Part III: Quality Early Childhood Education is the Building Block of Success in K-12 and Beyond
When do children begin to learn? Believe it or not, school readiness begins in the womb. Research show the first few years of life, including the prenatal months, are the […]
Education Progress is Stalling, Leaving an Uncertain Future for Kids and Our State
Note: This blog is third in a series of posts covering the findings in the 2018 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. To read the introductory blog post, click […]
AR Poverty Rate Improving, According to Latest National Rankings
The number of Arkansas children in poverty has decreased by 28,000 since 2010, according to data in the 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book released today by the Annie E. Casey […]
National Report Shows Arkansas’s Pre-K Quality Standards Remain High, but State Investment is Stalling
A new national report shows that Arkansas met 8 of 10 new benchmarks for having high quality standards for its pre-K programs. However, state investment is not keeping up with […]
Fiscal and Special Sessions Education Recap
The Arkansas General Assembly wrapped up its fiscal and special sessions in March with little to no new funding for priority education needs for children in Arkansas, especially for low-income children […]
Jonesboro Pre-K’s First Class is All Grown Up
Fourteen years ago, in August 2004, the Jonesboro, Arkansas, School District launched its first pre-K program. The Jonesboro Pre-K Center was licensed for 186 early learners and was housed in […]
Experts Agree: Arkansas Needs a Sales Tax Revamp
The tax task force focused on sales taxes again this week. They were visited by two national tax experts* who both agreed on some key points for tax change in our […]
Part I: Good Health is Essential for Infants and Toddlers to Become School-Ready
When do children begin to learn? Believe it or not, school readiness begins in the womb. Research shows the first few years of life, including the prenatal months, are the […]
The Governor’s State of the State Address: What Was Left Unsaid?
Governor Asa Hutchinson kicked off the 2018 fiscal session of the Arkansas General Assembly today with a review of his administration’s major accomplishments while outlining his priorities for the upcoming […]
AACF Testimony: Providing an Adequate and Equitable Education
Under the Arkansas Constitution, it is the state’s responsibility to provide an adequate and equitable education for all students in its public school system. The Lake View Supreme Court decision […]