ROGERS — A committee aimed at letting voters decide on some changes to education in Arkansas is looking to increase the number of volunteers.
For AR Kids, the Ballot Questions Committee working to pass the Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment on the November ballot held a town hall meeting Wednesday at the Rogers Public Library.
Janice Bennett Hughes, AR Kids Benton County Volunteer Coordinator, said the amendment establishes basic education requirements and would allow lawmakers to create a set of educational accreditation requirements for educational institutions that utilize public funds. He said he was looking for something.
Steve Grapp, field director for For AR Kids and executive director of Stand Up Arkansas, said the state constitution calls for fair and equitable education, but there are no standards for educational requirements.
For AR Kids was formed in December to develop and campaign for this amendment and includes the NAACP Arkansas Conference, the Arkansas Education Association, the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, the Arkansas Retired Teachers Association, Citizens First Conference, and Stand Up Arkansas. Masu.
Bennett-Hughes said the amendment is consistent with Arkansans' desire to have a comprehensive framework for education.
This amendment requires the following:
One of the standards for educational accreditation when public funds are used, including for private schools.
Established minimum standards for receiving an appropriate education.
A universal kindergarten for children aged 3 and 4.
Universal access to after-school and summer programs.
Educational assistance for people within 200% of the federal poverty line.
Services that enable students with disabilities to receive an integrated education.
The amendment's requirement that private schools funded by taxpayers be subject to the same regulations targets the LEARNS Act, an expanded education law that includes provisions for universal school choice.
The Learning Act, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders last year, expands school choice and ultimately gives every student in the state what the state calls an “educational freedom account” to help cover costs. It will give you the opportunity to choose which vouchers to fund. Attending a private school or home school.
Critics of the education law say it's unfair that private schools that choose to participate in the voucher program receive state funds that would otherwise go to public schools, but don't have to follow the same state regulations as public schools. claims.
Sanders, who has made passing the LEARNS Act his top legislative priority, said the law will give parents and students the opportunity to pursue private school education, which was previously only available to families who could afford it. . Under the LEARNS Act, a student can use 90% of the per-pupil funding the state allocates to public schools for private or homeschool education.
Grappe said the amendments are meant to “fill in the gaps” in the LEARNS Act and provide funding for the services it seeks to add.
Grapp said the group doesn't pay recruiters, but uses most of its funds for advertising and campaigns through text messages, robocalls and other media.
To qualify for the November ballot, the Educational Rights Amendment must submit 90,704 signatures to the Arkansas Secretary of State's office by July 5.
“We know our numbers are pretty low,” said Mike Sydoriak, community volunteer leader for For AR Kids.
Sydoriak said the organization doesn't have many volunteers to run the petition tables, but when they do, the signatures can have a positive outcome.
Group leaders said there was still time to increase numbers.
Chris Caldwell is a senior adviser to Sanders' 2026 re-election campaign and treasurer of the Arkansans Vote Committee for Students and Educators seeking to disqualify or defeat the amendment. Caldwell previously said his group is focused on “protecting all the work the governor and the Legislature have done to improve education in Arkansas from being undermined by special interests.” Ta.
Calls to the governor's office and the Arkansas Department of Education seeking comment about Wednesday's events at City Hall were not answered or answered.