“I would choose to do this again over any other two years in my entire life.”
-ASMSA Alumna
The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (ASMSA) was created by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1991 to establish a public residential high school serving talented and motivated students from throughout the state. When the school first opened in 1993, the focus was on students with a strong interest and aptitude for mathematics and sciences but was expanded in 2003 to include humanities and the arts. Today, the school serves approximately 250 students in grades 10 through 12 and has consistently been recognized as one of the top public high schools in America.
AlumniAt the time of its founding, ASMSA was simply called Arkansas School for Mathematics and Sciences. When ASMSA became part of the University of Arkansas System in 2003 as a result of Act 1305, “fine and performing arts” were added to the school’s original math and science mission, resulting in the school now referred to as Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts.
In the last decade, campus leadership and program stakeholders set about to fulfill the arts mission that had still not yet been fully realized. By 2014, ASMSA had hired its first full-time art instructor, while also expanding the digital arts instructor role to full time. In 2018, ASMSA hired additional instructors in art and music, thus making the Arts Department a fully staffed division of the school.
ASMSA engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors (Boyette) to complete an analysis of the overall impact of the school and its programs and services to enhance understanding of the value and importance to the Hot Springs area and the State of Arkansas. Clearly, the impact of ASMSA goes well beyond the quantifiable data associated with expenditures and employment. To fully understand the impact, this study explores the educational and community development values, as well as the community engagement opportunities offered by ASMSA. By exploring the social and cultural effects that ASMSA has in preparing some of Arkansas’ and the United States’ brightest students for careers in mathematics, sciences, the arts, and beyond, Boyette prepared a comprehensive and holistic impact analysis.
As ASMSA enters its fourth decade of academic excellence, the importance of the visual and performing arts component of the curriculum cannot be overstated. While arts-based programs and student interest in them has grown over the years, faculty and campus leadership are constantly seeking to better meet the needs of students. As a result, a working group of ASMSA faculty and administrators convened during the 2020-21 academic year to create a new visual arts curriculum.
The Program of Distinction, or P.O.D., seeks to connect students with their academic emphasis program of choice. Students in the Visual Arts and Design P.O.D. must still satisfy all the Arkansas Department of Education graduation requirements, as well as the ASMSA Concurrent Core expectations of graduating with at least 30 hours of college credit.
The comprehensive look at the overall impact of ASMSA programs required significant qualitative research, stakeholder engagement, and economic impact modeling. This approach examined and evaluated various factors such as capital investment, employment, labor income, tax implications, and benefits. Boyette has customized the impact analysis around the unique components and assets of ASMSA and its programs. This process models the holistic effects an organization or system has on a specific geography. While examining and evaluating quantifiable economic impact factors, Boyette also considered societal effects such as education and workforce development; student opportunities; media recognition; and public/private partnerships.
Quantitative Research
Construction Investment Impact
Job Creation
State & Local Taxes
Indirect & Induced Impact
Qualitative Research
Primary & Secondary Research
Identification of Contribution Factors
Programmatic Impact
Effects on High-Achieving Students
Analysis of Findings
Written Report
Summary of Secondary Research
Backup Data
Talking Points & Summary Findings
The data utilized for this analysis was provided by ASMSA. The data is based on 2017 – 2021 employment, payroll, operating expenses, and capital investment. The economic impact has been estimated for the effects it will have on the State of Arkansas broadly and Garland County specifically
The economic impact is measured in direct effects, which gauges the change in final demand of directly impacted industries; indirect effects, which captures business-to-business spending; and induced effects, which represents increased household spending. The impact values include payroll generated; contribution to the Gross State Product (GSP) of Arkansas and Gross Regional Product (GRP) for Garland County; state and local tax impact; and total output, which includes the initial investment.
For purposes of this assessment, the following variables were utilized to measure the impact of the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts. It includes employment and payroll, operating expenses, and capital investment for 2017 – 2021. If these data variables remain constant, it could be assumed that the annual impact of ASMSA would be very similar to the findings of impact in a single year from this study.
The following are key findings of this impact analysis:
§ ASMSA had an economic impact of more than $104.4 million in Arkansas between 2017 and 2021, which is 122% above the base investment in the school.
§ This total impact includes an impact on Gross State Product (GSP) of more than $79.2 million at the state level, along with total labor income of $57.6 million.
§ State and local tax impacts total $4.1 million in Arkansas during the study period of 2017 through 2021.
§ ASMSA’s annual employment of approximately 100 over the five-year period supports nearly 200 jobs in Arkansas, which includes supply chain (indirect) and consumer spending (induced) employment.
§ ASMSA has received private gift revenue of more than $1.7 million since 2017.
§ The total impact from ASMSA employment, payroll, and operating expenses exceeded $18.7 million in 2021. Future annual impact would be similar assuming employment and expenses remains steady.
§ The ASMSA five-year economic impact in Garland County exceeds $98.4 million, more than 109% greater than the base funding
§ The impact in Garland County includes growth in the Gross Regional Product (GRP) of $76.1 million, while labor income totaled $56.4 million between 2017 and 2021
§ State and local tax impacts resulting from ASMSA’s presence in Garland County exceeds $3.8 million for the five-year period.
§ Total supported jobs exceeds 180 when measuring the impact of ASMSA’s employment, payroll, and operating expenses.
§ At the county level, the 2021 total impact of employment and expenses was $17.8 million. This outcome can be utilized to estimate future impacts of ASMSA assuming employment and expenses continues at 2021 levels.
§ ASMSA has many partnerships that present opportunities to the City of Hot Springs, the State of Arkansas, and beyond.
“ASMSA brings a real youthfulness to Hot Springs.”-ASMSA Parent
§ ASMSA is one of 17 residential public high schools in the United States. Only 14 states have institutions of this type.
§ The impact of volunteerism in the Hot Springs community from students, faculty, and staff is valued at more than $182,000 per year.
