rootEd Arkansas
Advancing Opportunity
in Rural Education
We provide one-on-one support to ensure rural students don’t just graduate, but graduate prepared.
rootEd Arkansas is a public-private partnership between Heartland Forward, rootEd Alliance and the Arkansas Department of Education working to ensure every rural high school student graduates on a path to career success and economic stability.
Program Impact, By the Numbers
Results from the 2024-25 academic year:
0
participating schools in rural Arkansas
0 +
Arkansas students directly supported
0 k+
students served across rootEd Alliance
+ 0 %
higher FAFSA completion rate vs state average
+$ 0 K
median wage gains vs previous graduating classes
Program Mission
Closing the Rural Opportunity Gap
We help rural high school students achieve career success and strengthen Arkansas’s skilled workforce.
We do this by placing dedicated college and career advisors in rural high schools to work with each senior to define and plan their futures, whether through a college degree, career training, apprenticeships, or military service. We also partner with communities, states, and employers to close talent gaps and drive rural economic prosperity.
Career Readiness
We help students explore potential career opportunities and develop a plan for life after high school. In year one, students had 180 workforce connection points.
A Guided Approach
We connect students to best-fit colleges and technical training to help them navigate the application and enrollment process.
FAFSA Competition
We work to unlock critical financial aid to make education or career training affordable.