rootEd Arkansas
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Overview

Heartland Forward, in collaboration with rootEd Alliance and with support from the Arkansas Department of Education, is driving efforts to strengthen Arkansas’s talent pipeline and grow its economy by providing rural high school students with dedicated college and career advisors. The initiative ensures students graduate prepared for successful careers and economic stability which furthers Heartland Forward’s mission to support Human Capital and Workforce Development in the heartland.

rootEd in Arkansas

The rootEd model places trained college and career advisors in rural schools across Arkansas. rootEd advisors work alongside school counselors to help students define and plan their futures, whether students choose to:

  • Pursue higher education
  • Explore apprenticeships in the trades
  • Join the military

The rootEd model takes a community-centered approach, recruiting advisors from the local communities to ensure guidance is both culturally relevant and personalized to meet the unique needs of students in the region.

The program is being piloted across 10 participating high schools in AR during the 2024-25 school year.

Key Benefits and Success Stories

Strengthening the Talent Pipeline

By preparing students for a variety of postsecondary paths, the program builds strong talent pipelines to support local economies.

Diverse Pathways to Success

The program recognizes the multiple avenues to economic stability—be it college, trades, military or other options— contributing to holistic workforce development in Arkansas’s rural communities.

Economic and Social Impact

The public-private partnership between educators, workforce leaders, local businesses and state agencies prepares students for the future while also supporting sustained economic growth in Arkansas.

  • 82% of rootEd students are on track for successful careers compared to 41% of all working 21 to 24 year-olds.
  • The initiative has increased FAFSA completion by 27% and college enrollment by 10% in participating areas, even as national rural enrollment rates declined by 6% during the same period.

rootEd Arkansas Videos

See for yourself how rootEd is transforming lives across Arkansas. These stories from students, advisors and school staff showcase the program’s impact in opening pathways to brighter futures and strengthening communities.

Full-Length Video

Highlights

For Legislators

rootEd Arkansas Interest Form 2025-2026

Please complete the form below if you are interested in supporting rootEd Arkansas or would like to have a rootEd Advisor in your school or district. We will follow up with you directly.

rootEd Arkansas Interest Form 2025-2026

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High School Specific Information

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