leave too many graduates underprepared.

Readiness Now: Human Capacity at the Center When employers talk about readiness today, they seldom start with test scores or transcripts. They talk about what happens on the job. Can a new hire communicate with a frustrated customer? Can they adjust when priorities shift at the last minute? Can they sit with a problem that has no clear answer and still move the work forward with other people?

Content knowledge and technical skills still matter.

The difference is that they are no longer enough on their own. What employers say is missing are the capacities that make that knowledge usable in a fastchanging environment.

Across sectors, a small set of human-centered skills shows up again and again: ● Communication under pressure – listening carefully, asking good questions, and explaining ideas clearly when the stakes are high, not just on a prepared presentation. ● Adaptability and continuous learning – learning new tools and workflows quickly, staying curious, and being willing to try, practice, and improve in public. ● Collaborative problem-solving – working across roles and perspectives, navigating disagreement, and keeping a team moving toward a shared outcome. ● Breaking down complex, ambiguous problems – sorting through competing priorities, identifying what matters most, and turning vague instructions into concrete next steps. continued

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stable for decades now evolve in a matter of years.

Entire categories of work are shrinking while new ones emerge before schools can update a single course description.

The identity crisis is already visible in the gap between what employers say they need and what many graduates feel ready to do. If schools continue to define their work only by test scores, course credits, and graduation rates, they risk preparing students for an economy that no longer exists.

Here, schools have a real advantage. They work with almost every young person, every day, over many years. Social and emotional learning, advisory systems, project-based units, student leadership, and work-based learning already provide raw material for building these capacities. The challenge is that these experiences are often treated as enrichment instead of core.

The alternative is to lean into the advantage schools already hold: time with young people and the ability to shape how they think, relate, and solve problems.

That will mean rethinking schedules, assessments, and partnerships. It will mean making space for experiences that are harder to standardize but closer to r e al l if e. A n d it w il l mea n tr u s t i n g t h a t communication, adaptability, collaboration, and complex problem-solving are not extras. They are the spine of preparation.

Realignment begins when schools treat human capacity as a primary outcome rather than a byproduct. That shows up in practical ways: creating time for students to reflect on how they learn, integrating career-connected projects into core classes, partnering with local employers on real problems, and valuing portfolios, projects, and credentials alongside test scores.

A Call to Innovate With Urgency Secondary schools are standing at a crossroads. One path preserves familiar structures, measures, and routines, even as the world around them changes. The other path asks harder questions: what are we really preparing students for, and which skills will still matter when today’s tools are outdated?

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These skills do more than help graduates get a first job. They give students a way to keep growing as roles change around them. Technical skills will continue to evolve, but the capacity to communicate, adapt, work with others, and make sense of complex problems sits at the center of long-term success.

No single school can control the pace of change in the world of work. But each school can decide how it responds. Leaders who choose to realign their systems around human capacity signal to students, families, and communities that they are preparing young people not just to fit into today’s jobs, but to grow into whatever comes next.

That is the work of secondary education in a changing world—and the opportunity at the center of this identity crisis.

Interested in more from Instructional Leader?

Contact our office at 501-372-1691.

Visit arjobsined.schoolspring.com The AAEA Job Board is a calendar-year subscription that assists districts with the ever-increasing challenge of recruiting quality staff. It is a significant resource for educators, both in-state and out-of-state, seeking employment in Arkansas schools.

Over 165 school districts are participating in the program, which has been extremely helpful to schools and educators over the years. The site is used year-round and is accessed extensively during the second semester. It is not unusual to see over 400 jobs posted on the Job Board at one time. With an account, school districts may post unlimited job vacancies throughout the year.

To subscribe (by district) or to post job openings, contact Lana Webb, Administrative Specialist, at l.webb@theaaea.org or at 501-372-1691.

Job Openings District Name Jessieville School District Little Rock School District Jacksonville North Pulaski School District DeQueen School District Little Rock School District Harrison School District

Position Superintendent Procurement Coordinator Elementary Principal Middle School Assistant Principal Principal/Assistant Principal High School Assistant Principal

CoSN: Support for Technology Administrators CoSN is a great resource for school technology administrators. Check this page monthly for links to articles to assist technology leaders as they navigate through digital learning transformations.

Click Here to Read About This Month’s Topics • CoSN 2025 State Cybersecurity Legislation Report • CoSN’s NIST Cybersecurity Framework Resources Alignment for K-12 • Facilitating a Tabletop Incident Response Exercise • Recent CoSN Cybersecurity Postings • CoSN/AASA edLeader Panel Broadcasts 20