Arkansas’s Transition to Employment Assistance (TEA) program is a safety net for children and families in poverty. TEA provides short-term cash assistance to families in financial crisis, with the long-term goal of moving them from poverty and dependence to economic self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, Arkansas’s poverty rate has only risen since the TEA program was created, with […]
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families applauds our leaders in Washington for making health reform a priority in 2009. Vulnerable children and families deserve equal access to quality, affordable health care in their communities. With momentum and urgency for federal health reform growing, AACF encourages child advocates to keep children and families at the center […]
The economic stimulus program of the Obama administration, ARRA, is intended to save jobs and increase consumer spending during the worst economic downturn billion—will provide toward tax cuts and support a wide spectrum of government services, including health, education, energy, housing and many other areas. One important part of ARRA that will benefit many Arkansas […]
You’ve heard it a thousand times: “The only thing certain in life is death and taxes. We’ve all complained and joked about taxes for so long that we often forget how critical they are in supporting the common good. Whenever you drive to work, your taxes are keeping you and your kids safe by providing […]
Arkansas has dramatically increased education funding in recent years in order to meet the state Supreme Court’s mandate to provide adequate and equitable education for all students. However, overall academic achievement still lags behind that of other states and nations, and vast gaps in achievement among students of different income levels and races persist across […]
Recently President Obama released his detailed budget that outlines funding for key programs that support low-income children and their families in Arkansas. On the same day that the President released his budget, Sen. Blanche Lincoln filed two bills to in crease funding for child care and child care facilities. Pressure continues to build in the […]
The House and Senate negotiators have reached an agreement on the federal budget, so now it is time to turn our focus to long-term federal efforts to craft policies that support a balanced tax system and ensure that revenues are used to protect programs that lift low-income families out of poverty. This update includes current […]
AACF’s tax and budget team would like to be the first (and, perhaps, only one) to wish you a Happy Tax Day! Sometimes we all forget how important our tax dollars are to the health and well-being of our families and communities. Without them, we could not drive safely down paved roads; drink clean water […]
Arkansas has dramatically increased education funding in recent years in order to meet the state Supreme Court’s mandate to provide adequate and equitable education for all students. However, overall academic achievement still lags behind that of other states and nations, and vast gaps in achievement among students of different income levels and races persist across […]
This overview offers tips to advocates on the best way to learn more about Arkansas’s share of the ARRA. It also charts the larger funding streams impacting children and families that flow to states and local communities. It does not begin to capture the full range of funds and programs under the ARRA, but provides […]