Jessica Hickman M.Ed, Ed.S
Jessica Hickman, M.Ed., Ed.S., is an experienced education leader with over 11 years in the field, currently serving as Campus Director at Premier High School of Little Rock. From an early stage in her career, she knew she was called to teaching and began as a kindergarten educator, dedicating six years to building foundational skills and nurturing young learners. Today, she leads a non-traditional, credit recovery program where she plays a hands-on role in student success, spending significant one-on-one time with students to ensure they remain on track academically and personally. Her leadership style reflects a deep commitment to individualized learning, meeting students where they are, and guiding them toward graduation and long-term achievement.
Jessica’s career also includes impactful work at the Arkansas Department of Education, where she served as the McKinney-Vento State Coordinator. In this role, she advocated for students experiencing homelessness, ensuring they had access to their educational rights and the resources needed to succeed despite challenging circumstances. Over three years, she collaborated with districts across the state to implement support systems and strengthen compliance, demonstrating her dedication to equity and student advocacy. She later returned to the classroom for a year, reinforcing her connection to direct instruction and student engagement.
In her current role, Jessica not only supports students but also coaches teachers in delivering instruction within a highly individualized, self-paced learning environment. She guides educators in adapting their teaching strategies to meet diverse academic needs, as each student progresses through curriculum at a different pace. Jessica holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Southern Arkansas University. With strengths in facilitation, leadership, and relationship-building, she continues to make a meaningful impact by fostering inclusive, student-centered educational environments that prioritize success for every learner.
• Educational Specialist (EdS)
• Grand Canyon University - Ed.S
• Southern Arkansas University - M.Ed
• Southern Arkansas University - BECEd
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated
• Bright Futures USA
• Bright Futures USA
What do you attribute your success to?
For sure, my mom. I watched her as I grew up as a single parent doing any and everything. I learned that being a girl is not a disadvantage like some people try to make it. It's also not an excuse. You gotta get up every day and do what you're supposed to do. Just watching her persevere through a lot of hard times, raising me and my brother and never giving up - that's what I attribute my success to. She taught me hard work and perseverance, and those values have carried me through my entire career.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I've had several mentors who have shaped my career. My high school English teacher, Ms. Flowers, was amazing and to this day I can call on her when I need her. Deborah Kaufman, the former assistant commissioner at Arkansas Department of Education, took me under her wing when I started there. She gave me a baptism by fire and threw me into situations that I had no idea how to handle, but she definitely helped guide me through, and I was better for it on the other end. That taught me resilience and confidence. Dr. CJ Huff has also been a notable mentor. And from my mom, I learned that being a girl is not a disadvantage like some people try to make it. It's also not an excuse - you gotta get up every day and do what you're supposed to do.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You have to find your why, and you have to remember it. There's gonna be things that you come across - obstacles, whether it be a difficult student, a difficult parent, a difficult administrator, whatever the case may be - that will make you question, just like any job, why am I doing this? But in education, your why is typically a little bit different, it's a little more rooted in your heart, and you have to remember that. This field will challenge you, and in those moments, your why will anchor you. I've been fortunate to have mentors who reminded me of mine when I needed it most.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I guess some of our biggest challenges is there's a lot of educational laws being passed right now by people that have never set foot into a classroom. And we just have to, again, remember why we're doing this and find a way to continue to educate our children in the face of all of the obstacles that they're putting up for us. Education today faces evolving challenges, and policies are often shaped far from the classroom. It's critical that we remain advocates for culturally responsive teaching - approaches that recognize and honor the diverse experiences our students bring with them.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I really value culturally responsive teaching. It's a practice made famous quite a few years ago by Dr. Geneva Gay. But what that really embodies is knowing more than just your student's name - knowing where they come from, knowing who they are, and in turn, taking that and using it to push their success as a student, whatever it may be, to make sure that they have a more meaningful, successful educational journey. Understanding students fully is the first step toward teaching them effectively. I'm also a devout lifelong learner, so I'm all about learning something new, learning a new skill, learning new information. While the pandemic required me to pause my doctoral studies, I've remained committed to advancing my education, currently completing my Educational Specialist degree while preparing to resume my doctorate. Growth, after all, should never stop. Just because something's hard doesn't mean you can't do it - you just keep going.