§ The Class of 2022 received $22 million in offered scholarship funds. This is higher than any year in the previous six years.
§ Generally speaking, about 60 percent of graduating seniors attend an Arkansas university, with the remaining 40 percent attending a university out-of-state. More than 35 percent of students enrolled in a University of Arkansas System institution.
§ ASMSA has received more than $300,000 in grants since 2020.
§ Students at ASMSA have been admitted to top colleges and universities across the country, including such respected institutions as Yale University, Dartmouth College, Stanford University, Duke University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
§ The school has been recognized as a top public high school in the United States and in Arkansas by a number of national publications and websites. It has received an A+ grade by Niche.com and has been included on the list of Public Elite schools in The Washington Post and the Jay Matthews Challenge Index.
§ Alumni see ASMSA students as high achieving, with education as a priority. In fact, one said, “All the smartest kids in Arkansas are gathered in one place.”
§ These ASMSA graduates cited several factors that they believe better prepared them for college and their professional careers, including being deep, independent thinkers; greater independence resulting from the residential component; and access to more challenging classes than were available at their home high school.
§ They believe part of the impact of ASMSA extends well beyond the campus to include Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas, because the school “creates productive citizens” in Arkansas, the United States, and the world.
§ Students are described as successful at ASMSA because they have buy-in and want to be there to learn.
§ Faculty and administrators at ASMSA offered a long list of characteristics that make the school unique. Most said it goes beyond academics to include supporting students as they mature, time management, academic capacity, and general preparedness.
§ The depth of academic instruction is also important among the ASMSA team, with one faculty member saying that students do research projects, not science projects. They also benefit from the cross connections in the curriculum, including research that is similar to Master’s level work.
“I’m surrounded by people that want to be here – both students and staff.”-ASMSA Faculty
§ ASMSA faculty also work with other educators across the state to allow districts to expand their curriculum into areas that may not have previously been possible.
§ In general, ASMSA students are viewed as self-regulating and tolerant of others. As a result, disciplinary issues are a rarity for students. Because of this, instructors believe they have more freedom to teach their subjects instead of dealing with disciplinary cases.
§ Parents of ASMSA students believe the residential component at the school is very important for their children’s formative years, saying it “springboards them into life.”
§ They also appreciate the challenging curriculum and the fact that students want to learn, which creates a better environment in the classroom for high achieving students. Additionally, parents praised the early college mindset of ASMSA, saying it provides children with an unlimited future.
§ ASMSA parents believe the school raises the bar academically, challenging students to assimilate information and think critically, rather than just reciting information.
§ Parents also suggested that ASMSA students are more diverse in their personalities. One parent said that while all are academically motivated, some are adventure seekers, while others want to break out of the status quo.
§ Another factor that was important to parents was the fact that this kind of quality education is available to Arkansas students at virtually no cost. Some said the school offers opportunities to everyone, unlike private schools where families have to be financially able to pay the costs involved.
§ ASMSA has been open long enough to now have alumni who have children enrolled at the school. One said he thought his son made the choice to enroll at ASMSA partly because his father attended the school, but also because his father’s friends from ASMSA all have good jobs and have been very successful.
The ASMSA annual employment, payroll, and expenses were modeled to determine overall economic impact from 2017 through 2021. All of the measures included in this impact are expected to remain constant or increase in the coming years, which will result in an ongoing annual impact similar to or greater than the impact of 2021 employment and expenditures. The table below provides an overview of the aggregated impact that includes employment and payroll; capital investment; and operating expenses. Details of the impact for the State of Arkansas and for Garland County follow.
The aggregated five-year employment and expenditures resulted in a total impact of more than $104 million in Arkansas. This impact is based on the 2017 - 2021 employment, payroll, and capital investment. The impact includes an increase in the Gross State Product (GSP) of more than $79 million in the state. Total labor income is almost $58 million statewide. The employment and expenditures result in state and local taxes of nearly $4.1 million.
Employment and expenditures by ASMSA from 2017 to 2021 resulted in a total impact of $98.4 million in Garland County. The impact includes an increase in the Gross Regional Product (GRP) of more than $76 million in the county. Total labor income is more than $56 million in the county. The employment and expenditures result in state and local taxes of more than $3.8 million when measuring impact in Garland County.
Garland County
Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts
Total Impact
(Includes Employment, Payroll, Annual Expenses, & Capital Expenses for 2017 - 2021)
The general operations of ASMSA based on employment, payroll, and operating expenses result in a total impact of nearly $87.4 million in Arkansas. This includes labor income of more than $53 million and an increase in the state economy of more than $72 million.
The same economic activity resulted in a total impact of $18.7 million for a single year – 2021. If employment and expenditures remain consistent, it is likely that ASMSA would continue to generate an annual impact of approximately $19 million in Arkansas.
The five-year impact of employment and expenditures generated a total impact of nearly $83 million in Garland County. That impact includes labor income of more than $52 million for the county, based on total employment ranging from 93 to 99 employees. The employment and operating expenses result in a contribution to the county GRP of almost $70 million.
The 2021 total impact from ASMSA employment and expenditures is nearly $18 million in Garland County. As referenced above, this annual impact would provide a reasonable approximation of annual impact in the future assuming employment and expenditures at ASMSA remain stable.
ASMSA has made capital investments in each of the last five years, including $4.46 million in 2021. The five-year aggregated investment totaled approximately $9.4 million. Capital projects have always posed challenges for ASMSA since the school does not receive local millage support, nor does the Arkansas General Assembly appropriate capital funds for institutions of higher education. Over this period, the school developed a system to prioritize annual funding toward capital needs that would facilitate projects without issuing bonded debt service
ASMSA’s five-year capital investment total had an impact of more than $17 million in the State of Arkansas. This impact includes labor income of more than $4.3 million and an increase in GSP of almost $7 million at the state level.
