Fort Smith Public Schools: From Vision to Results
The Background
Fort Smith Public Schools (FSPS) is a large, public school district in Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving approximately 13,500 students across 26 campuses, including 17 elementary schools, four middle schools, and two high schools. As one of the city's largest employers, FSPS has over 2,000 staff members. The student body is highly diverse, with a minority enrollment of about 60-63%. Furthermore, roughly 72% of students are identified as low-income, with over 53% eligible for federal free and reduced-price meals. Approximately 21% of students are English Learners, and 15% are eligible for special education services. FSPS provides education from early childhood through secondary levels, along with specialized career-focused centers.
The Challenge: Building a Model Program
What does it take to move from strong intentions to a truly aligned, data-driven school counseling program that changes student outcomes? For the Fort Smith Public Schools, the answer was in the amazingly dedicated and passionate school counselors who sustained a commitment to developing systems, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Farrell, Executive Director of Student Services, the FSPS Counseling Department developed an award-winning comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program that made a measurable difference for students.
Over the course of a three-year partnership with Hatching Results, Fort Smith Public Schools didn't just strengthen its school counseling program—it made history as the first district in Arkansas to earn the Recognized ASCA Model Program® (RAMP®) designation.
The Solution: A Three Year Partnership
Building the Foundation (Year 1)
The partnership between Fort Smith and Hatching Results started with a commitment to the ASCA National Model® and Hatching Results's Multi-Tiered, Multi-Domain System of Supports (MTMDSS)TM. During the first year, the focus of the professional development was on having school counselors transition from a reactive to a proactive, systems-driven approach by developing mission, vision, and belief statements aligned with district goals; building a comprehensive Tier 1 core curriculum plan, including scope and sequence; creating annual calendars and systems for proactive service delivery; introducing pre/post assessments to begin measuring impact; and establishing SMART goals tied directly to student outcomes, thereby building the foundational structures necessary to sustain this shift.
Strengthening Systems and Practice (Year 2)
The second year of the program focused on school counselors strengthening implementation and deepening alignment, building on the initial foundation. Key efforts included aligning with RAMP expectations, refining SMART goals for consistency across all school sites, and strengthening Tier 2 interventions along with their associated data metrics. The team also established and implemented a data-driven decision-making cycle, creating robust systems for analyzing and sharing results through the development of 1-pagers and “flashlight” presentations. To ensure effective utilization of these systems, the team conducted grade-level consultations and hands-on planning sessions.
Driving Impact Through Data (Year 3)
By year three, the focus of the Fort Smith school counselors shifted from building systems to actively demonstrating the impact of their work. This involved finalizing and implementing Tier 2 Action Plans and Closing-the-Gap projects, developing internal data tracking systems, and collecting, analyzing, and sharing student outcome data. The FSPS school counselors created results reports and stakeholder-facing summaries, using data protocols to evaluate their effectiveness and guide future steps, ultimately proving that their work made a tangible difference for students.
The Results: A Statewide Milestone
"Exciting news! Fort Smith Public Schools is the first district in Arkansas to earn the National RAMP recognition for their outstanding school counseling programs."
— Arkansas Department of Education, February 13, 2023 · View original post
In 2023, four Fort Smith Public Schools (FSPS) became the first in Arkansas to earn the Recognized ASCA Model Program® (RAMP®) designation from the American School Counselor Association. Fort Smith also made history when one of their own school counselors received the 2024 Arkansas School Counselor of the Year®. In addition, Fort Smith Public Schools now have the Arkansas School Counselor Association (ArSCA) president-elect on their staff and many school counselors presenting at state and national conferences.
By setting a clear vision and working together diligently, Fort Smith Public Schools built aligned K–12 systems, clear roles and expectations for school counselors, consistent data-driven practices, and a culture focused on measurable student outcomes. The results of their work are recognized by numerous state and national awards.
RAMP Award Winning Schools:
2023 Recipients: Darby Middle School, Barling Elementary School, Fairview Elementary School, and Woods Elementary School.
2024 Recipients: Cavanaugh Elementary School, Cook Elementary School, and Euper Lane Elementary School.
2025 Recipients: Chaffin Middle School
2026 Addition: Southside High School (the first high school in the state).
Additional State and National Academic Recognition
Arkansas School Recognition Program (2025–2026): Woods Elementary School and Cavanaugh Elementary School were named "Reward Schools" in November 2025. Woods was recognized for performance in the Top 6–10% statewide, while Cavanaugh was honored for academic growth in the Top 6–10%.
Arkansas School Recognition (ASR) Funding: In the 2023–2024 school year, Woods Elementary and Chaffin Middle School received state funding for outstanding student performance.
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ASCA National Model,® Recognized ASCA Model Program® (RAMP®) and School Counselor of the Year® are registered trademarks of the American School Counselor Association. This product or service is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by ASCA.
Why It Matters
Fort Smith’s journey is a powerful reminder: You don’t get transformational results from a one-day training or isolated efforts. You get them from a commitment to build coherent systems, sustained support, and a relentless focus on outcomes. FSPS had dedicated school counselors and supportive district leadership from the start. What changed everything was building the systems that allowed those school counselors to work together, strategically, and with impact.
Looking Ahead
Today, Fort Smith stands as a model—not just in Arkansas, but nationally—for what’s possible when districts invest in comprehensive, data-driven school counseling programs.
And their story continues to inspire other districts asking the same question:
How do we move from doing the work… to making a measurable difference for students?
