Governor Huckabee shared his vision of this new education initiative with the state's leading education policymakers. Smart Start was the first phase in our effort to increase student achievement. With Smart Step, we're entering the second phase of the process. Thanks to Smart Start, we've seen an increase in student achievement, as well as improved professional development for our teachers and administrators. With Smart Step, we can use some of the same strategies.
Nothing is more important to our future than improving our public schools.
Our most valuable asset as a state is our children. Smart Step will focus on providing intense professional development for teachers and administrators at the middle school level, as well as additional materials and assistance to the state's middle school teachers. At the inception of Smart Start, we knew that to sustain the gains made at the elementary school level, we would have to develop a comprehensive and focused plan to assist educators at the middle school level. Smart Step gives Arkansas teachers in Grades 5-8 the resources, materials, and expertise they will need to help our Smart Start students continue in their academic progress.