Considering the impact of the same capital investment in Garland County, the total impact is $15.6 million, with 93 supported jobs. This results in labor income of nearly $4.6 million and an increase in GRP of $6.8 million.
State and local taxes generated as a result of ASMSA employment and operating expenses in Hot Springs total more than $3.4 million when measured at the state level, compared to nearly $3.2 million when using Garland County as the geography.
Capital investment from 2017 through 2021 results in a total state and local tax impact of $740,744 when measuring at the state level and $675,434 at the county level.
Between 2017 and 2021, ASMSA continued investing in its legislated arts missions by adding faculty and growing programs. As a result, nearly onequarter of students now participate in the music program.
ASMSA has built a robust system of student engagement activities. A few examples are listed here:
Residential Experience
ASMSA’s residential experience offers high school enrollment for approximately 250 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students. Housing, standard tuition, meals, and books are provided at no additional cost. Families pay a maximum of $850 per year for concurrent enrollment tuition and program assessments (yearbook, laundry, parents association, etc.)
STEM Pathways
Over 3,300 students and educators in Arkansas benefit from this hybrid educator development and digital learning initiative. STEM Pathways is aimed at building capacity of teachers across Arkansas while ensuring students receive access to AP coursework they otherwise might not receive at their public schools.
Student Success Framework
ASMSA’s proprietary Student Success Framework has specialized the roles of its guidance counselor support team to ensure ASMSA students have access to resources that maximize experiences and position them for success The Office of Student Success and Scholar Development includes seven total professionals for a student body of approximately 250 students (~1:36 ratio).
Student Success Coordinators
SSCs provide traditional academic advising, promote study skills, assist students in their academic pursuits, and provide intervention when necessary. SSCs don’t work in classrooms like individual faculty members, rather they work with individuals across classes and the residential experience when students face challenges. The SSC position also develops personalized learning plans and academic profiles for their students.
HELIX Prep Academy
HELIX (Helping Elevate Low-Income Students to Excellence) is a pilot program for early enrolling sophomores from challenging economic situations. The sophomore year experience focuses on various classroom and residential experiences that better prepare students for the traditional “early college” experience at ASMSA in their junior and senior year.1
Capstone Program
Since ASMSA’s founding in 1993, research has been a central component of the school’s curriculum. In order to graduate, every ASMSA student must complete a formal capstone project in one of the following fields:
Mathematical Modeling, Physical Sciences Seminar, Integrated Computer Science (1 and 2), Life Sciences, Engineering Design, Fine Art/Design, Humanities, Music Theory, and Creative Writing. 2
Global Learning Program
This educational travel program supports more than 60 students and faculty each year and includes traditional experiences in Europe that explore art and culture, research excursions in Central America, and exchange programs with Japanese public schools 3
Research in the Park RIP is a service-learning course offered to ASMSA students through a partnership with the Hot Springs National Park. Students serve as both park volunteers, as well as independent researchers gathering data to address research questions pertaining to the natural, historical, or cultural resources of the park. 4
Athletics
Intramural versions of soccer, football, and ultimate Frisbee are played on campus at ASMSA. In addition, through a special partnership with Hot Springs High School, ASMSA students are allowed to play on HSHS soccer, softball, football, golf, track, and basketball teams. This affords students the ability to attend the school without giving up their athletic pursuits 5
The following is a summary of student enrollment trends at ASMSA:
* Initial enrollment was impacted by space available from campus COVID-19 protocols, a larger previous class, as well as balancing class sizes for future enrollment growth beginning in the 2022-23 academic year.
Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, ASMSA partnered with local non-profits and other organizations in the Hot Springs community to perform service learning experiences, a required volunteer program for all ASMSA seniors. There are plans to continue this program going forward. In the program’s absence, however, the school has not slowed their student volunteerism. Many registered student groups on campus perform voluntary service in the community.
“The school not only changed my life but changed my family’s life.”
In addition to the registered student organizations volunteering on their own accord, ASMSA hosts an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Students walk in the Hot Springs MLK Day Parade, volunteer at various organizations and locations, and clean up park sites in and around the City of Hot Springs.
The actual value of this volunteer work can be measured in a variety of ways, and one of the ways Boyette quantifies this figure is by utilizing IndependentSector.org, an organization devoted to determining the dollar value of a single volunteer hour by state.
For 2021 (the latest year available), Arkansas’ dollar value of a single volunteer hour is $23.79.6 The Arkansas School for Math, Sciences, and the Arts averages about 7,680 volunteer hours a year. This quantifies to an average of $182,707 worth of volunteer work in a single year by ASMSA.
ASMSA relies on private giving and grants to extend the effects of public funding for programs, services, and facilities. In the last five years, ASMSA has received public and grant funding totaling $2.6 million. Gifts are made to and managed by the University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc.
The following list of giving trends and grants highlights the key role that private philanthropy and support offer in advancing ASMSA’s mission and promoting innovation with the school.
Increases in giving reflect a more institutional approach to external support, which also includes endowed accounts totaling more than half a million dollars.
“The ethos is all about independent thought and critical thinking.”
-ASMSA Alumna
Fiscal Year 2023
Windgate Foundation $25,000
Blue & You Foundation $1,200
Arvest Bank $10,000
Other – COVID Related $1,000
Total Grants $45,200
Though not public-private partnerships, the partnerships listed below are important to ASMSA’s offerings in advancing high-quality educational curricula to Arkansas’ brightest students:
§ UA System: ASMSA joined the University of Arkansas System in 2004. It is the only high school in the UA System 7 The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith serves as ASMSA’s concurrent credit partner. ASMSA offers more than 70 college credit courses through this collaboration, potentially saving families upwards of $14,000 in tuition. All ASMSA students earn a minimum of 30 hours of college credit. Recent graduates have averaged 50 hours (more than three semesters).
