Official will retire after 43-year stint

Jim Boardman, the Arkansas Department of Education’s assistant commissioner for research and technology, is retiring after working at the state agency for 43 years.

Boardman, 69, was recognized by Arkansas Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell and the Arkansas Board of Education last week for his years of service that began in July 1970.

In that time, Boardman worked in different divisions within the department.

Among his accomplishments, he spearheaded the department’s production of school and school district “report cards” that provided parents with statistics about student achievement at their child’s school.

He was instrumental in the early efforts to connect every Arkansas school district to the Internet.

And he was a leader in expanding the Environmental Spatial and Technology program, commonly known as EAST Lab, to schools throughout the state.

Most recently, Boardman supervised the collection of data, statistical analysis and technology, according to the Education Department.

Arkansas is routinely recognized for being at the nation’s forefront in collecting and disseminating high-quality educational data for improving student achievement, according to annual studies by the national Data Quality Campaign.

Boardman is a native of Heber Springs and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Central Arkansas. He was once a teacher in Monett, Mo.