Earlier this month, Gov. Sanders signed a good law that will expand opportunities for home schoolers.
S.B. 547 by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R — Jonesboro) and Rep. Stephen Meeks (R — Greenbrier) eliminates an old provision in state law that says home schoolers must live within 25 miles of a private school in order to participate in extracurricular activities at that school.
The bill did not receive a lot of attention, but it’s still a good law that is going to help home school families.
With the governor’s signature, S.B. 547 is now Act 728 of 2025.
We appreciate Sen. Sullivan, Rep. Meeks, and our friends in the legislature working with us on this good measure, and we appreciate Gov. Sanders signing it into law.
Act 728 will help further expand extracurricular and interscholastic opportunities for Arkansas’ home schooled students. That’s good for everyone.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
Above: Rep. Cooper presents legislation in this file photo from 2021.
On Monday Rep. Cameron Cooper (R — Romance) filed H.R. 1046 recognizing February 26 as Homeschool Day at the Arkansas State Capitol.
The resolution highlights many of the good things about home schooling and celebrates home schooling’s legacy in Arkansas, saying,
WHEREAS, over thirty thousand (30,000) students were homeschooled in Arkansas during the 2023-2024 school year; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling offers flexibility, efficiency, and effectiveness in teaching students in Arkansas, and this benefit allows homeschooling families to offer increased opportunities for community involvement and service to others for their children; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling is not a one-size-fits-all plan, and the education can be customized to the student’s learning styles and preferences and can be beneficial to students with special needs; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling provides benefits in academics, mental health, physical health, and social development; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling encourages autonomy and independence and allows children to harness their own unique qualities and interests; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling offers opportunities for students to learn entrepreneurship and often to begin working on their own small businesses; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling emphasizes family as a foundation for social development and development of faith; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling is accommodating to special situations and works well for military families, families who travel, and families contending with illness and challenging work schedules; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling parents are able to value an individual student’s potential and focus on this individual potential instead of minimum standards and standardized testing, and these parents are allowed to shape homeschooling so that learning for the students can be reactive to new methods and new concepts regarding positive child development; and
WHEREAS, homeschooling provides for a focus on life skills that students can use as they progress into adulthood as homeschooling allows students to dedicate time to learning anything from cooking to budgeting,
NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
THAT the House of Representatives recognize February 26, 2025, as Homeschool Day at the State Capitol.
Home schooling in Arkansas has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic.In 2019 there were a little less than 22,000 homeschoolers in Arkansas. In early 2020, those numbers climbed to 22,249. By 2023, homeschooling had risen to 30,000 students. And last year homeschooling surged again, to 32,767 students.
Family Council has always believed families deserve options when it comes to education. That’s one reason we support home schooling.
Research shows parental involvement generally is tied to better educational outcomes for children. That’s true no matter how families choose to educate their children — but home schooling is particularly good for many families, because it lets them choose the education that’s best for them. That’s good for everyone.
New reports from the Arkansas Department of Education show homeschooling’s surge has continued across the state.
The State of Arkansas tracks homeschool statistics and publishes reports every year. The newly updated reports for the recently-completed 2023-2024 school year reveal homeschooling peaked last year, with 32,767 homeschooled students in Arkansas.
Homeschooling has grown significantly over the past 30 years, but it has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019 there were a little less than 22,000 homeschoolers in Arkansas. In early 2020, those numbers climbed to 22,249. During the 2020-2021 school year, home schooling surged to 30,267 students. In 2022 and 2023, homeschooling hovered around 30,000 students. In 2024, homeschooling surged again, to 32,767 students.
One reason homeschooling increased during the past school year may be the new LEARNS Act, which lets families use public dollars to educate their children at a private school or at home.
Many families feel like public education has deteriorated over the years, and they don’t like the direction it is heading. For those families, school choice legislation like the LEARNS Act could empower them with real alternatives that will help their children succeed.
That is part of the reason Family Council supported the 2023 LEARNS Act.
The fact that homeschooling continues to surge in Arkansas shows there is serious demand for school choice.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