§ Arkansas Department of Education: ADE awards ASMSA an annual $500,000 distance learning grant for the STEM Pathways program. The STEM Pathways program serves more than 3,000 students and educators statewide per year.
§ Hot Springs-Hanamaki Sister City Program: ASMSA’s Japanese language learning opportunities are a direct result of the Sister City partnerships with the City of Hanamaki Japan. ASMSA is the only high school in the state to offer local Japanese language instruction.8
§ National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools: Established in 1988, the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS) represents many of the top-ranked programs in the U.S. and around the globe committed to transforming science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education through schoolwide initiatives that include authentic research or project-based learning.9 The NCSSS now includes approximately 100 member high schools and 55 affiliate and associate members located in 32 states and four countries. ASMSA is actively involved in NCSSS programming, campus leadership continues to engage in NCSSS governance, and the school has hosted various NCSSS workshops over the years.
§ Arts Schools Network: Founded in 1981, ASN is a non-profit aiming to inspire student leaders in K-16 arts schools by providing quality resources, support, and networking opportunities to elevate their respective institutions. Members of ASN collectively creative future artists by convening with peers and representatives from relevant industries. ASMSA’s engagement with ASN is relatively recent addition, serving as a complementary national connection to NCSSS.
-ASMSA Faculty
-ASMSA Alumni
“I get to make a difference in their lives on a very personal level.”
§ Workshops: ASMSA also hosts a large variety of events and workshops. The High School Hack is a “capture the flag” style competition that introduces students to computer networking and cybersecurity in an accessible way. In addition, ASMSA has partnered with the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas to host a Computer Science Equity Summit. ASMSA has offered ACT training workshops for educators, Praxis examination practice sessions, lab skills training for teachers, and gatherings on a variety of subjects.
§ Athletics: Thanks to a partnership with Hot Springs High School, students at ASMSA don’t have to sacrifice playing their favorite sports when they enroll at ASMSA. HSHS allows students to play on their soccer, softball, football, golf, track, swimming, bowling, tennis, and basketball teams
Educator Development Programs: ASMSA offers a hybrid digital learning and professional development program that builds the capacity of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers across the state. This year alone, the STEM Pathways initiative is serving more than 3,300 students and teachers. Support programs are currently offered in Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, AP Statistics, and AP Computer Science, as well as other high school level computer science courses. ASMSA’s history of and engagement with distance learning extends back to 1999; nearly half of the state’s recently licensed computer science teachers have received training and support through the program. 10
“They come here with a seriousness of purpose that is uncommon. They’re ambitious and they want to be challenged and discover the best version of themselves.”
Out-of-School Enrichment Programs: ASMSA offers a variety of free out-of-school enrichment programs for middle and early high school students. Saturday programs and workshops introduce students to topics across a variety of subjects. One-week summer camps are a more immersive experience tailored to help prospective students explore ASMSA and the residential program.
Use of Campus Facilities: ASMSA allows community groups and nonprofit organizations to use campus classrooms and facilities. Beyond traditional classroom and meeting spaces, the availability of the Oaklawn Foundation Community Center in the Creativity and Innovation Complex provides space for larger gatherings.
-ASMSA Faculty
Throughout its history, ASMSA has been recognized as a top public high school. Additionally, ASMSA students are often awarded for their academic performance. Examples of the student recognition can be found in the Student Profile section of this report.
Regional and national news coverage of the school often accompanies the recognition it has received, along with other local and statewide articles related to a variety of campus activities. For example, Director Corey Alderdice was featured on the cover of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Sunday “High Profile” section in August 2022.11
ASMSA has been ranked as a top public high school by publications such as The Washington Post, Newsweek, and The Daily Beast. 12 Niche.com, an online tool for helping students and families find schools and colleges that fit their needs, currently has ASMSA ranked as the number one public school in Arkansas with a grade of A+. Other Niche.com lists that recognize ASMSA include Best Public High Schools in America, Best College Prep Public High Schools in America, and Best High Schools for STEM in America. The site grades schools on academics, diversity, teachers, college prep, clubs and activities, administration, sports, food, and resources and facilities. ASMSA received A’s in every category except sports. 13
The Jay Mathews Challenge Index, developed by an educational columnist for The Washington Post, has recognized ASMSA several times over the years. The index was created in 1998 to recognize schools that challenge average students. It is published in both The Washington Post and Newsweek magazine. In addition to being ranked by the index, ASMSA has also been included in the Public Elite list of the top 29 schools nationwide.14
A commitment to innovation is part of ASMSA’s mission and goals for learning. Study.com has ranked ASMSA among the nation’s Top 30 most innovative high school STEM programs. ASMSA’s Coding Arkansas’ Future initiative was recognized as an inaugural honoree by Code.org's “Champions of Computer Science” awards as well as the National Consortium of Secondary STEM School’s “Innovative STEM Student Program” award. The Research in the Park Program has also been honored by NCSSS as an Innovative Partnership, and the group received the George and Helen Hartzog award for Youth Volunteerism by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Groups nationwide are taking notice of the amazing things happening at ASMSA as well as the school's national leadership in STEM education.
The student body at ASMSA comes from all over Arkansas, representing 68 of the state’s 75 counties based on five-year admissions for the classes of 2019 to 2024. Its demographic profile reflects the diversity, economic status, and first-generation college students of Arkansas.
