As Arkansas LEARNS works its way through the state legislature, with its emphasis, among other things, on what’s been dubbed “Education Freedom Accounts,” the first hearing on the bill was Wednesday, where it passed on a voice vote.
It would provide roughly $7,000 per student to parents to be used to pay for private schools, as well as cover costs associated with homeschooling.
That money, as of now, comes with little to no restriction, so in addition to tuition, it could be used to pay for school uniforms or technology like computers.
The cost to the state would be immense. The fiscal impact statement generated by the state’s Department of Education estimates the cost of the program would range from $46.7 million to $97.5 million. As of now, that mandate is unfunded.
The entirety of Arkansas LEARNS is estimated to cost $297.5 million in year one, including $150 million in new money. Year 2 costs jump to $343.3 million and to $250 million in new money.
The largest single item is a teacher salary increase that would be $180 million in each year.
The education accounts portion is the second largest item in the bill.
Given the Republican majority, Arkansas LEARNS is almost a certainty to pass.
And it would be a profound culture change for Arkansas, as the state moves its emphasis from public school education, as mandated by the state constitution, to private, which would be partially funded by the public, along with publicly funded charter schools.
There are currently 99 private school campuses, and 49 total private school systems, in the state and 22 open-enrollment public charters, but most of those operate multiple campuses. An example of that would be the Academics Plus system that has campuses in Maumelle, North Little Rock and Scott.
The 61 total charter school campuses across the state have about 40,000 students enrolled. Private school enrollment is roughly 20,000 students.
Arkansas currently has 259 public school districts with 1,056 campuses and 476,579 students, per the Department of Education.
There are two organizations that serve the vast majority of the state’s private schools.
Of the 95 member schools, 47 are accredited elementary schools and 27 are accredited secondary schools.
They also have 14 associate elementary schools and seven associated secondary schools.
Most of those private schools, as is the case with the charter schools, are in greater central Arkansas, the most densely populated portion of the state. In a 50-mile radius of Little Rock are roughly one million people, or a third of the state’s population.
That area stretches from Searcy to the north, Morrilton to the west, Carlisle to the east, Pine Bluff to the southeast and Hot Springs to the southwest. Of the 48 private school systems, 25 serve that area.
The other private school organization is the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, formerly known as the Mississippi Private School Association, that has campuses in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee.
The four campuses in Arkansas are:
DeSoto School, West Helena
Lee Academy, Marianna
Marvell Academy, Marvell
West Memphis Christian School, West Memphis
West Memphis Christian is also a member of the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association.
The Catholic Diocese of Little Rock also lists St. Paul School in Pocahontas that serves PreK3 through the sixth grade for a total of 26 Catholic schools in the state.
Enrollment figures for three of the MSAIS schools aren’t publicly available. West Memphis Christian has a high school enrollment of 99. The other three high schools have enough students to field high school football teams.
The member schools in Mississippi serve almost every part of that state and were started by the White Citizens' Councils that began after schools were integrated following the Brown v. Board decision by the Supreme Court in 1954.
The White Citizens' Councils have their roots in the Ku Klux Klan.
Simply put, few Black children attend those schools, but in Arkansas, the white parents who send their children there would also be getting these state funds.
As for the other private schools in Arkansas, most are parochial and affiliated with a local church or diocese.
There are 23 Catholic school systems, eight schools affiliated with Baptist churches and three schools that are Church of Christ among the total of 49 schools.
Many have deep historical roots in Arkansas.
Mount St. Mary in Little Rock was founded in 1851, while the newest private school is Ozark Catholic Academy in Tontitown and Springdale and was founded in 2018.
The reality is, with Arkansas LEARNS the number of private schools is going to increase, as will the number of charter schools, and so will the numbers of students being home-schooled.
Roughly 12 percent of Arkansas students fall into the private and charter categories, but the clear intention is to get that number up by the end of this decade.
Some numbers have been floated, with those students doubling and eventually getting to a third, or more, of all students in privates and charters by 2030. That would mean, roughly, 120,000 to 180,000 students, and that would be a profound shift from the current number of approximately 60,000.
