Arkansas’ finest professional learning communities

Model PLC at Work schools and districts have demonstrated a commitment to the concepts of a professional learning community for at least three years. In that time, staff and administrators have built a shared understanding and commitment to the PLC at Work^® process, and embraced a culture of continuous improvement. These schools highlight the progress and excellence of Model PLC at Work schools and districts, as well as the educators’ dedication to ensuring every student learns at high levels.

Ballman Elementary

Principal Griffin started the Ballman (Fort Smith, AR) PLC journey by working with the Ballman staff to establish the “WHY” before jumping directly into implementing the concepts and practices of a professional learning community. They found a number of challenges they’d need to tackle as a team. Learn more >>

Benton Middle School

Every faculty member at Benton Middle School has one common goal: a school where every employee is responsible for the success of every student. Prior to 2017, they had some elements of the PLC process in place, but their student population started to shift and grow, requiring new hires and collaborative change. In 2018, their district began supporting the PLC process. The district then committed to training all administrators in the PLC process and is currently developing its strategic plan. Benton Middle School has since collaboratively created a culture that celebrates victories and engages teachers and staff at the schoolwide level to inspire students and teachers while cultivating a mindset of success. Learn more >>

Blytheville Primary

Blytheville Primary, a 2021 addition to Arkansas’ Model PLC at Work schools, has championed the PLC at Work process and excelled using data driven methods for instruction, intervention and assessment. By empowering teachers to collaborate on a singular methodology and a focus on continuous improvement, the school has successfully advanced learning for all of its students. Learn more >>

Bragg Elementary

Chosen as a PLC Project pilot school in 2017, Bragg Elementary has since transformed its educators, who are now guiding lights for other schools in the district. The PLC journey helped Bragg Elementary change beliefs and behaviors that turned into schoolwide, collective commitments that drive every action and collaborative discussion to ensure learning for all students and grade levels. Learn more >>

Carnall Elementary

Carnall Elementary is unique in that its student population is nearly 30 percent special education and 90 percent free and reduced lunch. Now a Model PLC at Work school, they began their journey with a staff survey. The results were clear: staff members wanted change, and they had a dream. With hope in their hearts, they went to work collaborating, learning, and developing a sense of community and a culture of continuous improvement. Learn more >>

Darby Middle School

Darby Middle School in the Fort Smith School District began their PLC journey over 10 years ago. Embodying their school motto, “Rangers Lead the Way,” they were dedicated to improving their work by building shared knowledge with guidance from experts at Solution Tree. Eventually, this led to Darby Middle School being awarded a spot in Cohort 3 of the Arkansas PLC Project. It took them a full year, but they included all staff members to help create a new mission, vision, values, and goals that support a collaborative learning culture for teachers and students. They know the work is never done, yet by having structures and practices that tie them together, they are able to have less learning loss and focus on a guaranteed and viable curriculum. Learn more >>

East Pointe Elementary

After changing its culture from one where students were responsible for their learning to one where teachers embraced responsibility for every student’s learning, East Pointe Elementary (Greenwood, AR) developed a powerful professional learning community with a moral obligation to refuse failure. Learn more >>

Eureka Springs Elementary

Eureka Springs Elementary School began their PLC journey by admitting that while their students were making some progress during intervention, they were not making progress on grade-level standards. This led them to seek out training with Solution Tree and Mike Mattos. As they learned more about viable curriculum and the PLC process, they recognized the deficits in their program and developed a collaborative team approach that brought them from implementation to sustainability in all areas of the PLC continuum. Using tools supported by Solution Tree associates, Eureka Springs Elementary developed the mindset to successfully address (and even minimize) future challenges. Learn more >>

Fouke Elementary

The leadership at Fouke Elementary (Fouke, AR) realized that one of the most significant ingredients in improving student achievement was to create daily professional learning communities with every staff member being included on a weekly PLC throughout the school year. Learn more >>

Gravette Upper Elementary

Gravette Upper Elementary (Gravette, AR) is a “hidden jewel” located in the very northwest corner of Arkansas. Their school's vision statement “UNITED We Learn, Lead, and Succeed” was built upon the premise of what professional learning communities allow us to do as educators. It takes all teachers, staff, parents, students, and community to create an environment focused on what is best in student learning. Learn more >>

Greenbrier Eastside Elementary

With more than seven administration teams in as many years, teachers at Greenbrier Eastside (Greenbrier, AR) were working in isolation amid a variety of inconsistencies and lack of clarity. Through the PLC at Work process, Greenbrier Eastside transformed its school culture into one that embraces meaningful staff collaboration, a true focus on student learning, and a laser-like attention to results. Learn more >>

Hackett Elementary School

Beginning in 2018, Hackett Elementary joined Solution Tree and its PLC community. The school formed a coalition of leaders and educators to set the foundation for true collaboration. Using PLC methods, the school’s teachers became “insanely clear” about curriculum and evidence-based learning processes that resulted in student achievement increases between 40-60 percent. Learn more >>

