The pre-K clock is ticking
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...
Pre-K gives Arkansas kids a strong start
Here in Arkansas, many parents, educators, and business leaders agree that pre-K is a valuable and effective strategy for preparing children for the future. Students who participated in the Arkansas Better Chance program scored 11 percentage points higher in Math...
5 Things You Should Know About Pre-K In Arkansas
Children who participate in pre-K, particularly low-income children, are better prepared for kindergarten.
Education news as kids head back to school
As students head back to school, we thought this was a perfect time to update you on education news in Arkansas. The Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (AR-GLR) is launching an initiative to promote school attendance this month...
Pre-K, not prisons
They’ve done it again. The legislature provided funding for prisons in this special session. About $6.3 million was funded this time to open 600 prison beds. That’s about $10,500 a bed-far more than we pay per student for K-12...
Accounting year ends in surplus
June closed out this fiscal year with net general revenues of $539 million for the month (-1.4 percent less than last year) according to this morning’s report from the Department of Finance and Administration. The year as a whole...
Speaking up for adequate education
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) was one of eight groups invited to testify before the House and Senate Education Committees Monday to share its strategy for providing an adequate education for all Arkansas children. The need for...
Annual pre-K report underlines need for more funding
According to the National Institute for Early Education Research’s annual report, total pre-K enrollment in Arkansas followed a national trend in 2013, declining slightly. The state ranks 14th for 4-year-old enrollment, reaching 33 percent of those eligible.* Last...
Giving thanks to Arkansas moms
There are a quarter of a million working moms in Arkansas who, just like your mom, deserve thanks for the sacrifices they make for their kids. As a state we’ve made huge strides to help working moms support...
Pre-K is OK in Oklahoma
As Arkansas begins to develop its state budget priorities for the 2015 legislative session, it would do well to take note of the major investments that some of our neighboring states have made in young children. Take the case...