Arkansas Teacher Thrives Through UA Little Rock’s National Cyber Teaching Academy

An Arkansas high school teacher is embracing new opportunities in cybersecurity education after completing the National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy (NCTA) at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Arkansas educators like Brad Goodnight are already benefiting from NCTA program. A computer science teacher at Morrilton High School, Goodnight earned his licensure to teach computer science through the Arkansas Cybersecurity Teaching Academy, an earlier grant-funded initiative tailored for Arkansas teachers. After completing the graduate certificate program in December 2024, Goodnight is eager to begin teaching concurrent enrollment cybersecurity classes.

Brad Goodnight, the sole computer science teacher at Morrilton High School, is preparing to teach cybersecurity concurrent enrollment courses to Arkansas high school students.

“UA Little Rock is my favorite school in the universe,” Goodnight said. “I’ve taken concurrent enrollment classes there in high school, completed my undergraduate degree, and now I’m pursuing a master’s degree. The NCTA program was an incredible opportunity—it provided the licensure I needed to teach computer science and equipped me with skills I could use immediately. The training is rich and rigorous.”

Meeting Growing Demand for Computer Science Education

Goodnight has a full teaching schedule, offering Computer Science 1, 2, and 3, AP Computer Science A, and independent study courses. His classes are consistently at capacity, with waiting lists stretching for more than a year.

“The demand has been significant,” Goodnight said. “Every student at our school is required to earn one credit in computer science to graduate, so I’ll see all 750 students at least once during their high school careers, if not multiple times.”

Goodnight’s journey to teaching computer science began with an unexpected twist. Initially aiming for an English teaching position, his knack for data analytics caught the school’s attention.

“When I applied to Morrilton High School, I included data visualizations to demonstrate growth in test scores,” Goodnight said. “The school saw my orientation toward data analytics and suggested I teach computer science instead, where there was a critical need.”

Since launching his computer science program in 2022, Goodnight has seen its popularity soar.

“My school immediately noticed the energy in the program and how many kids were lining up to take it,” he said. “It’s been an exciting time.”

Transformative Training at UA Little Rock

The NCTA is an 18-credit-hour graduate certificate that prepares high school teachers to teach cybersecurity. The program is supported by a grant from the NCAE-C, the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, located within the National Security Agency. Goodnight credits the NCTA for significantly enhancing his skills and teaching abilities.

“I’m incredibly excited to have graduated from the NCTA,” he said. “The courses were some of the most rigorous I’ve ever taken. One of my favorites was Cybersecurity Operations with Sri Gourisetti, who works for Google and has extensive industry experience. The class was absolutely incredible.”

Goodnight also praised Dr. Sandra Leiterman, cybersecurity education research professor.

“She’s a one-stop shop—a college in a box and a wealth of knowledge and resources,” he said.

Looking Ahead

With 18 credit hours completed through the NCTA, Goodnight is now pursuing a master’s degree in information science and is considering a doctorate in the future.

“If your school needs to develop a cybersecurity curriculum, the NCTA team will stop at nothing to support teachers and students,” Goodnight said. “The classes are challenging, and the instructors are responsive and supportive. During a tough personal time, they bent over backward to help me succeed without lowering their high standards. I’m deeply grateful for this program.”

Goodnight hopes to see further growth in UA Little Rock’s cybersecurity offerings, including opportunities for high school students to earn cybersecurity certificates through concurrent enrollment.

“That would make students highly marketable for jobs right after high school, while also giving them a strong foundation to pursue a degree,” he said. “I trust UA Little Rock because they are leading the conversation on cybersecurity education in Arkansas. I know that when I send my students to people like Professors Sandra Leiterman and Philip Huff, they’ll be in good hands.”

Goodnight believes the program will have a lasting impact.

“This is a life-changing opportunity for students,” he said. “Programs like the NCTA are making a big difference for teachers and students across Arkansas. There are hundreds of teachers just like me, and I’m glad there is a program like the NCTA to help them.”