Cardona tells Arkansas teachers student debt forgiveness meant to ‘prevent defaults’ • Arkansas Advocate
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told a group of Arkansas educators Tuesday that the goal of the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program “is to prevent defaults.” “Which is better, letting someone pay what they can afford or throwing our hands up and doing nothing?” Cardona asked during a roundtable discussion with nine teachers and […]
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Federal judge schedules hearing in Arkansas LEARNS lawsuit • Arkansas Advocate
A federal judge on Wednesday a preliminary injunction hearing for April 30 in a case challenging the constitutionality of a portion of the LEARNS Act that bans “indoctrination” in public schools. Little Rock Central High School parents, students and a teacher involved in an AP African American Studies pilot course that received scrutiny for potentially […]
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2024 fiscal session gets underway in Little Rock • Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas lawmakers returned to the Capitol Wednesday for the start of the state’s eighth fiscal session. Held in even-numbered years, fiscal session work is focused on finalizing the state budget. Legislative sessions occur in odd-numbered years, but lawmakers can take up non-appropriation matters during the fiscal session with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. […]
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Arkansas coalition asks lawmakers to invest in programs that support families during fiscal session • Arkansas Advocate
A coalition of advocacy groups urged lawmakers Thursday to invest in families during the fiscal session by supporting programs they say have been unfunded or underfunded, such as Pre-K, childcare and disability services. Members of Arkansas Coalition for Strong Families, who organized Thursday’s press conference at the state Capitol, said investing in these programs will […]
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Sanders re-emphasizes education and public safety in State of the State address • Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders used Wednesday’s “State of the State” address to tout her ongoing policy priorities, primarily education and law enforcement, and urge state lawmakers to pass her proposed state budget. “Send me a budget that funds critical services for Arkansans while slowing the growth of government and I will sign it,” Sanders […]
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Arkansas fiscal session begins this week; proposed budget expected to pass with few changes • Arkansas Advocate
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Google-News-Wire
- April 9, 2024
- Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
- Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
- Arkansas department of human services
- arkansas division of children and family services
- arkansas medicaid
- arkansas state library
- bart hester
- brian evans
- bryan king
- child care
- Cryptocurrency
- fiscal 2025
- fiscal session
- fiscal year
- higher education
- inflation
- jack ladyman
- johnny rye
- Joint Budget Committee
- jonathan dismang
- LEARNS Act
- maternal health care
- matthew shepherd
- public education
- revenue stabilization act
- Sarah Huckabee Sanders
- school vouchers
- state budget
- Terry Rice
- University Of Arkansas
- university of arkansas at pine bluff
Arkansas lawmakers will convene the state’s eighth fiscal session Wednesday, beginning the process of finalizing the state budget for fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1 and ends June 30, 2025. The fiscal session lasts a maximum of 30 days unless three-fourths of the House and Senate vote to extend it. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, […]
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Arkansas governor marks start of year two for voucher applications • Arkansas Advocate
A private, Christian school in Fort Smith is adding a grade because of increased interest in Arkansas’ school voucher program, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday. Applications opened Monday for new students, schools and service providers enrolling in the Educational Freedom Account program, which is expanding eligibility criteria and enrollment limits in its second year. […]
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Central High families, teacher file federal lawsuit over Arkansas LEARNS Act ‘indoctrination’ ban • Arkansas Advocate
A federal lawsuit filed Monday challenges the constitutionality of a section of the LEARNS Act that prohibits “indoctrination” in Arkansas schools and asks the court to block its enforcement. Civil rights attorneys Mike Laux and Austin Porter Jr. filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas on behalf of […]
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Rules governing Arkansas community service graduation requirement approved for public comment • Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas school districts have already begun helping students meet a new community service graduation requirement as state officials work to approve final rules for the program. Under the LEARNS Act, a sweeping new education law, Arkansas students must complete 75 hours of community hours to graduate, starting with this year’s freshman class. De Queen superintendent […]
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Arkansas education co-ops concerned about effect of reduced funding • Arkansas Advocate
The Sanders administration’s proposal to reduce funding for Arkansas’ 15 education service cooperatives has co-op directors concerned about the impact on students, especially those in smaller school districts. Fourteen cooperatives would receive $4.3 million less in state funds next fiscal year under the Department of Education’s 2025 budget proposal, according to estimates provided to the […]
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