Howard Perrin Elementary

Growth is a collaborative effort. Teachers in Benton, Arkansas, credit PLC solutions for driving an agile culture that enables educators to pivot and address obstacles and challenges throughout the school year. Rather than teaching to students, Howard Perrin instructors can more easily adapt to specific student needs and better prepare students for future growth. Instead of being bound by data for testing scores, Howard Perrin has instead been given the opportunity to learn actionable takeaways from testing data with PLC programming that has solidified its advancement as a Model PLC at Work school. Learn more >>

Kirksey Middle School

Rogers School District provided their mission, but Kirksey Middle School (Rogers, AR) needed a vision. Teacher volunteers formed a vision committee and began creating their vision statement. Their staff of 68 worked through a gap analysis and began identifying the school they wanted to be. After several weeks of collaboration, reflection, and research, the vision committee shared with all staff the new vision and values for Kirksey Middle School. Learn more >>

Lake Hamilton Intermediate School

As a school that consistently outperformed state test score averages, Lake Hamilton Intermediate School was confident that they were a “good” school. In 2016, however, through professional learning on the PLC process, they realized that, as James C. Collins said, “good is the enemy of great.” Despite some early stumbles to implement a PLC into their school, not to mention a global pandemic, they recognized that their efforts had created some successful pathways for students, but continuous improvement means continuing work. In order to achieve sustainability. In 2019 Lake Hamilton received a three-year Arkansas Department of Education PLC grant and their PLC path gained renewed vigor. Now, through their collaborative work as a true PLC, they are facilitating a culture of continuous, productive change to ensure learning for ALL their students. Learn more >>

Main Street Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School

Congratulations Main Street Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School (Hot Springs, AR) for being named a Model PLC at Work by Solution Tree. Through the PLC process, Main Street has built a collaborative culture where student learning drives every practice, policy, and procedure. Staff are proud of all they have accomplished and are dedicated to continuous improvement each and every year. Learn more >>

Morrilton Intermediate School

With no expectation of teacher collaboration, Morrilton Intermediate School (Morrilton, AR) knew its culture was not built on shared ownership of learning. By embracing the PLC at Work process, Morrilton’s staff committed to providing high levels of learning for all students by establishing collaborative teacher teams and providing students with additional time and support for learning. Learn more >>

Monticello Middle School

The decision to implement professional learning communities led to a cultural transformation at Monticello Middle School (Monticello, AR). In addition to creating a common language that would drive collaboration in their PLC, “teachers began to feel like their voices mattered in the school, and could bring their unique skill sets in driving student achievement.” Learn more >>

Northside High School

With a PLC journey lasting more than a decade, the passionate teachers and students at Northside (Fort Smith, AR) used their professional learning community to challenge themselves to rise above circumstances and excuses. The improved school culture contributed to an increase in graduation rates and enrollment, as well as growth in all core areas. Learn more >>

Park Avenue Elementary

Park Avenue Elementary began their PLC journey in 2018 and quickly developed widespread initiatives that helped them become a more culturally responsive school that recognized student achievement as the responsibility of all the adults in the building. Using the PLC process along with RTI and numerous Solution Tree resources, Park Avenue Elementary enjoyed significant improvements in student engagement. Learn more >>

Prescott Elementary School

Prescott Elementary School began their PLC journey during the 2017–2018 school year and learned early on where they had significant room for improvement—and how valuable the PLC process would be. After a complete overhaul of their instruction practices and even their building setup, Prescott Elementary has seen a vast improvement in student achievement and educator collaboration. Learn more >>

Quitman School District

With a laser focus on doing the right work, Quitman School District (Quitman, AR) went from working independently to interdependently in three years. Read how high school principal Michael Stacks and elementary school principal Julie Wallace transformed Quitman Public Schools into a highly functioning PLC. Learn more >>

Rivercrest Elementary

Teachers at Rivercrest Elementary in Wilson, AR embraced the ideals of PLC and continued their work to better understand methods of collaboration and best practices for analyzing student data. As a result, Rivercrest experienced a drastic change in its culture and teachers now focus and collaborate about data and student needs that go beyond weekly staff meetings. Learn more >>

Spradling Elementary

In response to 50 percent of its students reading below grade-level, Spradling Elementary (Fort Smith, AR) committed to implementing the PLC at Work process in an attempt to raise student achievement and get consistency in instruction. As a result, Spradling experienced continuous improvement in the areas of instruction, RTI, assessment, special education, and standards-based grading. Learn more >>

Wonderview Elementary

A select group of teachers brought the PLC process to Wonderview Elementary, and after recognizing the potential, the school began their PLC journey in 2018. As they navigated several challenges, from leadership changes to COVID, Wonderview was able to assess their current instructional practices and persevere through hardship to create a guaranteed and viable curriculum. While their journey has not been linear, they found flexibility within the PLC process and have found great success in the education of their students. Learn more >>

Washington Jr. High School

Washington Jr. High School (WJHS) has partnered with Solution Tree and other schools in the Bentonville School District to bring the PLC at Work process to students across Northwest Arkansas. WJHS has built a foundation on what they call their Focus on Excellence Framework, which includes two basic tenets: (1) continuously asking, Why this? Why this way? and (2) the four critical questions of the PLC at Work process. Through this collaborative process and a new cultural framework, Washington Jr. High School has seen a significant improvement in student achievement. Learn more >>