Nashville Teacher Selected for Prestigious Arkansas Teaching Fellowship Program

A teacher from Nashville Primary School is receiving statewide recognition after being selected for the inaugural class of the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program.

The program was highlighted last week during a meeting of the Joint Education Committee, where lawmakers heard presentations from Jacob Oliva, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Education, along with several Arkansas educators participating in the fellowship initiative.

The Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program was created to recognize and celebrate some of the state’s top-performing educators while also helping the public better understand what effective teaching looks like in today’s classrooms. Teachers selected for the program participate in virtual professional development sessions focused on improving classroom practices, learning more about the state’s Merit Teacher Incentive Fund, and promoting the teaching profession across Arkansas.

Participants in the fellowship also receive networking opportunities, collaboration with fellow educators from around the state, and a $1,500 stipend.

Among the 23 educators selected statewide for the first fellowship cohort in 2025 is Ginny Schwope, a third-grade math and science teacher at Nashville Primary School.

Another educator selected for the fellowship from southwest Arkansas was Tiffany Moore, a math teacher at Spring Hill High School in Hope.

During the committee meeting, lawmakers spent more than two hours discussing the fellowship program, updated literacy standards for third-grade students, and other educational changes connected to the state’s LEARNS Act.

The fellowship program is designed not only to reward excellent teaching, but also to encourage continued professional growth among Arkansas educators while spotlighting the important role teachers play in student success across the state.