Arkansas Advocates 2019 Legislative Session Recap, Vol. 10
Despite being a three-day week at the Capitol, it was jam-packed! Several bills worked on by AACF staff cleared important hurdles, and we are gearing up for the sprint that […]
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 […]
Arkansas Child Poverty Rate Sees Improvement; Investments Needed to Maintain Gains
Note: This blog is second in a series of posts covering the findings in the 2018 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. To read the first blog post, […]
AACF Co-Presents “The Raising of America” Documentary
One thing business leaders, philanthropists, parents, child advocates – and even Hollywood – can agree on: The critical importance of quality early childhood education to our nation’s future. At the […]
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 […]
New Poll Finds Arkansans Strongly Support State-Level EITC, Investing in Children’s Programs
An overwhelming majority of Arkansans support a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit and greater state investment in afterschool and summer programs, according to a new poll released today by Arkansas […]
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 […]
Part II: Positive Early Learning Experiences Help Infants and Toddlers Become School-Ready
Before age 3, 85 percent of a child’s core brain structure is formed. This “wiring” shapes infants and toddlers’ ability to learn to read and think critically. Early learning experiences […]
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 […]
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 […]