re: I Don't Think It's Bielema... I Really Don't

ISD integration? Would that help?

Busing?

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It's very sad south and east Arkansas is so poor with so many good athletes not playing ball. I hope one day our education system in the state can somehow help these kids in more ways than one.

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Contact some tenured or tenure-track professors at your university and talk to them about starting a grassroots initiative using university human capital.

With the right academic research team, they can put together (a) proposal(s) to procure grant funds for the purpose of setting up a program for Univ. of Ark. education pre-service teachers (in the college/school of education) to be trained to teach in challenging, low-income areas of the state. Tuition for those students will be reimbursed, provided the teachers, in turn, commit to work a certain number of years (n=3?) in some of the disadvantaged schools.

It'll take several years to realize positive outcomes, but they'll happen, if the research/program is implemented effectively. Not only will education become more quality, but you can mix in the importance of physical development and sports (see where I'm going with this?).

Professors would be all over it (as would LEAs [local education agencies]), since the research opportunities are endless; and community outreach and cross-disciplinary collaboration is HUGE in the eyes of funders. The professors get their grants, research opportunities, and publications; students have shovel-ready jobs upon graduation; and lousy schools can be infused with some hope.

Funding agencies are killing to give money to projects such as this one--in The Delta and all over very poor, minority-laden communities.

Get busy, Arkansas! It's your state! Don't sit back and wait for the federal government to help; it'll lead to failure (see Mississippi education).