It would also mean more of a Mississippi model, with every town or county getting a private school. Some churches that may have previously hesitated due to cost now would have a guaranteed funding source, with a K-12 student being worth over $90,000 in taxpayer funds over those 13 years.
The school landscape in Arkansas is going to shift. The question left is will it just be rubble after this coming earthquake, or something else?
Rubble seems the most likely, but time will tell.
Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association member schools
Key: Campus enrollment, location, date of founding, church affiliation (if any) and if the school is a member of the Arkansas Activities Association
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As Arkansas LEARNS works its way through the state legislature, with its emphasis, among other things, on what’s been dubbed “Education Freedom Accounts,” the first hearing on the bill was Wednesday, where it passed on a voice vote.
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It would provide roughly $7,000 per student to parents to be used to pay for private schools, as well as cover costs associated with homeschooling.
That money, as of now, comes with little to no restriction, so in addition to tuition, it could be used to pay for school uniforms or technology like computers.
The cost to the state would be immense. The fiscal impact statement generated by the state’s Department of Education estimates the cost of the program would range from $46.7 million to $97.5 million. As of now, that mandate is unfunded.
The entirety of Arkansas LEARNS is estimated to cost $297.5 million in year one, including $150 million in new money. Year 2 costs jump to $343.3 million and to $250 million in new money.
The largest single item is a teacher salary increase that would be $180 million in each year.
The education accounts portion is the second largest item in the bill.
Given the Republican majority, Arkansas LEARNS is almost a certainty to pass.
And it would be a profound culture change for Arkansas, as the state moves its emphasis from public school education, as mandated by the state constitution, to private, which would be partially funded by the public, along with publicly funded charter schools.
There are currently 99 private school campuses, and 49 total private school systems, in the state and 22 open-enrollment public charters, but most of those operate multiple campuses. An example of that would be the Academics Plus system that has campuses in Maumelle, North Little Rock and Scott.
The 61 total charter school campuses across the state have about 40,000 students enrolled. Private school enrollment is roughly 20,000 students.
Arkansas currently has 259 public school districts with 1,056 campuses and 476,579 students, per the Department of Education.
There are two organizations that serve the vast majority of the state’s private schools.
The largest is the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association with 95 of the 99 schools.
Of the 95 member schools, 47 are accredited elementary schools and 27 are accredited secondary schools.
They also have 14 associate elementary schools and seven associated secondary schools.
Most of those private schools, as is the case with the charter schools, are in greater central Arkansas, the most densely populated portion of the state. In a 50-mile radius of Little Rock are roughly one million people, or a third of the state’s population.
That area stretches from Searcy to the north, Morrilton to the west, Carlisle to the east, Pine Bluff to the southeast and Hot Springs to the southwest. Of the 48 private school systems, 25 serve that area.
The other private school organization is the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, formerly known as the Mississippi Private School Association, that has campuses in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee.
The four campuses in Arkansas are:
DeSoto School, West Helena
Lee Academy, Marianna
Marvell Academy, Marvell
West Memphis Christian School, West Memphis
West Memphis Christian is also a member of the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association.
The Catholic Diocese of Little Rock also lists St. Paul School in Pocahontas that serves PreK3 through the sixth grade for a total of 26 Catholic schools in the state.
Enrollment figures for three of the MSAIS schools aren’t publicly available. West Memphis Christian has a high school enrollment of 99. The other three high schools have enough students to field high school football teams.
The member schools in Mississippi serve almost every part of that state and were started by the White Citizens' Councils that began after schools were integrated following the Brown v. Board decision by the Supreme Court in 1954.
The White Citizens' Councils have their roots in the Ku Klux Klan.
Simply put, few Black children attend those schools, but in Arkansas, the white parents who send their children there would also be getting these state funds.
As for the other private schools in Arkansas, most are parochial and affiliated with a local church or diocese.
There are 23 Catholic school systems, eight schools affiliated with Baptist churches and three schools that are Church of Christ among the total of 49 schools.
