Public Education
Arkansas approves 5,000 applications in inaugural school choice contingentArkansas has approved nearly 5,000 students to participate in its flagship school choice program. The Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program (EFA) passed the state legislature earlier this year and… Read More
Public Education
Arkansas school board gives preliminary green light to school safety rules(The Center Square) – New school safety rules created as part of the Arkansas LEARNS Act will soon be available for public comment, pending the governor’s approval. Lawmakers included school… Read More
Public Education
More than 5,400 Arkansas students applied for Education Freedom Accounts(The Center Square) – Ninety schools and 5,426 students applied for Education Freedom Accounts under Arkansas’ new LEARNS Act, according to information provided to The Center Square by the Arkansas… Read More
Public Education
Sanders appoints LEARNS supporter to state education board(The Center Square) – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ first appointee to the Arkansas Board of Education is a former Republican lawmaker who helped get the LEARNS Act through, according to… Read More
Courts
Court filings call for expedited schedule on LEARNS case(The Center Square) – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is asking the state Supreme Court to expedite briefings in a case challenging the emergency clause of the LEARNS Act. Griffin… Read More
Legislation
Ohio governor signs state budget expanding school choice(Daily Caller News Foundation) – Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state’s 2024-2025 budget Tuesday, expanding the already established school voucher program. Under the 2024-2025 Ohio … Read More
Courts
Arkansas AG says he will appeal LEARNS Act delay(The Center Square) – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said Friday afternoon he will appeal a ruling that delays the implementation of the LEARNS Act until Aug. 1. Pulaski County… Read More
Culture
Sarah Huckabee Sanders sounds off on judge who blocked sex change ban for minors(Daily Caller News Foundation) – Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders criticized a federal court ruling Tuesday blocking the state’s ban on child sex changes. U.S. District Judge James M. Read More
Courts
Arkansas Supreme Court orders school choice reform to go forwardThe Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling preventing the implementation of the state’s new educational reform law. The LEARNS Act is a series of… Read More
Courts
Arkansas AG argues lawsuit against new school choice law is really just political(The Center Square) – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin called a lawsuit against the LEARNS Act political, while the plaintiffs in the suit said the case is a constitutional question… Read More
Courts
LEARNS Act challenge in the hands of the Arkansas Supreme Court(The Center Square) – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is asking the state’s Supreme Court to immediately stay a lower court order that suspends the implementation of the LEARNS Act. Read More
Courts
Arkansas LEARNS Act suspended by judge until June hearing(The Center Square) – A Pulaski County Circuit Court judge has suspended the Arkansas LEARNS Act until a hearing can be held to determine if lawmakers erred by not adding… Read More
Public Education
Study: COVID cost Arkansas students $6.6 billion in lifetime earnings(The Center Square) – Months of educational setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic are projected to create a $6.6 billion in total lifetime earnings loss for Arkansas students, according to… Read More
Courts
Gov. Sanders says lawsuit challenging LEARNS is ‘political’(The Center Square) – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders said Tuesday a lawsuit challenging the validity of the recently passed LEARNS Act is “absolutely absurd.” A group of parents and the… Read More
Legislation
Four states advance bills prohibiting union dues deductionsFour states have advanced Republican-sponsored bills prohibiting union dues deductions for certain public-sector employees. Here’s what those bills say and where they stand. Arkansas Arkansas lawmakers delivered Senate Bill 473 to… Read More
Culture
Arkansas enacts Given Name Act. Here’s what parents of schoolchildren there – and elsewhere – need to know(The Daily Signal) – Arkansas lawmakers delivered a clear message to parents of K-12 students this week: You have the right to know how your child is being treated in… Read More
Culture, Public Education
How Walmart pushed Arkansas public schools to go woke(Washington Free Beacon) – In January 2020, Walmart approached public school administrators in Bentonville, Arkansas, about hosting diversity training sessions for the district. “We want people to feel welcomed, comfortable,… Read More
Public Education
Arkansas voters to decide on amendment concerning funds for vocational-technical schools(The Center Square) – Arkansas voters will decide on a constitutional amendment in 2024 to allow the state’s lottery proceeds to be used to fund grants and scholarships for vocational-technical… Read More
Culture, Public Education
Arkansas Senate advances bill requiring biologically based pronouns in schoolThe Arkansas Senate has passed a bill prohibiting teachers from using pronouns for students other than those assigned at birth, at least without parental permission. The vote was… Read More
Culture, Public Education
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs bathroom bill aimed to protect studentsArkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill on Tuesday restricting bathroom use in public schools to members of the same biological sex. “The Governor has said she… Read More