The Academy has hosted visitors from 14 states, Washington, DC, and the Republic of China to observe and participate in Academy activities. Educational professionals nationwide judge the academy to be:

An Effective and Exemplary Leadership Development Program

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) featured the Arkansas Leadership Academy in “Hungry for Leadership” as one of the most effective leadership development activities for professionals in the southern states region. SREB also named the Academy “an exemplary leadership development program” in 2000 and selected it as one of three funded academies chosen for the SREB State Leadership Academy Network in 2001.

A Model Program

After a careful analysis of the program, the Milwaukee School District is currently replicating the Arkansas Leadership Academy.

The U.S. Department of Education invited the Academy to participate as a showcase program in a regional meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The National Staff Development Council invited the Arkansas Leadership Academy to present a daylong introduction to Academy Institutes at the NSDC national conference in Atlanta, Georgia and featured the Academy in the Summer 2000, Journal of Staff Development.

The Southern Legislative Conference Education Committee in conjunction with the Council of State Governments selected the Arkansas Leadership Academy as the focus of the policy and innovative initiatives meeting in Marcos Island, Florida.

A Model Program for Improving Mathematics and Science Education

The Annenberg/Corporation for Public Broadcasting named the Arkansas Leadership Academy a model program that contributes significant improvement to mathematics and science education in elementary and secondary schools in America.

The Rural Systemic Initiative of the National Science Foundation contracted with the Arkansas Leadership Academy to develop the capacity of math and science leaders in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

A Program that Implements Best Practices

National Partnership for Excellence and Accountability in Teaching cited 22 programs nationally for implementing what research has found to be “best practices.” Arkansas Leadership Academy was the only statewide program named; the other 21 programs were single schools or school districts.

A Leader in Development of Educational Policy

The Consortium of Policy Research in Education -- a research consortium of Harvard, Princeton, Rutgers, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Wisconsin – named the Academy one of 12 initiatives nationally with potential to drive staff development, produce widespread collaboration, and affect policy.