Spark26 Awards: Nominations Now Open
Spark2026 Awards
Nominations Now Open
APSRC is excited to recognize the exceptional contributions of charter schools, their leaders, partners, supporters, and advocates who are making a lasting impact on the charter school community. We’ll recognize innovation, growth, and dedication with a variety of awards—some selected through community nominations and others chosen by APSRC staff.
At Spark26, we will celebrate these outstanding contributions with an awards ceremony at the end of the day, highlighting the Changemaker Award, Teacher of the Year, Trailblazer Award, and more.
Submit Nominations to Help Us Recognize Impact in Charter Schools!
We are currently accepting nominations for the Changemaker Award, Teacher of the Year, and Trailblazer Award. If you know someone whose work has had a profound impact on the charter school community, now is your chance to recognize them. The deadline for submissions is April 16th, 2026.
You can learn more about the Spark Symposium Charter School Awards, including the APSRC Designated Awards on the Spark26 website. Learn more about each award, including the description and criteria, and submit your nominations today!
Changemaker Awards
The Arkansas Charter School Changemaker Awards will be presented annually to recognize outstanding individuals who are making positive change in their school communities. The nominations should highlight the meaningful impact the candidate is making in their charter schools. Open-enrollment and district-conversion charter staff may be nominated. Nominate your charter school staff members today and tell us about the impact they're making in their schools!
Teacher of the Year
APSRC is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Arkansas Charter School Teacher of the Year. Each public charter school campus in Arkansas may select one teacher as its Charter School Teacher of the Year and nominate that teacher for this award. Please read the candidate criteria before submitting your nomination.
Candidates must meet the following minimum criteria:
Must be skillful and dedicated teachers in grades kindergarten through 12.
Must be engaged directly in instruction in a classroom setting for more than 70 percent of the individual's contracted time.
Instructional Facilitators must be engaged directly in instruction with students in a classroom setting for more than seventy percent (70%) of the individual’s contracted time to qualify.
Librarians and Guidance Counselors are eligible to participate.
Administrators are not eligible.
This recognition is not tied to the DESE's Arkansas Teacher of the Year or the National Teacher of the Year programs.
Trailblazer Award
The Arkansas Charter School Trailblazer Awards will be presented annually to recognize outstanding schools that are implementing innovative best practices. The schools nominated should be helping "blaze a trail" for charters schools across the State and Nation as they branch out and explore new strategies. Open-enrollment and district-conversion charter schools may be nominated. Nominate your charter school today and tell us about the innovation that's occurring in your schools!
Save the Date for the 2026 Spark Symposium
Join us on May 19th, 2026 at the North Little Rock Event Center for the 2026 Spark Symposium for Charter Schools.
The Spark Symposium is an annual event designed to spark ideas, connections, and growth within the charter school community. Each year, the symposium brings together charter school leaders, educators, and partners for a day of learning, collaboration, and connection.
Attendees can look forward to roundtable discussions, an engaging keynote presentation, talks from expert presenters, and an awards ceremony recognizing standout achievements within the field…Read More
