Two area educators have been selected among just 30 teachers statewide for the 2026-27 Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship cohort.
James Perry, a fourth-grade math teacher at East Pointe Elementary in Greenwood, and Chelsea Johnson, an eighth-grade math and Algebra I teacher at Mena Middle School, were selected for the nine-month fellowship recognizing some of Arkansas’ highest-performing educators.
Now in its second year, the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship recognizes teachers who receive merit pay through the state’s Merit Teacher Incentive Fund and seeks to increase public awareness of excellence in teaching and educational leadership.
Perry and Johnson will each receive a $1,500 stipend and participate in a series of virtual convenings with fellow educators from across Arkansas. The program is designed to strengthen professional practices, build connections among teachers throughout the state and provide participants with training and support to share their experiences with the public.
The fellowship also seeks to increase awareness of Arkansas’ Merit Teacher Incentive Fund, a LEARNS initiative created to reward outstanding teachers.
Perry and Johnson join educators representing schools and communities across Arkansas in the 30-member 2026-27 fellowship cohort.
For the River Valley and western Arkansas, their selections put two local educators among a small group being recognized statewide for excellence in the classroom and their commitment to students.
