Arkansas, like all states, has a unique early childhood policy landscape that is shaped by economics, demographics, political history, coalitions, and other factors that create a state-specific environment for policy advocacy.
State early childhood policy progress is dependent both on the state’s environment and the numerous efforts—by the organizations listed on this page, other organizations, parents, policymakers, practitioners, and more—who work both independently and collaboratively to achieve wins for young children.
Research shows that family economic security is foundational to children’s overall wellbeing. Research also shows that widespread disparities in opportunity (especially by race) drive wide disparities in outcomes. States with policies that offer strong support to young children and their families are more likely to see 1) declining numbers of children in low-income households and 2) low racial disparity among those children.
Young Children in Low-Income Households: Declining
Approximately 51% (167,000) of the state’s children 0-8 live in households below 200% FPL (2022). This number represents a decrease from 52% (175,000) in 2016.1
Racial Disparity Among Young Children Living in Low-Income Households: High
Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native children aged 0-8 are significantly more likely to be living in households below 200% FPL than are Asian and non-Hispanic White children.2
State General Fund Appropriations: Growing
In 2024, Arkansas’ governor signed the state’s budget bill for fiscal 2025. The budget totals $6.3 billion, a 1.76 percent increase from fiscal 2024 levels. Fiscal 2025 estimated gross general revenues are $8.7 billion while net available general revenues are $7.1 billion, an increase of $165.0 million, or 2.4 percent, from fiscal 2024 levels. The revenue forecast is expected to fully fund the budget and provide a surplus of $763.7 million.3
Key Revenue Sources after Federal Transfers:
Charges are public payments connected with a specific government service, such as tuition paid to a state university, payments to a public hospital, or highway tolls.
State Budget Rules:4
Arkansas uses a biennial budget. The legislature must pass a balanced budget, but it can carry a deficit into the following year. Arkansas also limits annual revenue increases and requires a three-fourths legislative supermajority for any legislation that increases property, excise, privilege, or personal income taxes. The state does not have any limits on either debt service or authorized debt.
Political Alignment: Aligned Republican
During the 2024 session, the state’s Senate and House were both Republican controlled. The state’s Governor was also a Republican.5
Types of Ballot Measures Available:6 Five
Key state policy advocacy organizations include:
Early childhood policy advocacy multi-state initiatives present in the state include:7
Highlights from the state’s early childhood policy advocacy community include:8
Advocates in Arkansas successfully secured an administrative policy win that now allows for early childhood educators to receive a voucher to cover the cost of their own child care. A policy priority since 2021, the recommendation was more appealing to the Department of Eduction as they learned more about the Kentucky pilot program.
Our key ally in Arkansas is Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, an organization that provides leadership, research, and advocacy to promote wide-ranging reforms that improved the lives of Arkansas children and their families. Their work includes advancing children’s health, early education, and family economic security.
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is working to advance early childhood policies in several areas that align with the Alliance’s birth-through-eight policy framework:
Child Care
Child Care Workforce
K-3rd Grade
Preschool and Pre-K
Maternal Health
Infant & Child Health
Family Economic Security
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Early Childhood Finance and Cost Modeling
Click here for more information on advocates’ policy agenda.
Early childhood advocates in Arkansas recently joined forces to empower ECE professionals to influence the use of child care funds from the federal government and to share their stories and ideas with policymakers.
NOTES:
1 Kids Count Data Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, January, 2024.
2 National Center for Children in Poverty, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, March 2023, NCCP analysis of ACS 1-Year Estimates – Public Use Microdata Sample 2021.
3 National Association of State Budget Officers, Proposed and Enacted Budgets, FY 2025.
4 Urban Institute, State Fiscal Briefs, June 2024.
5 National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024 State & Legislative Partisan Composition, April 29, 2024.
6 Ballotpedia, Ballot Measures by State, Kids Count Data Center, retrieved July, 2024.
7 Alliance for Early Success, Multi-State Initiatives for Early Childhood Policy Advocacy, July, 2024.
8 Alliance for Early Success, State-Wide Advocacy Highlights Survey, April-October, 2024; and 2024 Prenatal-to-3 Legislative Highlights, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, July, 2024.