When measuring the qualitative impact of ASMSA, it’s vitally important to consider the various outcome metrics of a high-performing school and its student body. The following data points illustrate these student outcomes:
§ Amherst College
§ Baylor University
§ Boston College
§ Boston University
§ Bowdoin College
§ Brandeis University
§ Carelton College
§ Carnegie Mellon University
§ Case Western Reserve University
§ Centre College
§ Colby College
§ Colorado College
§ Colorado School of Mines
§ Columbia University
§ Cornell University
§ Culinary Institute of America
§ Dartmouth College
§ Davidson College
§ DePaul University
§ Drexel University
§ Duke University
§ Emory University
§ Furman University
§ Georgetown University
§ Georgia Institute of Technology
§ Grinnell College
§ Haverford College
§ Hendrix College
§ Howard University
§ Louisiana State University
§ Loyola University Chicago
§ Massachusetts Institute of Technology
§ Middlebury College
§ New York University
§ Northeastern University
§ Northwestern University
§ Oberlin College
§ Pennsylvania State University
§ Pomona College
§ Princeton University
§ Rice University
§ Rochester Institute of Technology
§ Saint Louis University
§ Savannah College of Art and Design
§ School of the Art Institute of Chicago
§ Southern Methodist University
§ Stanford University
§ Texas A&M University
§ Tufts University
§ Tulane University
§ United States Air Force Academy
§ United States Coast Guard Academy
§ University of Arkansas
§ University of California – Los Angeles
§ University of Chicago
§ University of Florida
§ University of Michigan
§ University of North Carolina
§ University of Notre Dame
§ University of Pennsylvania
§ University of Richmond
§ University of Texas
§ University of Virginia
§ University of Wisconsin
§ Vanderbilt University
§ Vassar College
§ Washington University
§ Washington and Lee University
§ Yale University
The list of college acceptances for ASMSA student reflects the high quality of the school’s academic programs and the success of its students. Half of students who apply to attend either a Top 50 National University or Top 25 Liberal Arts College gain admission to these highly selective and prestigious institutions of higher learning. Additionally, ASMSA students who have focused on the
arts have been admitted to top arts institutions like Savannah College of Art and Design and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Note that this is not an exhaustive list of college acceptances.
ASMSA students routinely receive recognition for their demonstrated academic performance and leadership. Below is a list of some of those awards and honors, but it is not an exhaustive list.
§ National Merit Finalists
§ Governor’s Distinguished Scholarships
§ U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates
§ Arkansas Times Academic All-Stars
§ University of Arkansas Honors Fellows
§ Arkansas Governor’s School Participants
§ Arkansas Model U.N. Conference
§ Congressional Art Competition Winner
§ Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Competitors
§ Quiz Bowl State All-Stars
§ Thea Scholarship Recipients
§ Muses’ Vocal Arts Apprentice Program Participants
§ FBLA National Competition
§ Arkansas Computer Science Students of Distinction
§ All-State Concert Band Members
§ Arkansas Boy’s State and Girl’s State Attendees
§ Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars
§ Arkansas Chemistry Olympiad Competitors
§ JOLT Hackathon Competitors
Boyette collected input from selected stakeholders as a way to help quantify the impact of ASMSA that can’t be measured in economic data. Alumni, administrators, faculty, and parents were interviewed either individually or as a group. The following is a summary of the findings:
In order to fully quantify the far-reaching impact that ASMSA has, it was important for Boyette to interview alumni to better understand their experience before, during, and after enrollment at ASMSA.
What makes ASMSA special?
§ All the smartest kids in the state of Arkansas are gathered in one place
§ The fact that it’s equitable. Anybody from the state, regardless of background, has equal access.
§ Standards for instructors are very high, with all holding Master’s degrees and/or Ph.D.’s
§ College-like atmosphere. Many reported ASMSA was harder than their first years of college.
§ Quality of instruction is very high.
§ Size of the school creates an intimate setting for students.
§ Provided the opportunity for alumni to “start my life”
§ All students are high-achieving and prioritize education.
§ Teachers and faculty put in the extra time to make sure their students are getting what they need.
§ Resources the school has available far exceed that of a normal Arkansas public school.
§ Students actually get the support they need
§ Teachers are more like college professors than public high-school teachers
§ Labs are well-funded.
How did ASMSA prepare you for college and/or your future career?
§ Time management
§ The ability to think deeply
§ Encouraging students to become independent, free thinkers
§ Early self-actualization
§ Accountability and responsibility
§ Changed what one alumnus thought he wanted to do in college by instilling in him a love of math and, thus, engineering
§ Very thankful for the opportunity to play sports at Hot Springs High School
§ Feels like they got the “complete experience” by enrolling in a residential school
§ First time being away from home forces one to practically become an adult sooner than traditional public school students
§ Learned how to use a credit card
§ Immense feeling of freedom
§ “The school not only changed my life but changed my family’s life. My mom went to college when I went to college. She now lives in [city] with me today. Because of my success, she was inspired to achieve success, too. It totally changed the trajectory of everyone’s lives in my family.”
§ Having access to classes not taught in hometown school – multi-variable calculus, collegelevel Physics I and II
§ Having a low socioeconomic status with no car, Hot Springs’ walkable downtown improved his social life
§ “I socially bloomed.”
What was the deciding factor in your decision to go to school at ASMSA?
§ Science labs were conducting actual scientific research with state-of-the-art equipment
§ Computer labs had the latest available computer technology
§ Many interviewees reported wanting to leave their respective hometowns as soon as possible
§ Wanted to study computer science
If you could turn back time, would you choose to go to ASMSA again?
§ All interviewees reported they would.
§ “I would choose to do this again over any other two years in my entire life.”
How is the ASMSA experience different from other Arkansas high school experiences?
§ The artificial social hierarchy that exists in so many high schools for 16- to 18-year-olds doesn’t exist at ASMSA. This lack of hierarchy is antithetical in preparing someone for the real world or college.
§ Isn’t just about academics
§ The ethos is all about independent thought and critical thinking. Students are encouraged to question orthodoxy and the status quo.
§ Students aren’t thought of as animals to be corralled; rather they are treated like adults
§ Students had more freedom both academically and socially.
Other than students or faculty directly, who is impacted by ASMSA?
§ ASMSA has brought on a huge difference to downtown Hot Springs by hosting hundreds of young residents in a previously abandoned building.
