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Pre-K Now
Arkansas

Arkansas’ pre-k program, the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program , is provided in either center-based classrooms or through the Home Instruction Program for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPPY).  Program resources come from public school dollars, an excise tax on beer, and child care and development funding.

Key Milestones
1991
   The Arkansas Legislature establishes the Arkansas Better Chance quality pre-k program. The original intent of the program is to provide assistance to educationally disadvantaged young children from birth through age five.
     
2001   The Legislature approves a three percent retail excise tax on beer dedicated to early childhood education. This excise tax is set to sunset in June 2005.

A district court rules that the Arkansas public education system violates the constitution and states that “the State must forthwith provide programs for those children of preschool age that will allow them to compete academically with their peers."
     
2002
   The Arkansas Supreme Court rules that the current public school system is unconstitutional and that the legislature is responsible for deciding what an “adequate and equitable” public education system contains.
     
2003   The Arkansas Better Chance for School Success Program receives a $40 million appropriation. The program provides quality pre-k to three and four year olds with family incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Priority funding is given to children living in school districts where more than 75 percent of students score below proficiency on the state’s benchmark exam. This expanded program meets the same high quality standards as the original ABC program but targets a narrower group of children. Act 49 includes a provision that would fully implement this program over five years (2003-2008). The program serves 7,266 additional children in 329 new classrooms. This leaves approximately 15,000 eligible three and four year olds without a quality pre-k program.
     
2005   The Arkansas legislature appropriates an additional $20 million per year for the Arkansas Better Chance program. This new $20 million annual appropriation combines a $7.5 million transfer of TANF funds and $12.5 million in new state revenues. The total annual appropriation for quality pre-k rises to just over $71 million. This includes a $60 million increase in new funds for the expansion of the Arkansas Better Chance program since July 2004.The Arkansas legislature also re-approves the three percent excise tax on beer, which was set to sunset in 2005. The tax, which amounts to about 18 cents per six-pack, is expected to generate about $9 million annually for the Arkansas Better Chance. In 2007 the tax will sunset once again. However, provisions are made in the new legislation for the annual revenue from the tax to be replaced by that same amount in the annual budget of the Arkansas Departmentof Education starting in 2007.
     
2006   Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and Pre-K Now release "An Economic Analysis of Pre-K in Arkansas," which shows that each dollar invested to date in the ABC pre-k program will yield $2.32 in future savings to the state.
     
2007   The ABC program receives an increase of $39.8 million for a total FY08 budget of $111 million. This increase will allow the program to serve all 3 and 4 year olds in families earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold, which, accounts for nearly 50 percent of all children in this age range in the state.
Pre-K Champions

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) continues to coordinate quality preschool expansion efforts across the state. The Arkansas Early Childhood Association has served as a critical pre-k campaign partner. Strong support for recent pre-k expansion has also come from the educational community, such as the Arkansas School Boards Association, the Arkansas PTA, and the Arkansas Education Association. Support from the business community includes the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Entergy Corporation. Arkansas law enforcement leaders from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids also strongly support pre-k expansion in Arkansas.

Governor Mike Beebe campaigned in support of pre-k and reaffirmed his commitment in his first state of the state address and his first budget proposal. He also supports continued investment in pre-k until all Arkansas children have access to the high-quality program.

Next Steps for Arkansas

Arkansas advocates will work to expand access of pre-k to all three and four year olds and to require all pre-k teachers to hold a bachelor's degree.
 
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Meeting the Challenge of Rural Pre-K
Families everywhere stuggle to find high-quality pre-k programs for their children, but the problem is even more acute in rural areas. Pre-K Now has come out with recommendations for federal policymakers to help states meet the unique challenges of rural pre-k.
download the white paper (PDF)
see our other federal policy work
Follow Pre-K's Progress Across the Nation
Our maps track the availability and quality of pre-k and the political environment surrounding the issue in each state and Washington, D.C.
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Find High-Quality Pre-K
With Our Checklist
Quality is key to unlocking pre-k's many benefits. Learn what to ask about and look for when choosing a pre-k program for your child.
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Tour a Pre-K Classroom
Our virtual classroom tour will help you recognize the features of a high-quality pre-k and understand why they make a difference.
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Arkansas Wise to Buy Pre-K With Its Dollars
A new economic analysis shows that Arkansas will reap $2.32 in future savings for each $1 invested to date in high-quality pre-k for at-risk children. Allowing all three and four year olds to voluntarily participate would save millions of dollars.
learn about this report
Good parenting is enhanced by a high-quality pre-k program.