2025 Spark Symposium
Keynote Speaker
Baruti Kafele
Education Speaker and Consultant at Principal Kafele Consulting, LLC
A highly-regarded urban educator in New Jersey for over twenty years, Principal Baruti Kafele distinguished himself as a master teacher and a transformational school leader. As an elementary school teacher in East Orange, NJ, he was selected as the East Orange School District and Essex County Public Schools Teacher of the Year and New Jersey Teacher of the Year finalist.
As a middle and high school principal, Principal Kafele emerged as a turnaround school leader which included the turnaround of "The Mighty" Newark Tech, which went from a low-performing school in need of improvement to national recognition, including U.S. News and World Report Magazine recognizing it three times as one of America's best high schools and Principal Kafele being awarded the coveted Milken Educator Award.
One of the most sought-after school leadership and classroom equity presenters in America, Principal Kafele is impacting America’s schools! For over 35 years, he has delivered over 3000 conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars and student assemblies. An expert in the area of “attitude transformation,” Principal Kafele is the leading authority for providing effective classroom and school leadership strategies toward closing what he coined, the "Attitude Gap.”
Principal Kafele’s keynote at the Spark Symposium will address a pivotal issue in education today: “Closing the Attitude Gap.” In this thought-provoking session, he will challenge the prevailing notion that the achievement gap is purely academic and instead highlight the crucial role of student attitudes in achieving success. Principal Kafele will argue that the Attitude Gap—the divide between students who are motivated to excel and those who struggle with motivation—plays a significant role in student performance, especially for students facing the greatest challenges.
Whether you are an administrator shaping the vision of your school or an educator working directly with students, Principal Kafele will offer practical strategies to foster an environment that inspires motivation and perseverance. His insights will help you cultivate a school culture that empowers students to engage, pursue excellence, and overcome obstacles. By the end of this engaging session, you will have actionable tools to bridge the divide between students who are motivated to learn and those who need additional support to succeed.
Lunch Panel
Legislative Q&A
We’re excited to offer an engaging legislative Q&A session during lunch at the Spark 2025 Symposium! Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with a panel of experts, including Arkansas legislators, who will provide valuable insights into the latest legislative trends and issues impacting the charter school sector.
Arkansas Senator Jane English
Senator Jane English represents District 13 and has served in the Arkansas Senate since 2013, following two terms in the House of Representatives. She currently chairs the Senate Education Committee and co-chairs the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Hospital, Medicaid, and Developmental Disability Study Subcommittee. In addition to these leadership roles, she serves on several key committees, including Joint Budget, Legislative Joint Auditing, Joint Performance Review, and the Arkansas Legislative Council. She is also a member of the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee, the Senate Efficiency Committee, and several ALC subcommittees including Occupational Licensing Review, Lottery Oversight, and Higher Education.
Arkansas Senator Joshua Bryant
Senator Joshua Bryant represents District 32 and was elected to the Senate in 2022 after serving one term in the House of Representatives. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Joint Budget Committee and the Hospital, Medicaid, and Developmental Disabilities Study Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council. He is also a member of the Senate Education Committee, the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee, the Senate Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs Committee, Joint Performance Review, Legislative Joint Auditing, and the Arkansas Legislative Council. In addition, he serves on multiple budget and ALC subcommittees focused on oversight, rulemaking, and technology.
Arkansas State Representative Keith Brooks
Representative Keith Brooks represents District 78 and is currently serving his third term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. For the 95th General Assembly, he served as Chair of the House Education Committee and as a member of the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative, and Military Affairs Committee.
Arkansas State Representative Brit McKenzie
Representative Brit McKenzie represents District 7 and is currently serving his second term in the House. He serves as Vice Chair of the House Education Committee and is also a member of the House City, County, and Local Affairs Committee.
Event Details
Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
State House Convention Center