§ It is a nationally recognized top-ranking school that is a great asset for both Arkansas and Hot Springs
§ Helps create productive citizens in Arkansas, the US, and the world.
§ Effects are felt in a variety industries – whether it’s academia, private sector, or public sector.
§ Academically speaking, no school in the state can compare
§ All of the businesses in downtown within walking distance: the Arlington, pizza shops, retail stores, parks, etc
§ Lots of students go on to Ivy League schools and have thus become great stewards, promotors, and ambassadors of Arkansas.
§ “The school is so unique, and Arkansas is so lucky to have it. The concept of a public boarding school is really awesome and unlike anything on the left or right coasts.”
§ “The school is great for the reputation of a state that doesn’t get a lot of good press.”
Where do you see ASMSA five years from now?
§ Would like to continue on its current trajectory
§ More scholarships
§ More programs
§ Younger leadership
§ The incorporation and evolution of the UA System partnership should continue.
Do you have any thoughts on the addition of the arts?
§ Humanities were always a big part of the school, but never took a formal art or music class
§ “After the addition of the arts, what else is left?”
§ Rounds out the student body and changes, a bit, the type of student that is attracted to the school
What makes ASMSA special?
§ “Beyond academics – children that come here find their people, find their community that they identify with, that they can grow into, that helps them mature, that allows them to be themselves. That’s the most lasting impact.”
§ “Scale helps make us special in that we can get bigger, but we are at the point where each faculty can get to know the students individually beyond the surface level. This allows them to go above and beyond. This is seen as the norm – not an anomaly. The same can be said about the staff. It’s a wonderful place to work because of its size, we can work closely together to administer positive impacts across campus to all our students.
§ High percentage of students that go on to get Master’s degrees
§ Cross connections in curriculum, including research that is often at the Master’s level
§ It’s not uncommon for students to thank the teachers for preparing them for college in a level that they would not have gotten elsewhere.
§ Students learn time management, emotional maturity, academic capacity, and general preparedness
§ Unique student body from all over the state, different backgrounds and POV.
§ Different classes that one might not get at a normal high school experience (ex: Infectious Diseases Throughout History, which is an interdisciplinary history and biology course)
§ Residential and college prep aspects
§ Kids often say “you’re so much better than my teacher back home ”
§ Research projects, not science projects
§ Kids know and understand that learning is so important
§ Faculty. Teachers love the idea of working with students for the STEM Pathways program
§ An environment where faculty is encouraged to bounce ideas off each other
§ They learn to thrive as human beings and no matter the vehicle, these students grow and thrive here
§ “I came from a university setting, and this school has ruined me for any other regular public school. I don’t have to deal with the typical public-school stuff. I’m surrounded by people that want to be here – both students and staff. The support staff are wonderful. You’re not going to get this in another public school.”
§ Faculty autonomy: Teachers are free to teach how they see fit.
§ “It feels like community college again. Being in contact with students and staff constantly, we’re able to collaborate and build relationships in a strong way. This makes for a great environment for students. Creative and new ways to train our students are encouraged.”
§ “I have nightmares about teaching anywhere else.”
§ While working at another public school, at the end of the year, this instructor would realize that his students hadn’t learned anything because he was too busy dealing with discipline and breaking up fights. Students had to be corralled before they could be taught. Students here are focused on learning. He is able to actually teach and deliver learning materials. They want to learn, so it makes his job much more enjoyable. “It’s spoiled me.”
§ “I feel respected here, not like a babysitter.”
§ “A student’s phone went off in class the other day – he quickly looked at it, silenced, and put it away. This would not have happened in other schools. I hear from teachers that phone management is a huge part of their days.”
§ Students, parents, and teachers all have perfect buy-in.
§ They typically have very accepting and tolerable personalities.
§ The kids want to be at ASMSA.
§ Not dealing with weapons or fights or general bad stuff
§ “We’ve created a culture where it is not a competition to them. We don’t even rank our students. They tend to pull each other forward and pull each other up. They come here with a seriousness of purpose that is uncommon. They aspire. They’re ambitious and they want to be challenged and discover the best version of themselves.”
§ “The college prep for academics, but also for the living and learning aspect. They have to live with someone on campus. They go to college better prepared for those interpersonal relationships that most kids struggle with their first year in college. They go in better prepared to deal with conflict, personalities. They generally have a very accepting personality anyway. They give people a chance.”
§ “I came from a university setting, so ASMSA was my first foray into a public high school. I won’t be willing to go to another public high school. The kids want to be here. We have few behavioral issues. We deal with stuff like being late to class or not cleaning their room. We don’t deal with weapons or fights. I get to make a difference in their lives on a very personal level. I’m surrounded by people who want to help. It’s not just collaborative for the kids but also for the staff.”
§ “Kids who were bullied at their home school are often the most popular kids here. Students are very accepting of each other. Personality differences are simply accepted, and as a result, kids that come to our school don’t get bullied and are free to be themselves.”
“Creative and new ways to train our students are encouraged.”
-ASMSA Faculty
-ASMSA Alumni
Beyond students and families, who is impacted by ASMSA?
§ Central Avenue historic district businesses
§ Dominos – students spend a lot of money on pizza. General food industry in Hot Springs because dinner is served at 5:30. So between the hours of 7 pm and 10 pm students want additional food. Doesn’t matter how good the food is, the kids will want something else.
§ Outside organizations we work with, such as Hot Springs National Park.
§ Students inspire other people.
What is the nature of the relationship with the City of Hot Springs?
§ Community is generally mixed about ASMSA. Many on historic row offer 10% discount on their retail. The further out you go, the less likely people even know they exist. The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce is happy knowing the financial impact of ASMSA. Same with high-ranking city officials. It’s yet another attraction for Hot Springs.
§ “Despite our marketing efforts, it’s amazing that many in the state don’t even know the school exists.”
