Dr. Sarper Turker
Maumelle,US
Summary
High-impact educational executive and policy director with over 17 years of progressive leadership spanning classroom instruction, school-building administration, and state-level regulatory compliance. Draws on extensive on-the-ground experience as a Teacher, Director of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent to design and execute statewide educational initiatives, manage complex multi-stakeholder coalitions, and drive structural alignment with statutory frameworks. Expert at leveraging a deep operational understanding of school leadership to navigate legislative environments, lead data-driven system reforms, and position public-private education portfolios for scalable success.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Charter Schools
Arkansas Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education(DESE)
Little Rock, AR
01.2025 - Current
- Lead the development, evaluation, and implementation of complex educational policies and regulatory frameworks to maximize student and institutional outcomes statewide.
- Design and deliver targeted legislator workshops to provide deep content expertise, guiding state lawmakers in critical policy and statutory decisions.
- State AI Policy and Implementation Committee member
- Author and provide authoritative strategic reports directly to the Secretary of Education and the Assistant Commissioner.
- Create, analyze, and present comprehensive reports and evaluative data to the Charter Authorizing Panel and the State Board of Education.
- Establish new departmental systems and operational procedures that significantly improve administrative efficiency and effectiveness.
- Collaborate regularly with national departments of education, attend high-level policy conferences, and serve as a featured presenter on scalable educational frameworks.
- Direct targeted intervention strategies and support systems for D- and F-rated school systems to align them with state accountability standards.
- Spearhead the cross-district implementation of high-profile, statewide initiatives centered on instructional quality, performance metrics, and standardized assessment practices.
SUPERINTENDENT
Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools
Jacksonville, AR
07.2023 - 01.2025
- .Directed district-wide administrative functions, financial planning, staffing operations, and multi-million dollar capital improvement budgets to ensure optimal resource alignment and statutory compliance.
- Co-authored and executed the district’s comprehensive long-term strategic plan by building consensus among internal and external community, business, and legislative stakeholders.
- Successfully advocated for and launched preschool expansion models and targeted career pathways to support regional workforce needs.
- Partnered directly with community leaders, regional businesses, and local government organizations to scale wrap-around support infrastructure.
- Oversavy rigorous compliance with safety protocols, emergency preparedness plans, and data privacy benchmarks, securing a "High Reliability Schools" designation.
- Engineered institutional turnaround strategies that improved the district academic rating from an F to a C in one cycle, winning multiple state growth awards.
- Boosted teacher retention from 20% to 95% within one year
- Received the following awards by the Office for Education Policy (OEP): Beating the Odds Overall (Statewide and Regional), Beating the Odds — Math, Beating the Odds — English Language Arts (ELA), Best Growth Scores Overall (Statewide and Regional), Best Growth Scores — English Language Arts (ELA).
- Increased enrollment by 30%, expanding educational reach.
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Arkansas Lighthouse Public Schools
Jacksonville, AR
06.2020 - 06.2023
- Designed and implemented a district-wide College & Career Readiness Framework connecting K–12 students to regional industries through internships and certifications.
- Collaborated with local colleges to establish dual enrollment opportunities and align secondary coursework to postsecondary pathways.
- Increased State math proficiency from 21% to 53% and raised ACT averages from 14.5 to 20.2, reflecting data-driven instructional systems.
- Developed PLC infrastructure and cross-district collaboration systems that produced shared formative assessments and capstone projects.
- Launched PLTW and STEM programs that transitioned from pilot to full district adoption, expanding access to technical skill development.
K-12 DISTRICT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION DIRECTOR
eStem Public Schools
Little Rock, AR
07.2013 - 06.2020
- Led district curriculum and assessment initiatives, achieving Top 5% state performance and 100% graduation rate.
- Developed early college pathways integrating AP coursework, industry certifications, and dual credit programs.
- Scaled digital learning systems and data-driven interventions across campuses.
