Tell us your #prekstories
AACF is looking for Arkansans to tell us their stories about why pre-K is important to them. If you’re a business leader, a college student, a member of law enforcement, a prosecutor, a teacher, a member of the clergy,...
News
Time to protect Arkansas renters
Arkansas has the nation’s weakest laws on tenants’ rights and in some cases even criminalizes renters. State law puts those who pay rent – most often the lower income residents in Arkansas – at a disadvantage in dealing with...
Celebrating public education
An essential component of the American success story is the value we, as a nation, have placed on education for all citizens. As early as April 23, 1635, the Boston Public Latin School, the first public school in America,...
Time to address gaps in behavioral health system
While the health care system has been the target of many of the proposed bills filed during the legislation session, one important issue has practically gone unmentioned—access to adequate behavioral health services for children. These gaps continue to make...
Pondering equity and education on anniversary of King’s letter
On April 16 we remember and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his call to action in the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. He warned, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the...
AACF thanks Senators for renewing kids’ health coverage
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) would like to publicly thank the U.S. Senate for passing a bill that extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), better known as ARKids First here in Arkansas. Arkansas’s delegation, both...
On taxes, broccoli, and instant gratification
Despite the desperate need for pre-K funding, lawmakers sank their teeth into a nice, juicy capital gains tax cut for the rich this session. Fighting to keep state coffers adequately filled with tax dollars feels like announcing the tired...
Poverty can change how kids learn
Children from lower-income families have fewer resources, and this directly impacts a child’s brain development. A new study published by Nature Neuroscience adds to a growing body of evidence that “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” isn’t as simple as...
AACF Weekly Legislative Update Vol. 12
JUVENILE JUSTICE: SB982, “An Act to Improve the Effectiveness of the Juvenile Justice System,” passed both chambers and is off to the governor’s desk. This critical piece of legislation seeks to stop the ineffective and costly practice of incarcerating...
Revenues down in March
The tax collections that fund statewide programs like pre-K, education and roads took a dip last month, but are still ahead of schedule for the year as a whole. Because Arkansas requires a balanced budget according to the Revenue...