PHOTO: Sen. Breanne Davis of Russellville looks at Education Secretary Jacob Oliva, right, as he answers questions about the LEARNS Act during a meeting of the Senate Education Committee Feb. 22, 2023 in Little Rock. | John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate
By ANTOINETTE GRAJEDA | Arkansas Advocate
Lawmakers will decide Friday whether to send an additional $32 million to Arkansas’ school voucher program, which has seen a large increase in participation after opening to all students for the first time last fall.
The Arkansas Legislative Council is taking up a request that would push the Educational Freedom Account program’s cost to nearly $310 million for the year.
The program, created through a 2023 education overhaul known as the LEARNS Act, provides state funding for allowable education expenses such as private school tuition. Lawmakers allocated more than $187 million for the program in the state’s budget in April before approving an additional $90 million in June.
State education officials have said the extra money is needed to support the expansion of the voucher program, which has grown to more than 44,000 since eligibility opened to all students for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Lawmakers earlier this week questioned how they would make room in the budget for the growing program in the future, as well as what guardrails are in place to ensure participants are using state funds appropriately.
Despite those concerns, the subcommittee advanced the request to the full council following a voice vote with audible dissent. The Arkansas Legislative Council’s meeting begins at 9 a.m. Friday and it will be livestreamed here.
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