- Analyze school-specific and district-wide data (weekly) to identify areas of strength and growth in order to create strategic actions for school and district-wide improvement.
- Coach, support, and evaluate school principals and their leadership teams.
TEACHER
eStem Public Charter Schools
Maumelle, AR
06.2011 - 06.2013
- Taught advanced math and science, earning Teacher of the Year awards nominee.
- Boosted Algebra I EOC proficiency by 40% through innovative STEM-aligned instruction.
- Mentored students in robotics and research competitions, promoting career readiness and problem-solving skills.
TEACHER
Academics Plus Charter Schools
Maumelle, AR
06.2009 - 11.2011
- Instructed Middle school math, Algebra 1, and AP Physics.
- Earned the state's highest Algebra 1 EOC proficiency score.
- Enhanced student understanding in complex subjects.
- Head Soccer and Swimming coach.
Education
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION - undefined
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Little Rock, AR12-2021
Graduate Certificate - Building Level Administration And Supervision
University of Arkansas, Little Rock
Little Rock, AR12-2019
MASTER OF EDUCATION - undefined
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, AR05-2016
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS - undefined
Henderson State University
Arkadelphia, AR05-2009
Skills
- Legislative Strategy & Guidance
- Executive Reporting
- Regulatory Compliance
- Systems Optimization
- Turnaround Management
- Fiscal & Resource Stewardship
- Data Privacy & Risk Mitigation:
Affiliations
- American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
- Education Reformers Academy Fellow (ERA)
- ADE Summit Presentation
- NACSON Presentation
- District Administration Leadership Institute (DALI)
- Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA)
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
- National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)
Certification
- EDUCATION REFORMERS ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP
- NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AASA Jul 2024 - Feb 2026
- EXECUTIVE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM(SUPERINTENDENTS/ASST. SUPERINTENDENT) May 2024
- LEADERSHIP GREATER LITTLE ROCK, CLASS XXXVII Little Rock Regional Chamber May 2023
- DISTRICT LEVEL CERTIFICATION Arkansas Department of Education Present
- P-12 BUILDING LEVEL CERTIFICATION Arkansas Department of Education Present
- 4TH-12TH GRADE, MATHEMATICS TEACHING CERTIFICATION Arkansas Department of Education Present
Timeline
Director of Charter Schools
Arkansas Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education(DESE)
01.2025 - Current
SUPERINTENDENT
Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools
07.2023 - 01.2025
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Arkansas Lighthouse Public Schools
06.2020 - 06.2023
K-12 DISTRICT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION DIRECTOR
eStem Public Schools
07.2013 - 06.2020
TEACHER
eStem Public Charter Schools
06.2011 - 06.2013
TEACHER
Academics Plus Charter Schools
06.2009 - 11.2011
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION - undefined
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
MASTER OF EDUCATION - undefined
University of Central Arkansas
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS - undefined
Henderson State University
Graduate Certificate - Building Level Administration And Supervision
University of Arkansas, Little Rock
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- PUBLICATIONS A Closer Look at the Influence of Transformational Leadership on Teachers' Creative Work Behavior and Organizational Innovation. Understanding the Relationship between Teacher Leadership and Student Achievement
- PRESENTATIONS NCTM 2024 Chicago, IL (National Conference): Fostering Fractional Understanding: Innovative Strategies to Enhance Teaching and Learning in Math
- Arkansas Curriculum Conference, Little Rock, AR: Mathematics That Matters: A Strategic Approach to Curriculum Implementation and Accountability
- Summit Leadership, Dallas, TX
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
- Teacher of the Year (2009, 2013)
- EStem Innovative Grant Winner (2012,2013)
- JC-Penny Innovative Grant Winner(2012)
- Walmart/Sam's Innovative Grant Winner(2012)
- All American Swimmer - Henderson State University(2008)
- 6th Place NCAA Division II Nationals (2008)
- 4-year Conference Scholar Athlete(2004-2008)