The Arkansas Department of Education awarded UCA’s Mashburn Center for Learning a grant worth $280,000.00 for school year 2011-2012 to fund their Arkansas Adolescent Literacy Intervention program.  According to Dr. Mark Cooper, Director of the Mashburn Center for Learning, “This grant makes clear their resolve to maximize success among all learners, especially learners who struggle.”  Dr. Cooper and the Mashburn Center for Learning team are quite pleased to continue the partnership with the ADE.  The failure of struggling learners impacts the individual learner, the learner’s family, and the learner’s community.  Believing that every learner deserves to achieve and succeed, the Arkansas Adolescent Literacy Intervention is designed to help teachers become more effective with all students, particularly struggling learners. It is also designed to help struggling learners work smarter as they work harder.  Currently, approximately 25 Arkansas educators have become Certified Professional Developers in the methodologies used to help science, math, literacy, and history teachers maximize academic success among adolescent learners.  There are 19 additional teachers and instructional specialists completing their certifications within the next year. Co-investigators on the ADE grant include Dr. Patty Kohler-Evans, Associate Professor; Renee Calhoon, Director of Administration and Teacher Development for the Mashburn Institute; and Dr. Kathleen Atkins, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Early Childhood/Special Education..