All Arkansas students have the right to high-quality learning opportunities. But not all students in our state enjoy the same learning experiences. Some young people have access to high-quality education, while others do not. This creates wide gaps in student achievement among...
Today, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is releasing a health insurance toolkit and website to help Arkansans get the care they need and navigate the complex health care system. Last summer, we held focus groups with in-person assisters, who...
If you weren’t able to make it to our Putting Kids First press conference on Oct. 5, we’ve got you covered. Below, AACF Executive Director Rich Huddleston explains what the upcoming election means for Arkansas’s kids: The November elections...
Chronic absenteeism – defined as students missing 10 percent or more of the school year for any reason – is a big problem in Arkansas. Time lost in the classroom has a direct impact on students’ academic progress, especially...
Today Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ARAAP) are releasing this shared statement on the two 2016 ballot measures (Issue 6 and Issue 7) that would legalize medical...
Recent tax cuts haven’t helped struggling parents make ends meet. Instead, they have hurt public investments that Arkansas kids and their parents need to succeed. Personal income tax cuts mean less revenue for quality schools where kids can learn,...
Arkansas is moving forward with historic changes to the Medicaid program that will improve access to mental health and substance use treatment. For almost a decade, efforts have been underway to better address the mental health needs of children...
Earlier this week, we shared with you the first of two major Census data sets showing improvements in national poverty numbers. While poverty data for the nation inched down from 11.6 percent in 2014 to 10.4 percent in 2015, we...
A new report shows that Arkansas continues to stand out amid other southern states with one of the lowest rates of uninsured people. According to U.S. Census data released today, only 9.5 percent of Arkansans were uninsured in 2015....
We all have a stake in making sure that Arkansas kids grow up in households that can afford the basics, like a nutritious diet, a decent place to live, and school clothes and supplies. The first of two major...