It was a short week at the State Capitol but that doesn’t mean it was uneventful. Here’s what you need to know: HEALTH: Gov. Asa Hutchinson asked lawmakers on Thursday to go along with a plan that would continue...
Misinformation about the Arkansas state-funded pre-K program is being distributed. Two false claims are being made. Claims have been made that a report produced by the Office of Education Policy, University of Arkansas, indicates that the Arkansas state-funded pre-K...
Arkansas ranks high in a national pre-K study but the state is falling behind in enrollment and equal access for poor students. Education Week’s annual “Quality Counts” report explores the complex landscape that defines early-childhood services in the U.S....
Over the past five years, we’ve heard lots of discussion about the Common Core State Standards. There is even some confusion about what the standards are, who made the standards, and what they do for students. So, it’s important...
The 90th session of the Arkansas General Assembly is upon us. The legislature convened this week to swear in new members, hold the first round of committee hearings, and file a few pieces of legislation. Lawmakers are on recess...
2014 was a year of progress that led to renewed efforts to inform lawmakers, engage parents, and connect with communities and their leaders about education in Arkansas. As always, AACF worked hard to improve access to high-quality education for all...
A new federal grant will provide $15 million each of the next four years for Arkansas Better Chance (ABC), the state’s high-quality pre-K program. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) and the Invest Early Coalition are grateful for...
As Governor-Elect Hutchinson begins to craft his budget strategy, we must keep the conversation going. As part of a series of videos highlighting voices in support of pre-K across the state, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and the Arkansas...
The Joint Budget Committee of the Arkansas General Assembly recently rejected an increase in state funding for the Arkansas Better Chance pre-K program for fiscal year 2016. This marks the eighth straight year without an increase, a cut once...
The last funding increase for pre-K in Arkansas kicked in on the first day of fiscal year 2008, which would have been July 1, 2007. For a program that’s proven to be such a powerful tool, that’s way too...