E.I.T.C. Spells LOVE for Kids and Families in Arkansas

Many people in our state work at low-paying jobs. Arkansans who work hard for little money pay a much higher share of their income to state and local taxes compared to the wealthiest. That’s not the way it should be. Fortunately, there is a great option for Arkansas (just ask the 29 other states that are already […]

Read More
Winning the Race to Coverage: Two Decades of Progress on Kids’ Health in Arkansas

The annual Finish Line report provides a look at the status of health coverage for Arkansas children and their families. The report unveils key data on the progress we’ve made over the years and recommends additional solutions to ensure every child in Arkansas has a healthy start. This past year marked a significant milestone in children’s health […]

Read More
2018 Voters’ Guide

This November, Arkansas voters will elect candidates to important public offices, including seats in the U.S. Congress and the Arkansas General Assembly. The winners of these elections will be in a unique position to make public policy that will impact the future well-being and success of Arkansas’s children and families. Making children our top priority […]

Read More
What Do Our Littlest Learners Need to Be School-Ready?

When do children begin to learn? Believe it or not, school readiness begins in the womb. Decades of research show the first few years of life, including the prenatal months, are the most important for healthy brain development and success in school. Unfortunately, too many of our kids aren’t getting the boost they need for […]

Read More
Unemployment Insurance Pays Off

The Arkansas legislature has repeatedly reduced the amount of unemployment insurance available to Arkansas workers, lowering both the duration of coverage and the dollar amount of benefits. This puts us well below national averages for unemployment benefits, and puts families and our economy at risk. This might not seem like a big problem given our current […]

Read More
Watch this video to find out more about AACF

Find out more about Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families by watching this brief video. In it, we talk about our history, our work, and what has made Advocates what it is today.

Read More

1 in 4 Arkansas Workers Would Benefit from Minimum Wage Increase

September 19, 2018

About one in four Arkansas workers – almost 300,000 people – would benefit from the minimum wage increase on the ballot in November, according to a new report released today by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. The proposal, which will...

Thousands of Arkansans Dropped from Coverage: Latest Report on the Impact of the Work Reporting Requirement

September 13, 2018

The state’s Medicaid work reporting requirement has created unnecessary red tape that caused thousands of Arkansans to lose their health insurance this month. They won’t be able to reapply until next year. Governor Asa Hutchinson hosted a press conference yesterday...

School Discipline that Works: Helping All Kids Learn and Thrive

September 12, 2018

Nearly all students, teachers, and parents agree that schools must have an orderly, welcoming culture in order for students to feel safe and be able to learn. And teachers must feel supported by both administrators and parents when it...

Part IV: Economic Security and Family Supports are Critical to Early Childhood Development

August 29, 2018

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 most important for healthy brain development. Unfortunately, too many...

More News

Reducing Chronic Absenteeism for Children in Foster Care and FINS

September 17, 2018

Too many children in Arkansas are missing too much school to make academic progress. In 2014-15, 13 percent of K-12 students were chronically absent, meaning they missed 18 or more days of school (or 10 percent of the school...

Child Poverty in Northwest Arkansas: Policy Solutions to Build a Stronger Community

September 13, 2018

Statewide, many people think of Northwest Arkansas as a place where poverty is rare, where families and communities thrive in a booming economy. But as our updated Northwest Arkansas Child Poverty report explains, thousands of families struggle to get...

Breaking Down the Barriers for Arkansas’s Black Men and Boys: Part III (education)

August 1, 2018

As we’ve demonstrated over the past few months with the release of our data snapshot series, black men and boys in Arkansas encounter significant barriers. They face a higher rate of infant mortality, child poverty, and incarceration than their...

Infographic: A How-To for Reporting Work Activities and Exemptions in Arkansas Works

July 10, 2018

In June 2018, Arkansas became the first state to officially implement a requirement to work in a Medicaid expansion program – known here in Arkansas as Arkansas Works. Some Arkansas Works enrollees began reporting work activities or exemptions in June....

See All Publications

Recent Videos