§ Several staff members are involved in city-wide service organizations – like Rotary Club and Leadership Hot Springs – and nobody has anything bad to say. Most times people are interested and asking questions.
Where do you see ASMSA five years from now?
§ “Broadly speaking, continuously considering different types of programming and how to reach students. We just started admitting sophomores.”
§ Discussions of possible virtual program.
§ Would like to have another 50 or 60 students on campus, with current capacity at 250.
§ With the hospital coming down soon, we will be constantly thinking about more housing and facilities planning. We see the school being able to expand current offerings, as well as increase student enrollment, with expansion of the campus.
§ “I hope it continues to grow, touch lives, and create amazing opportunities for all the various groups it serves. In my nine years the school has expanded and added programs, moving from an old digital learning model to a new teacher training model. We will continue to rise and find needs and meet them.”
How do students contribute to the Hot Springs community?
§ Before COVID, ASMSA had senior work service with non-profits, museums, etc. Haven’t started it up again, but there are student groups that volunteer: National Honor Society, Beta Club, etc.
§ MLK Day of Service
§ Lots of impact to teachers across the state – STEM Pathways
§ Computer science program that Gov. Hutchinson developed would not have been possible without the teaching staff at ASMSA.
§ Working with Hot Springs High School on athletics
§ Training institute for research for undergrads
§ Many students make a club to follow their interests, and do the volunteer work without being required
Why were the arts added to the school’s curriculum several years ago?
§ Was informally part of the school prior to an official change made by then Governor Mike Huckabee
§ Hired music instructors and as a result the music program has become the envy of music directors statewide
§ “So many of our students have immense art talent. So many carry around sketch books. All the teachers seem to be very enthused about the addition of the arts curricula.”
§ “We’ve lost quite a few kids in the past by not having a robust band or art program, but now we’re starting to see a positive change in the type of student we’re getting.”
What makes ASMSA special?
§ Difference in the culture of their home school and ASMSA At ASMSA everybody cares and so does he. A niece who also attended ASMSA said, looking back, the graduates from her home school are in difficult situations while her classmates from ASMSA are in great situations.
§ Daughter was bored. She skipped a couple grades because she was too smart and bored. One of her teachers in 3rd grade told the parent that the only place for her was ASMSA.
§ “You are the five people you’re with the most.” This is one of the most important things for your kids in their formative years. It springboards them into life.
Why did you choose ASMSA for your child?
§ It’s seen as the smart school. Only academically inclined students go there. Totally different mindset.
§ Son was ADD and dyslexic and wondered whether he could handle the rigor of the school. For him it was a lot more transformative than the daughter, who was already on a high achievement path.
§ When son was in 2nd grade and having so many problems, parents would cry at PTO meetings, but when he was able to perform right alongside the highest achieving students in the entire state, it’s really a great experience for them. Totally blew them away. Didn’t expect them to be set up to deal with disability to the level in which they did. Completely changed his life.
What do they get at ASMSA that they couldn't get at their home high school?
§ Uninterrupted classes and an environment that everyone wants to learn. Now the child has to do work that challenges her and she’s earning towards something bigger (college).
§ “It’s all about environment. Everyone wants to learn and that’s what makes the difference.”
§ Daughter went to one of the top elementary schools in the country (in Hot Springs) and when she got to middle school, kids were throwing chairs and having discipline problems constantly. Very surprised by this given the school is one of the top performers in the state.
How are ASMSA students different from other AR high school students?
§ Prepares the students in a way that they can be independent. ASMSA is like training to succeed beyond high school. Diverse in skills.
§ “Kids have an unlimited future at ASMSA. But when she got out of ASMSA, she went straight to university and was seeing a whole different world. She took a gap year in Germany with another ASMSA student as juniors with all expenses paid. Now she’s in Fayetteville with a fullride scholarship ”
§ A real springboard. ASMSA is geared toward college. The school expects that.
§ One student in the daughter’s class went to the Peace Corps right after graduation.
How did you feel about the boarding aspect when considering ASMSA?
§ “It was easy for us. My daughter was always like a little adult.”
§ “My daughter started at 13 so it was a little harder for us. ”
Who is impacted by ASMSA?
§ Brings a lifeblood to downtown. The community is considered by some to be a retirement community, so ASMSA brings a real youthfulness to Hot Springs
§ Most teachers here are from other cities, almost more like a college professor type model. New people all the time coming in.
Do you have other children? Will/Did they attend ASMSA?
§ Has 5th grader and wants him to go to ASMSA, but he currently wants to do his own thing.
§ When they’re interviewing for acceptance, one of the questions administration is trying to determine is whether it’s the student who wants to go or is it the parents wanting them to go.
Were either of your students particularly drawn to the arts piece?
§ “Yes, that’s the only thing my daughter was interested in. She’s always loved to write. She wants to be an author or journalist. She’s into Spanish even though she is French. So, she is bi-literate and bi-lingual. That’s her main focus.”
§ Son was an engineering type, daughter is an artist. She’s also fluent in four languages and learning a couple more. Art was never seen as a career path, but it is seen as an intellectual path. She took computer components – took some chicken wire and built a person-like robot that ended up being on display in the Governor’s mansion.
“ASMSA is like training to succeed beyond high school.”
-ASMSA Parent
-ASMSA Alumni
1. Capital
Capital is expenses paid by industries and establishments to obtain capital equipment and complete construction.
A commodity is a product or service. It may be produced by one or by many industries. Commodity output represents the total output of the product or service, regardless of the industry that produced it. If an industry and the commodity produced by the industry have the same name, the commodity is considered to be the primary product of that industry. Any other commodity produced by that industry is a secondary product of that industry.
Direct effects measure the change in final demand of directly impacted industries. It is a series (or single) of production changes or expenses made by producers/consumers as a result of an activity or policy.
