Arkansas Ranks 45th in 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book

We encourage lawmakers and officials in Arkansas to use this detailed information to unite across party lines and respond with initiatives that invest in young people.

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House Tax and Spending Cuts Bill Reveals Policy Priorities

Early on Thursday morning (May 22), the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved its sweeping tax and spending cuts bill. While details are still emerging and we await the Congressional Budget Office’s overall scoring on the bill, most experts agree that the bill will add $3-$5 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Savings […]

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Proposed Federal Budget Cuts would Harm State Budget and Devastate Tens of Thousands of Arkansans

Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would increase hardship and deepen the effects of poverty at a time when many Arkansas families already struggle to put food on the table and afford health insurance, child care, and housing.

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Arkansas Combatting Increased Summer Hunger with Summer EBT

Arkansas is participating in the Federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Program for the second year in a row.

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Why to Advocate Even When You Are Tired

If you’re looking for a “why” to keep yourself going, look around you and don’t forget to look in the mirror as well.

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The Arkansas $11 Minimum Wage is Not Enough

It is once again time for the people of Arkansas to lead by increasing the minimum wage through direct democracy.

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Medicaid 101

Medicaid is an essential health insurance program that provides coverage to hundreds of thousands of Arkansans.

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The Disconnect Between Income and Taxes in Arkansas

The wealthy aren’t paying their fair share, and that hurts programs and policies that help all Arkansans. Our children have been back in school for weeks. Labor Day has passed. And we were teased with cooler weather last week. It feels like autumn is in the air. At this point the start of the 2025 […]

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Lost in Transition: Maya’s Story Highlights the Impact of Medicaid Barriers on Postpartum Care in Arkansas

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is collecting stories from people who are insured through ARHOME, one of Arkansas’s Medicaid programs. Data points and numbers are important because they help us understand the impact, but at the end of the day, numbers are only part of the picture. Storytelling is imperative to understanding the impact […]

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New laws could make it harder for legally eligible Arkansans to vote

February 17, 2026

Article 3 Section 1 of the Arkansas Constitution currently reads: “Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, any person may vote in an election in this state who is: During the Arkansas General Assembly’s 2025 regular session, the legislature referred three constitutional amendments for voters’ consideration on the 2026 ballot....

Arkansas Kids Count Coalition Policy 101 Series

February 5, 2026

The Arkansas Kids Count Coalition is celebrating 30 years of advocacy for our state’s children. And we thought our anniversary would be a great time to go back to the basics. This year, the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition is...

Examining Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Plan

January 30, 2026

In the whirlwind of health news in the past several months between the passage of H.R. 1 (AKA the “One Big Beautiful Bill”) and the public debate about premium tax credit enhancements and marketplace coverage, you may have heard...

Education Assessment Results of K-12 Voucher Recipients Unclear as Program Goes Universal, Deeper Analysis Needed to Help Inform Policy Decisions

January 21, 2026

Introduction Students who receive K-12 school vouchers are scoring above the national average according to the most recent Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts Program Annual Report, but the meaning of those assessment results as they pertain to student achievement in...

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2026 Voters’ Guide

January 26, 2026

Whether you have children or not, the well-being of our state’s kids is critical to everyone’s future. As advocates, it’s up to us to make sure voters and candidates are aware of the issues that matter most. Election years...

Preemption in Arkansas: Recent Trends and Implications for Local Democracy and Policy Innovation

October 22, 2025

Preemption is the process by which a higher level of government (usually the state) restricts or eliminates the ability of a lower level (local government) to regulate certain issues. Learn more about how preemption operates in Arkansas, including trends...

Eyes on the Finish Line

September 3, 2025

We Cannot Stop Until Every Child Has Health Insurance All Arkansans want our children to grow up healthy, safe, and supported. For more than two decades, Arkansas has worked to expand access to health coverage as a foundation for...

Sex Education in Arkansas

August 8, 2025

Data Demonstrates Disparity Across School Districts Despite decades of research showing the significant positive impact of sexual health education on children’s long-term outcomes, Arkansas students still generally have limited access to such programs in school. According to analysis of...

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