2018 State of Preschool report ranks Arkansas 5th in access for 3-year-olds
Study shows all states need faster expansion and greater investment in early childhood education In The State of Preschool 2018 annual report, the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University […]
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 […]
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 […]
On Tax Day, a Look at How Federal Tax Changes Impact Arkansans
Taxes allow us to invest in public programs that help everyone, but recent federal tax cuts are shifting those dollars to the Arkansans who need it least. Those tax cuts […]
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 […]
Jonesboro Pre-K’s First Class is All Grown Up
Fourteen years ago, in August 2004, the Jonesboro, Arkansas, School District launched its first pre-K program. The Jonesboro Pre-K Center was licensed for 186 early learners and was housed in […]
Experts Agree: Arkansas Needs a Sales Tax Revamp
The tax task force focused on sales taxes again this week. They were visited by two national tax experts* who both agreed on some key points for tax change in our […]
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 […]