Arkansas faces severe teacher workforce challenges and university educator preparation programs (EPP) remain, by far, the largest source of new teachers. In 2020, The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) created “Day One Ready”, rigorous new standards for the preparation of teachers. A year later, Forward launched the EPP Design Collaborative, a first-of-its-kind competition to catalyze transformation among university EPPs. Open to all, 16 of the state’s 19 EPPs applied. We accepted a diverse cohort of 8, that engaged in a year-long process, guided by expert national partners. Each EPP created a detailed three-year “transformation plan”, which prioritized robust practical experiences for candidates, deep district partnerships, and increased data capture. We awarded two EPPs “transformation awards” and three years of expert implementation support. All eight – comprising nearly 60% of the total teacher pipeline – continue their transformation efforts. Our work supports implementation of “Day One Ready” and also informed the development of a new EPP accreditation system replacing CAEP. In 2023, the state passed Arkansas LEARNS, which includes many innovative components cultivated within the Collaborative, such as a year-long “residency” for all teacher candidates. Forward was asked by ADE to expand the Collaborative to support implementation efforts in all University EPPs in the state. Learn more here: A New Lesson Plan: Classroom Residencies Help Train Better Teachers and New Approaches to Tackling Big Challenges in Education.