Many have deep historical roots in Arkansas.
Mount St. Mary in Little Rock was founded in 1851, while the newest private school is Ozark Catholic Academy in Tontitown and Springdale and was founded in 2018.
The reality is, with Arkansas LEARNS the number of private schools is going to increase, as will the number of charter schools, and so will the numbers of students being home-schooled.
Roughly 12 percent of Arkansas students fall into the private and charter categories, but the clear intention is to get that number up by the end of this decade.
Some numbers have been floated, with those students doubling and eventually getting to a third, or more, of all students in privates and charters by 2030. That would mean, roughly, 120,000 to 180,000 students, and that would be a profound shift from the current number of approximately 60,000.
It would also mean more of a Mississippi model, with every town or county getting a private school. Some churches that may have previously hesitated due to cost now would have a guaranteed funding source, with a K-12 student being worth over $90,000 in taxpayer funds over those 13 years.
The school landscape in Arkansas is going to shift. The question left is will it just be rubble after this coming earthquake, or something else?
Rubble seems the most likely, but time will tell.
Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association member schools
Key: Campus enrollment, location, date of founding, church affiliation (if any) and if the school is a member of the Arkansas Activities Association
Abundant Life Christian Academy
(K4: 17) (K-6: 152) (7-12: 111) Total: 280
Sherwood
School Founded 1977
Baptist
Academy of Excellence
(K4: 12) (K-8: 31) Total: 43
Founded: 1993
Eureka Springs
Faith Christian Family Church
The Anthony School
(K4: 29) (K-8: 269) Total: 298
Little Rock
School Founded 1944
Independent
Arkansas Christian Academy
(K4: 45) (K-6: 189) (7-12: 89) Total: 323
School Founded 2001
Bryant
Family Church
Avilla Christian Academy
(K4: 22) (K-2: 20) Total: 42
Alexander
School Founded: 2002
Lutheran
Baptist Preparatory School
(K4: 44) (K-6: 205) (7-12: 246) Total: 495
Little Rock
School Founded 1981
Baptist
AAA Member
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
(K4: 27) (K-6: 109) Total: 136
Jonesboro
School Founded 1886
Catholic
Catholic High School
(9-12: 678) Total: 678
Little Rock
School Founded 1930
Catholic
AAA Member
Central Arkansas Christian Schools
(K4: 46) (K-5: 296) (6-12: 440) Total: 782
North Little Rock
School Founded 1971
Church of Christ
AAA Member
Christ Little Rock
(K4: 12) (K-8: 113) Total: 125
Little Rock
School Founded 1870
Lutheran
Christ the King Catholic School
(K4: 24) (K-5: 158) Total: 182
Fort Smith
School Founded 1949
Catholic
Christ the King School
(K4: 46) (K-8: 554) Total: 600
Little Rock
School Founded 1986
Catholic
AAA Member
Columbia Christian School
(K4: 25) (K-6: 115) (7-12: 63) Total: 203
Magnolia
School Founded 1998
Baptist
Conway Christian School
(K4: 45) (K-6: 279) (7-12: 219) Total: 543
Conway
School Founded 1992
Interdenominational
AAA Member
Crowley’s Ridge Academy
(K4: 37) (K-6: 149) (7-12: 120) Total: 306
Paragould
School Founded 1953
Church of Christ
AAA Member
Episcopal Collegiate School
(K4: 36) (K-5: 317) (6-12: 427) Total: 780
Little Rock
School Founded 1997
Episcopal
AAA Member
Fayetteville Christian School
(K4: 10) (K-6: 68) (7-12: 46) Total: 124
Fayetteville
School Founded 1978
Baptist
Harding Academy
(K4: 44) (K-6: 232) (7-12: 330) Total: 606
School Founded 1924
Searcy
Church of Christ
AAA Member
Harvest Time Academy
(K4: 44) (K-5: 101) Total: 145
Fort Smith
School Founded 2015
Non-denominational
Immaculate Conception School
(K4: 23) (K-5: 219) Total: 242
Fort Smith
School Founded 1930
Catholic
Immaculate Conception School
(K4: 60) (K-8: 306) Total: 366
North Little Rock
School Founded 1956
Catholic
AAA Member
Immaculate Heart of Mary School
(K4: 12) (K-8: 88) Total: 100
Marche
School Founded 1878
Catholic
AAA Member
Life Way Christian School
(K4: 49) (K-6: 245) (7-12: 221) Total: 515
School Founded 2000
Centerton
Baptist
AAA Member
Little Rock Christian Academy
(K4: 76) (K-6: 714) (7-12: 763) Total: 1,553
Little Rock
School Founded 1977
Independent
AAA Member
Mount St. Mary Academy
(9-12: 458) Total: 458
Little Rock
School Founded 1851
Catholic
AAA Member
The New School
(K4: 53) (K-4: 186) (5-12: 139) Total: 378
Fayetteville
School Founded 1971
Independent
AAA Member
North Little Rock Catholic Academy
(K4: 36) (K-8: 146) Total: 182
North Little Rock
School Founded 2007
Catholic
AAA Member
Our Lady of Fatima School
(K-8) Total: 71
Benton
School Founded 1959
Catholic
Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic School
(K4: 37) (K-8: 428) Total: 465
Little Rock
School Founded 1927
Catholic
AAA Member
Ozark Catholic Academy
(9-12) Total: 123
Tontitown
School Founded 2018
Catholic
AAA Member
Pulaski Academy
(K4: 80) (K-4: 421) (5-12: 789) Total: 1,290
Little Rock
School Founded 1971
Independent
AAA Member
Ridgefield Christian School
(K4: 37) (K-6: 93) (7-12: 77) Total: 207
Jonesboro
School Founded 1992
Non-denominational
AAA Member
Sacred Heart Catholic School
(K4: 16) (K-6: 133) (7-12: 90) Total: 239
Morrilton
School Founded 1879
Catholic
AAA Member
Shiloh Christian School
(K4: 84) (K-5: 551) (6-12: 678) Total: 1,313
Springdale
School Founded 1976
Baptist
AAA Member
Southwest Christian Academy
(K4: 29) (K-4: 65) (5-12: 104) Total: 198
Little Rock
School Founded 1987
Independent
St. John Catholic School
(K4: 12) (K-8: 80) Total: 92
Hot Springs
School Founded 1908
Catholic
St. John Catholic School
(K4: 19) (K-5: 82) Total: 101
Russellville
School Founded 1947
Catholic
St. Joseph School
(K4: 49) (K-6: 235) (7-12: 194) Total: 478
Conway
School Founded 1879
Catholic
AAA Member
St. Joseph Catholic School
(K4: 35) (K-8: 322) Total: 357
Fayetteville
School Founded 1948
Catholic
AAA Member
St. Joseph Catholic School
(K4: 31) (K-8: 32) Total: 63
Paris
School Founded 1873
Catholic
St. Theresa Catholic School
(K4: 27) (K-8: 181) Total: 208
Little Rock
School Founded 1959
Catholic
AAA Member
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
(K4: 49) (K-8: 394) Total: 443
Rogers
School Founded 1957
Catholic
AAA Member
Subiaco Academy
(7-12) Total: 143
Subiaco
School Founded 1887
Catholic
AAA Member
Trinity Catholic School
(6-8) Total: 220
Fort Smith
School Founded 1986
Catholic
AAA Member
Trinity Christian School
(K4: 20) (K-5: 63) (6-12: 80) Total: 163
Texarkana
School Founded 1992
Baptist
Union Christian Academy
(K4: 15) (K-5: 122) (6-12: 121) Total: 258
Fort Smith
School Founded 2005
Non-denominational
West Memphis Christian School
(K4: 13) (K-6: 83) (7-12: 99) Total: 195
West Memphis
School Founded 1970
Christian
West Side Christian School
(K4: 16) (K-6: 118) (7-12: 69) Total: 203
El Dorado
School Founded 1985
Baptist