Date of Graduation
12-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction (PhD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
Advisor/Mentor
Goering, Christian
Committee Member
Beck, Dennis
Second Committee Member
Endacott, Jason
Keywords
Education Reform; Rural Public School Systems; Arkansas Delta
Abstract
The Educational Exodus examines the efficacy and legacy of education reform in the American South. Through the lens of Arkansas's Marvell/Elaine School District’s “transformation contract” with the Arkansas Department of Education, we explore the effects of past and present education reform models on Southern, rural public-school systems and communities. Located in Phillips County, one of the poorest counties in America, the perennially failing Marvell/Elaine School District is fighting for its future and present against a torrid past, marked by Civil Rights struggles, Civil War battles, school consolidation, the sounds of blues and bluegrass, and the taste of some of the best barbecue on the planet. We examine the conflation of these historical factors that culminated into the present educational system in the Arkansas Delta, and the viability of new school reform solutions. Using interviews, on-site observational footage, archival news sources, photos, and video, this project adopts an ethnographic approach to examining the efficacy and effects of new and old reform models on rural communities in the South. Sparked by the spiking teacher attrition rate, the narrative presents the perspectives of community members, educational professionals, historians, activists, and policy makers to paint a thorough picture of the crisis that is currently facing their educational system. By highlighting the lived experiences of the people and educators in the community, buoyed by statistical analysis, the films provide a more in-depth perspective on this education phenomenon.
Citation
Holliday, M. (2025). The Educational Exodus: Education Reform in the American South. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6075
