The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Special Education Unit, in cooperation with the Dawson Education Service Cooperative (ESC), is pleased to announce the formation of the Arkansas Local Education Agency Resource Network (AR LEARN). In large measure, AR LEARN replaces the functions of the former Arkansas Special Education Resource Center (ASERC). ASERC operations were discontinued on June 30, 2007.
AR LEARN will offer a statewide professional development and technical assistance program designed to build the capacity of local special education personnel and, to the extent appropriate, that of general education professionals also. The mission of the Arkansas Local Education Agency Resource Network is to promote sound, research-based building and classroom educational practices to achieve the educational results required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Arkansas Department of Education.
AR LEARN programs are designed to be responsive to statewide needs, as well as the training and technical assistance needs of individual school districts. Survey data have identified classroom programming for children with autism, general education/special education co-teaching, classroom management techniques, Response to Intervention for struggling learners, and special education data collection and analysis as possible classes and topics targeting local special education needs.
AR LEARN is a service of the Dawson ESC. Professional development credit will be awarded by the Dawson ESC for any training attended. For more information, visit the AR LEARN Web site at http://www.arlearn.org.