Supporters of a ballot initiative to amend the Arkansas Constitution’s education clause will begin collecting signatures next week following the attorney general’s approval of ballot language Friday.
The Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024 aims to hold private schools that receive state funding to the same standards at public schools.
Attorney General Tim Griffin certified the proposal’s popular name and ballot title with several minor changes in a Friday opinion.
Griffin twice rejected For AR Kids’ initiative after the ballot group submitted its first proposal in December.
AG Education Amendment Approval
Bill Kopsky, For AR Kids spokesman and Arkansas Public Policy Panel executive director, told the Advocate Friday that the changes to the proposal over the last couple months have made the measure stronger.
“We have a real opportunity to take a big step for Arkansas students with this measure,” Kopsky said. “[we] just got to go do the rest of the work now, so we’re excited.”
The proposed constitutional amendment is backed by the For AR Kids coalition, which includes the Public Policy Panel, Arkansas Education Association, Arkansas Conference of the NAACP, Citizens First Congress and Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES).
For AR Kids will host a rally at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Arkansas State Capitol where people can learn more about the effort and sign petitions. Supporters have until July 5 to collect 90,704 signatures from at least 50 counties to qualify the measure for the 2024 ballot.
Arkansas public education coalition again revises proposed ballot measure targeting voucher rules
In a statement, Elaine Williams, an early childhood educator from Prescott and Arkansas Citizens First Congress’ education chair, said “it feels wonderful to finally start the signature process to put these solutions to help our students before voters.”
“We know we have deep support across the state and we can finally put months of drafting and researching and drafting the measure behind us and get on with the campaign to inform voters about it,” Williams said.
The proposed ballot measure is a response to a new voucher program that provides nearly $6,700 per student in state funding for allowable educational expenses, including private school tuition.
Created through the LEARNS Act, critics say the Educational Freedom Account program is unfair because private schools receiving state funding don’t have to follow the same requirements as their public counterparts, such as admitting all students, providing transportation and administering certain standardized tests.
The LEARNS Act does require private schools to administer approved annual exams for EFA students.
In addition to equal standards, the proposed constitutional amendment would guarantee voluntary universal access to pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, after-school and summer programming, quality special education and assistance for children in families within 200% of the Federal Poverty Line ($62,400 for a family of four).
The measure would also establish the minimum quality standards ordered in the Lake View School District No. 25 v. Huckabee court decision. That case, which lasted 15 years, established a process for Arkansas public schools to be adequately funded.
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