Public Education
Arkansas posts steepest enrollment decline in 10+ years as parents look for tailored solutionsArkansas parents Zac and Christina George had thought public school a great fit for their daughter until she entered first grade. “Her kindergarten teacher was great and we loved the… Read More
Government
Arkansas OKs $32 million for Education Freedom Accounts(The Center Square) â Arkansas lawmakers have approved an additional $32 million in funding for Education Freedom Accounts for the fiscal year after a request was sent by the Arkansas… Read More
Government
Arkansas may ban school choice funds from being used for team sportsA proposed new rule may prohibit homeschool and private-school families from using Arkansasâ education freedom funds for team sports â even as public schools face no such restrictions. In describing… Read More
Government
âNo Arkansas tax dollars have gone towardâ school counselor association criticized for promoting DEI, Gov. Sanders says(The Daily Signal) â Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders clarified Monday that no Bear State tax dollars supported a school counselor association that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion, after… Read More
Public Education
Arkansas teachersâ union lost 36% of dues because of paycheck protection law, analysis showsÂThe Arkansas teachersâ union is bleeding cash after the state enacted a law to protect educatorsâ paychecks. The Freedom Foundation, a group advocating for workersâ rights,… Read More
Government
Arkansasâ school choice enrollment triples as families âvote with their feetâArkansasâ universal school choice program is thriving with high retention rates and record enrollment as it begins its third year. In its 2024-25 annual report,… Read More
Politics
Rep. Ashley Hinson rolls out bill to provide resources to parents who suffer pregnancy loss(Daily Caller News Foundation) â Republican Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson on Wednesday unveiled the Healing Mothers And Fathers Act, a bill which seeks to give parents the time and financial resources… Read More
Culture
Arkansas teen adopted by loving family after nearly 15 years in foster careAn Arkansas teenager has a permanent home after spending almost 15 years in foster care. Cozy, 19, had been in the foster care system for 5,429 days â the longest-waiting… Read More
Courts
Arkansas teacher charged in killing of couple hiking with childrenÂA 28-year-old teacher has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a married couple who were hiking with their children at Devilâs Den State Park in Arkansas. Read More
Government
Limits to Arkansas school choice program diminish overall success, experts warn ÂExperts are warning âregulatory creepâ in Arkansasâ school choice program is a dangerous trend that could have negative consequences for families. In the spring, the state Legislature passed… Read More
Courts
Arkansas wins lawsuit against removing CRT from public schoolsThe 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of Arkansasâs ban on teaching critical race theory in public school classrooms. Gov. Sarah Huckabee… Read More
Homeschools
Real faces of school choice: Empowering homeschool families to learnA former public school teacher turned homeschooling mom is transforming her childrenâs education with the help of state-funded education savings accounts. Paula Bean taught public school for two years before… Read More
Christian Schools
New Arkansas private school credits school choice program for successful launchA new private school is opening in southeast Arkansas this fall, which founders say wouldnât be possible without the stateâs Education Freedom Account. Star City Christian Academy will welcome its… Read More
Government
These states are leading Americaâs drive toward secure elections(The Daily Signal) â There is a new coleader in The Heritage Foundationâs Election Integrity Scorecard. Since 2021, Heritage has been tracking the laws of every state (and the District… Read More
Courts
Lawsuit claims law requiring Ten Commandments in schools ‘unconstitutionally pressures students’(Daily Caller News Foundation) â Several families filed a lawsuit against Arkansas school districts on Wednesday over a new law mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school… Read More
Courts
Widow of Arkansas airport executive files wrongful death claim against ATFÂ for ârecklessâ shooting of husband in Biden-era raidThe widow of an airport executive has filed a wrongful death suit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The claim comes after agents shot Maria “Maer” Malinowskiâs… Read More
Public Education
Watch: Parents brawl at kindergarten graduation in ArkansasA fight broke out between adults attending a kindergarten graduation in West Memphis, Arkansas, on Wednesday. Wild brawl breaks out at kindergarten graduation â kids… Read More
Public Education
Arkansas 3rd-graders who fail literacy standards may be held back according to new public-school guidelinesStarting this fall, public schools in Arkansas may need to retain third-graders who cannot meet reading standards â although those âstandardsâ havenât been finalized, the stateâs education department says. âBy… Read More
Public Education
Arkansas poised to become fifth state to require school instruction on pre-birth baby developmentArkansas will soon ensure its public-school students learn about prenatal baby development. The state House passed legislation this week to direct the state’s Department of Education… Read More
Government
Arkansas to allow Christian adoption and foster care groups to bypass same-sex homes(The Washington Stand) â An Arkansas bill prohibiting state officials from forcing faith-based adoption and foster care organizations from placing children in homes that go against an agencyâs religious or moral… Read More