State of Arkansas Has Invested $111M+ in School Choice Since July 1

Education, , ,

Data from the state’s official transparency website shows Arkansas has spent more than $111 million on its school choice program since July 1.

In 2023, lawmakers passed the LEARNS Act overhauling public education in Arkansas and making it possible for students to use public dollars to pay for an education at a public or private school or through home schooling. Family Council and our homeschool division, the Education Alliance, were pleased to support this good law, because it gives families educational opportunities.

The State of Arkansas reportedly spent $111,138,210 on Educational Freedom Accounts under the LEARNS Act from July 1 through October 31 of this year. Administrative costs have accounted for $916,574 of the program’s spending. The other $110.2 million went to pay for education expenses.

Last spring, the General Assembly budgeted nearly $187.5 million for the Educational Freedom Accounts for the 2025-2026 school year and placed $90 million in its Restricted Reserve Fund set aside for the program.

Since the LEARNS Act launched in 2023, thousands of students have taken advantage of school choice in Arkansas. Many families feel that public education has deteriorated over the years, and they don’t like the direction it is heading. For those families, programs like the LEARNS Act could empower them with real alternatives that help their children succeed. That is part of the reason Family Council has supported the LEARNS Act.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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141 Arkansas Students Enrolled to Study Bible Academically at School this Semester

Religious Freedom, , , ,

Data from the Arkansas Department of Education shows 141 public school students have enrolled in courses to study the Bible academically this semester.

Act 1440 of 2013 and Act 1016 of 2019 let public schools offer elective, academic courses on “the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics.”

The law says the course must be objective and nonsectarian, and it must meet the same academic standards as other elective courses offered in public schools. Anyone wishing to teach the course must be licensed to teach in the State of Arkansas.

According to the Arkansas Department of Education’s academic framework for the classes, the course is offered as a one-semester elective in which students learn about the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, and culture.

Over the past 12 years, different school districts in the state have chosen to offer academic courses on the Bible under state law. New data from the Arkansas Department of Education shows at least 141 public school students have enrolled in elective, academic courses on the Bible at 13 schools so far for the 2025-2026 school year.

It’s good that Arkansas lets students learn about the Bible at school. After all, no single book has been more influential on our civilization. Of course, Christians believe the Bible is meant to be learned and lived out in daily life. Still, studying the Bible academically is a great opportunity.

Below is a list of school districts offering courses on the Bible this semester.

SCHOOL DISTRICTCOURSENUMBER OF STUDENTS
SEARCY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)27
VAN BUREN SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)24
SOUTH SIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Van Buren)Academic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)17
NETTLETON SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)16
MAGNOLIA SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)13
MARMADUKE SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)11
FORDYCE SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)7
LONOKE SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)7
DEWITT SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)5
SOUTH CONWAY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)4
DES ARC SCHOOL DISTRICTAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)4
ACADEMICS PLUS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLSAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)4
PREMIER HIGH SCHOOLS OF ARKANSASAcademic Study of the Bible (0.5 credit)2
Total141

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Students Are Protected Against Compelled Pronoun Use by Good State Laws

Religious Freedom, , ,

A student in northwest Arkansas recently faced pressure at school to use “they/them” pronouns for classmates who claimed not to be male or female. When she declined, she was pressured to do so by other students.  She was concerned that the school administration might punish her for refusing to comply.  

Stephanie Nichols, director of our Arkansas Justice Institute, was able to help. Stephanie explained that three laws safeguard the student’s right to stand firm in her faith and refuse to use pronouns that recognize any gender that is different from the person’s sex at birth.  These laws are:  

  • The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution 
  • The Arkansas Religious Freedom Restoration Act 
  • The Arkansas Given Name Act (Act 542 of 2023)

The Given Name Act, sponsored by Rep. Wayne Long and Sen. Mark Johnson, directly addresses this issue. It states: “A student shall not be subject to any disciplinary action for declining to address a person using a name other than the name listed on the person’s birth certificate; or pronoun or title that is inconsistent with the person’s biological sex.”

Thanks to these laws, this student was on solid legal ground. This case is a clear example of why the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Arkansas Given Name Act—laws that Family Council worked hard to pass—are producing such good results today. And now, through the Arkansas Justice Institute, our attorney Stephanie Nichols is able to show families exactly how to use these protections to defend their rights and freedoms. 

Thankfully, through the good work of the Arkansas legislature and the generous gifts of our supporters, students in Arkansas are on solid footing with regard to their free speech rights and freedom of religion rights in our public schools.

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