Economic Impact Modeling is software, data or a technique that allows for tracing spending through an economy and measuring the collective effects of that spending. The need for an economic impact analysis is normally triggered by an economic event, catastrophe, change in government policy, justification for funding, or as needed for planning.
Employee Compensation in IMPLAN is the total payroll cost of the employee paid by the employer. This includes wage and salary, all benefits (e.g., health, retirement) and payroll taxes (both sides of social security, unemployment taxes, etc.).
6.
The year that changes in Final Demand occur.
7.
GDP by industry is the contribution of each private industry and of government to the national output, or GDP. An industry's GDP, or its "value added," is equal to its gross output (which consists of sales or receipts and other operating income, commodity taxes, and inventory change) minus its intermediate
inputs (which consist of energy, raw materials, semi-finished goods, and services that are purchased from domestic industries or from foreign sources). It can also be measured as the sum of incomes related to production, such as wages and salary accruals and gross operating surplus. GRP measures the same components at the regional, rather than the national, level.
General sales taxes consist of all general taxes levied at one stage only (e.g. manufacturing or wholesale or retail) plus multi-stage cumulative taxes (also known as cascade taxes) where tax is levied each time a transaction takes place without any deduction for tax paid on inputs.
IMPLAN’s current sector scheme includes 536 sectors based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ latest Benchmark Input-Output Study. This scheme is similar to a six-digit NAICS for manufacturing sectors, but is more aggregated for service sectors.
A type of applied economic analysis that tracks the interdependence among various producing and consuming sectors of an economy. It measures the relationship between a given set of demands for final goods and services and the inputs required to satisfy those demands.
The impact of business-to-business spending that occurs when local industries buy goods and services from other local industries.
The response by an economy to an initial change (direct effect) that occurs through consumer spending of employment income. This recognizes that labor income (employee compensation and proprietor income components of value added) is recirculated through household spending, causing further local economic activity.
Purchases of non-durable goods and services such as energy, materials, and purchased services that are used for the production of other goods and services rather than for final consumption. These inputs are sometimes referred to as current-account expenditures. They do not include any capital-account purchases, nor do they include the inputs from the primary factors of production (capital and labor) that are components of value added.
All forms of employment income, including Employee Compensation (wages and benefits) and Proprietor Income.
The amount purchases of goods and services that are made within the defined analysis geography (Study Area).
Total production requirements within the Study Area for every unit of production sold to Final Demand. Multipliers may be constructed for output, employment, and every component of Value Added.
North American Industry Classification System. A system of industrial classification developed and used by the United States, Canada, and Mexico for grouping establishments by similarity of production process.
Output represents the value of industry production. These are annual production estimates for the year of the data set and are in producer prices. For manufacturers this would be sales plus/minus change in inventory. For service sectors production = sales. For Retail and wholesale trade, output = gross margin and not gross sales. For further detail, please see the Output Illustration at the end of this glossary.
National income and product accounts final-demand component for purchases by the household sector. In addition to showing what households spend, it also includes the current operating expenses of nonprofits that primarily serve households.
Taxes that are generally imposed by state and local governments as a percentage of the commodity's price. General sales taxes are typically shown separately on sales receipts and are typically levied as a standard percentage of the commodity's price. They include sales taxes collected by retail establishments, by wholesalers, and by service establishments. Selective sales taxes are imposed on a specific commodity at a percentage that differs from that of the general sales tax. They include taxes on motor fuels, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, public utilities, meals, hotel occupancy, and amusements.
A set of annually derived values for a Study Area that show its non-industry transactions (payments made between households and households, households and governments, etc.).
This component includes sales and excise taxes, customs duties, property taxes, motor vehicle licenses, severance taxes, other taxes, and special assessments. It excludes most non-tax payments, and as the name indicates, subsidies are netted out.
The difference between an industry's or an establishment's total output and the cost of its intermediate inputs, value added consists of compensation of employees, taxes on production and imports less subsidies and gross operating surplus. Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP/GRP made by an individual producer, industry or sector.
Employee Compensation: Total income to the labor factor of production. Total cost of labor including wages & salaries, other labor related income like health and retirement benefits and both employee and employer contributions to social insurance.
Proprietor Income: Total income to a sole proprietor or self-employed “employee”.
Other Property Income: A.K.A. Gross Operational Surplus. All money collected by an industry that isn’t paid into the operations of the company. This would include profits, capital consumption allowance, payments for rent, royalties & interest income.
Tax on Production & Imports: (Sales tax, property tax, custom duties, and other taxes and fees) less government subsidies.
Intermediate Expenditures: Repeating everyday materials required to make a final product.
1 https://www.asmsa.org/news/asmsa-receives-61000-grant-to-promote-access-for-low-income-students/
2 https://www.asmsa.org/academics/capstone-program/
3 https://www.asmsa.org/academics/global-learning-program/
4 https://www.asmsa.org/academics/capstone-program/
5 https://www.asmsa.org/student-life/
6 https://independentsector.org/resource/value-of-volunteer-time/
7 https://uasys.edu/campuses-units/other-institutions/arkansas-school-for-mathematics-sciences-and-the-arts/
8 https://www.cityhs.net/236/Sister-City-
Program#:~:text=The%20sister%20city%20relationship%20between,to%20be%20a%20perfect%20fit
9 https://www.ncsss.org/
10 https://uasys.edu/campuses-units/other-institutions/arkansas-school-for-mathematics-sciences-and-the-arts/
11 https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/sep/25/corey-trevor-alderdice/
12 https://rocketreach.co/arkansas-school-for-mathematics-sciences-and-the-arts-profile_b5eef778f42e7778
13 https://www.niche.com/k12/arkansas-school-for-mathematics-sciences-and-the-arts-hot-springs-ar/
14 https://talkbusiness.net/2019/06/asmsa-in-hot-springs-three-other-arkansas-schools-make-prestigious-list/
