All Children Excel in School, (ACES), is a program targeting the rapidly changing needs and environment of K-12 schools in northwest Arkansas.

Following are the program components adopted by Lee and Westwood Elementary Schools in Springdale, AR; Decatur Elementary in Decatur, AR; Glenn Duffy Elementary in Gravette, AR; Ozark Guidance, and the University of Arkansas Office for Research, Measurement and Evaluation as of October 2003.

Class Size Reduction
Class sizes in kindergarten through first grades have been reduced. In kindergarten the class sizes have been reduced to 1:10 teacher to student ratio, and in first grade the teacher to student ratio is 1:13.

Math, Literacy Specialists and Literacy Coach
Lee's teaching staff has been augmented with the addition of three teachers with experience and training in math and literacy. The math specialist and literacy specialist work both with identified students and with teachers. They assist teachers in employing a variety of teaching methods to help students grasp math, reading and language concepts. The Literacy Coach, a new teaching position this year, designates that a teacher has undergone an Arkansas Department of Education training program. The Literacy Coach is providing support to two first grade classes, and one third grade class.

Pre-Kindergarten "Jump Start"
In an effort to help youngsters starting school, Lee conducts "Jump Start," a four-week summer program for incoming kindergarten students. Students are assessed to learn about their school readiness in math and reading. In addition, the program evaluates student's medical and or social assistance needs. At the end of the program the student's progress is measured to learn about the growth in school readiness.

K.U.B.S and C.U.B.S.
The KUBS/CUBS programs intervene with students at risk for academic failure. K.U.B.S is for kindergarten children and C.U.B.S. is for first grade. Parents attend monthly sessions with their children and learn strategies to help students with basic skills. Students are pre- and post tested to monitor their progress.

Professional Development
Lee's professional development program consists of visiting other schools, peer-learning sessions with the Math and Literacy Specialists, and student achievement data review.

Point In Time Remediation
Students needing additional help in Math, Reading and Language are assigned in small groups for specific instruction. Lee's tutoring program has changed as a result of student achievement data. In addition to working with students that are struggling in a particular class, the school now is developing support processes to help students that are doing well and exhibit the ability to do better.

Parent Liaison
Lee employs a bilingual liaison who works with parents, the school nurse, and social workers to connect parents and students to community and school services. Translation services are available for every school note, newsletter, and parent teacher conference.

Before School
Westwood extended its school day to reach its students with opportunities for non-traditional learning opportunities as well as to make tutoring available to all students. Before school "officially" opens in the morning, students are engaged with hands-on materials including puzzles, discovery learning games, chess and other activities. Students participate individually or in small groups. In addition, the school also extended the hours of operation for the library and computer lab.

The School Day
Like Lee, Westwood also reduced the size of its classrooms. Westwood targeted its class size reduction efforts to first, second and fourth grades. The teacher to student ratio has reduced to 1:20 in first and second grades, and in the fourth the ratio is 1:21. In order to enrich their students' learning experience, Westwood added Art and Spanish teachers.

Professional Development
Professional Development at Westwood is based on student performance and learning. The school is refocusing the teaching of reading to be more balanced and comprehensive. In addition, professional development includes integrating Art across the curriculum, data analysis for curriculum and instruction, understanding poverty and diversity, special needs children, complex thinking skills, writing, effective teaching, literacy, project-based learning, parent involvement, and technology.

After School Clubs
Twice a week students attend one of approximately 28 different after school clubs including photography, computer, art, animals, literacy, drama, drums/chimes, games/puzzles, video production, cooking, community services, gardening, Arkansas history, science/space, multicultural, and chess. Tutoring is available to all students.

Summer Workshops
Westwood conducts four one-week workshops for approximately 80 at-risk children. At-risk is defined by social-economic status and school performance. Kindergarten orientation and screening are provided a week before school actually starts.

Parent Services
Westwood's Family Learning Center includes literacy and math development, question and answer sessions with grade level teachers, and meetings with Ozark Guidance case managers, the school nurse, and counselors to help remove the barriers to student academic success. In addition, translation services are available to help lessen language barriers.

Early Childhood-Preschool
Until the ACES program there was no preschool available for students in Decatur. Decatur's preschool program serves approximately 14 students. The ACES program provides for the professional staff and the instructional materials. The district believes the preschool will help it address school readiness with incoming kindergartners. Last year's preschoolers who moved up to kindergarten generally scored higher on their kindergarten screening than students who did not attend preschool.

Extended Day and Remediation
Students now have the opportunity to receive tutoring assistance as part of Decatur's extended day program. Approximately 50 students, each with their own individual improvement plans, meet with certified teachers to work on subject mastery.

Literacy Specialist
Decatur is placing more emphasis on improving their students' proficiency in reading and language with the addition of a Literacy Specialist. New this year, the Literacy Specialist models for other teachers the execution of the four-block literacy plan. The four blocks represent dedicated time for guided reading, independent reading, vocabulary development, and writing.

Professional Development
The school is in its second year of full implementation of the Great Expectations program. Great Expectations creates an infrastructure that promotes improved student self-esteem, attendance, discipline, and parent participation, all of which results in improved academic achievement. In addition, Decatur's professional development focuses on improving each teacher's ability to teach students how to write. Nine teachers are participating in the "Step Up To Writing" program offered through the Arkansas Department of Education. Teachers also are receiving training on effectively using technology to improve student literacy and math comprehension.

Technology
A significant technology upgrade is part of Decatur's ACES program. Students in preschool through fifth grade participate in reading, language, and math learning modules via the computer. Student assessments for reading and math offered over the computer include: Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, Star Math, and Star Reading.

Early Childhood-Preschool
Gravette, like Decatur, did not have any preschool opportunities for its children. Currently 60 students are enrolled in three classes in the district's new preschool program. The goal is to improve the school readiness of students. The school is gathering data on students attending and not attending preschool. The program is two-years old, and the school principal reports a difference in kindergarten screening between students with preschool and those without.

Extended Day
Approximately 100 students participate in Glen Duffy's extended day program. Teachers identify student's academic needs and develop plans to address them. Gifted and Talented students have an opportunity for challenging work while participating in the Extended Day program.

Professional Development
Glen Duffy's staff development efforts concentrate on specific curriculum and improved educational processes. Program and curriculum training opportunities include:

• Great Expectations - Great Expectations creates an infrastructure that promotes improved student self-esteem, attendance, discipline, and parent participation, all of which results in improved academic achievement.
• Ella/Effective Literacy - ELLA enables teachers to enhance literacy support to students by understanding how students learn to read and by practicing the balanced literacy techniques in the classroom.

Technology
A stronger emphasis on the use of technology is an important component of Glen Duffy Elementary School. All of its more than 500 K-3 students conduct work in math and literacy modules on computers.

In addition to providing support for greater academic achievement, Care Foundation wanted to try and meet the physical and mental health needs of students as well. To do that, the Foundation turned to Ozark Guidance. Ozark Guidance is a community mental health center committed to providing affordable high quality services designed to meet individual, family, and community needs for better mental health.

In each of the four ACES schools, Ozark Guidance provides full-time case management services. Services are delivered in concert with each school's counselor and its administrative leadership. Ozark Guidance services are provided in the following categories:

• Basic Needs
• Community Support
• Education Intervention
• Medical Support
• Parent Participation & Intervention and Social Service Intervention

A significant challenge in new program implementation is evaluating its effectiveness. Care Foundation has contracted with the University of Arkansas Office of Research, Measurement and Evaluation (ORME) for this purpose. ORME has developed and implemented an evaluation model that provides the schools with data at the student, classroom, grade level, teacher, and school level in the subjects of reading, math, and language.