Students earn High Math Growth honors, statewide and in the Central Region, in the 2026 Beating the Odds report
Last year was a breakthrough. This year proves it was no accident.
For the second consecutive year, the University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy (OEP) has named Graduate Arkansas Charter High School a Beating the Odds school, honoring our students for High Math Growth both statewide and in the Central Region. OEP released its 2026 report on September 30, 2026.
Two Years, Same Two Honors
In 2025, Graduate Arkansas earned High Math Growth awards at both the statewide and Central Region levels. In 2026, our students earned both again.
Repeating a result is harder than reaching it once. Every year brings a new group of students, new challenges, and a new test. Sustaining high growth across two school years points to something lasting: a math program and a school culture that consistently move students forward.
Why Growth Matters for Our Students
Many Graduate Arkansas students arrive with gaps in their learning, often after time away from school. For them, a single test score tells only part of the story. Growth tells the rest.
OEP bases its awards on growth scores from the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, which compare each student's progress to peers who started at a similar level. Beating the Odds awards go to high-growth schools where at least 66% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Making that list twice means our students are not just catching up. They are growing faster than expected.
A Model That Works
Graduate Arkansas serves students ages 14 to 21 across the state through in-person, hybrid, and virtual learning. Our vision is to provide personalized learning opportunities that re-engage disconnected students, and our mission is to become the nation's leading model for dropout recovery and credit recovery education.
Back-to-back recognition from the University of Arkansas is strong evidence that this model is working. When students get flexibility, individual attention, and teachers who believe in them, they grow.
Thank You, Graduate Arkansas
"Our students are proving, for the second year in a row, that where you start does not determine where you finish," said Superintendent Katie Hatley. "I am so proud of them, and of the teachers and staff who refused to give up on them."
To our students: this is your award. You showed up, kept going, and did the hard work that growth requires. To our teachers and staff: thank you for the patience and persistence behind every gain. And to our families and partners: thank you for standing with our students.
Look for the 2026 Beating the Odds badge on our website. The full report and list of recipients are available from the University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy.