Arkansas for Direct Democracy

ForARKids

Arkansas Education Rights Amendment

For AR Kids is a citizen-led ballot initiative that aims to enact transformative education reforms in Arkansas through a constitutional amendment. The proposed amendment would require any school receiving public funds to follow the same standards as traditional public schools. It would also establish minimum education standards in the state constitution covering core subjects like reading, math, and civics. Additionally, the amendment would guarantee universal access to four proven education reforms: universal pre-K for 3 and 4-year-olds, after-school and summer programs, support for kids experiencing poverty, and quality special education.

Recent polling data shows overwhelming public support for these measures among Arkansans, with 77.1% backing equal standards for all schools receiving public funds, 78.7% supporting basic minimum education standards, 78.5% in favor of universal pre-K, 81.3% for after-school/summer programs, 83% for wraparound services for low-income students, and 86.6% wanting quality special education.

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About ForARKids

For AR Kids is a grassroots coalition running a ballot measure to amend the Education clause of the Arkansas Constitution. The coalition is now made up of nearly half a dozen organizations so far: Arkansas Education Association (AEA), Arkansas Conference of the NAACP, the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, The Arkansas Retired Teachers Association, Stand Up Arkansas, and Citizens First Congress (CFC). The newly-formed Ballot Question Committee (BQC) named “For AR Kids” announced Thursday, Dec 21st, 2023 its plans to place a ballot initiative on the 2024 ballot that will amend the education article of the Arkansas Constitution to:
  1. Require any school receiving any amount of public funds to follow the same standards that traditional public schools are required to follow;
  2. Establish the minimum quality standards ordered by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 2002 in its Lakeview decision; and
  3. Guarantee voluntary universal access to pre-K for 3-4 year olds, afterschool & summertime programming, quality special education, and wrap around services for children within 200% of the Federal Poverty Line.

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