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The 2023 Annie E. Casey Foundation Data Book ranked Arkansas 37th in the nation for education, and said 56% of young children were not in preschool programs to help get them ready for school. (Adobe Stock)

Program gives AR early education workers 'Career Pathways'

The need for child care and early learning is critical, especially in rural Arkansas. One nonprofit is working to fill those gaps by giving providers …

More than 400,000 people live in poverty in Arkansas, according to the Center for American Progress. (W.Scott McGill/AdobeStock)<br />

'Day on the Hill' in Arkansas calls for investment in families

Family advocates are at the State Capital for a "Day on the Hill" rally today, to voice their concerns to lawmakers about issues affecting Arkansans' …

In the Natural State, 33% of children from birth to age 6 are eligible for a Child Care & Development Block Grant subsidy under federal rules, on average, each month. (Bernardbodo/Adobe Stock)<br />

AR Adds 260 Child Care Providers, But Funding Crisis Looms

Across the country and in Arkansas, some day care providers face the threat of closure when federal government aid initiated during the pandemic …

Arkansas is the 32nd largest school system in the U.S., serving more than a half million students between public and private schools. (Nina/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Navigating Back-to-School Challenges in Rural Arkansas

More than a half million Arkansas kids are back at school for the fall, and districts across the state face different challenges. For some in rural …

The Kids Count Data Book reports in 2020-21, 15% of children from birth to age 5 in Arkansas lived in families in which someone quit, changed, or refused a job because of problems finding or affording child care. (ShunTerra/Adobe Stock)

Report: Arkansas Ranks 43rd in Child Well-Being

A new report found Arkansas consistently ranks toward the lowest 10 states for child well-being. The annual Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

In Arkansas, more than 400,000 people face hunger, and 138,410 are children, according to Feeding America. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)

March is 'School Breakfast Month' in Arkansas

Better health and educational outcomes are being touted as Arkansans recognize March as School Breakfast Month. Research has proven providing …

Last school year, 68 out of the 262 public school districts in Arkansas reported not having a single teacher of color on their staffs. (Adobe Stock)

"Teach Plus" AR Fellowship Aims to Increase Educator Diversity

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Twenty educators from across Arkansas will meet throughout the next year to learn how to advocate for education policy changes…

Food insecurity and child hunger both have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic across the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Child Hunger Climbs in Rural AR, as Groups Work to Deliver Food Boxes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Child hunger is on the rise across Arkansas, and advocates warn families are struggling to access resources in communities far …

Scientists have determined that around 90% of a child's brain is developed by age 5. (Adobe Stock)

AR Lawmakers Focus on State's Youngest Children

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A group of lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle agree Arkansas needs to invest more in its youngest residents…

Students who live in poverty in Arkansas face an uphill battle to get a good education, according to data from the annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book. (AdobeStock)

Report: Arkansas Kids Behind in Health, Education

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Fewer Arkansas children are living in poverty, but the state's kids continue to suffer from declines in both health and …

Poor pay and benefits for preschool teachers are seen as a threat to the success of Arkansas' early-education programs. (MonkeyBusiness/AdobeStock)

Study: Poor Pay, Benefits Threaten Success of AR Preschools

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Even as enrollment for 3- and 4-year-olds in Arkansas preschools increased last year, the state cut funding for early education…

A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation encourages public policies designed to keep immigrant families together. (GettyImages)

Report: Economic, Educational Gaps in Arkansas for Children of Color

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A new report finds significant disparities in public policies for children of color and those in immigrant families …

A new report says that students who miss more than 18 days of school are considered chronically absent and at risk for reading below their grade level. (Gallup/GettyImages)

Report: Arkansas Schools Have High Rates of Chronic Absenteeism

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A new report shows that more than 150 Arkansas public schools have high rates of chronic absenteeism. The study, …

Arkansas schools are ranked seventh in the country for the number of low-income students in the School Breakfast Program. (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture)

Arkansas Boosts Participation in School Breakfast Program

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The annual School Breakfast Scorecard ranks Arkansas seventh in the nation for the number of low-income students who …

Arkansas is doing better than some other states, with almost half of pre-school age children enrolled in classes. (Sierra Black)

Parents Struggle to Understand Child Care Programs

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wading through the paperwork involved in getting government help to pay for child care can be overwhelming to already overworked …

Health officials want parents to try behavior therapy for kids with ADHD, instead of giving them medications. (cdc.gov)

ADHD Preschoolers May be Taking Too Many Meds

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging parents of preschoolers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity …

Some 290,000 Arkansas children quality for free or reduced-price lunch at school, and there's an effort under way to make sure they get breakfast too. (Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance)

Spotlight Shines on School Breakfast Programs

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – More than 60 percent of Arkansas children qualify for free or reduced-price lunch at school, and there's an effort underway …

New research says kids who learn new languages will have better job prospects as adults. (U.S. Dept. of Education)

Children Who Speak Two Languages at an Advantage

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A new study of bilingual and monolingual toddlers could be reason for parents to share this story in two languages. Research in …

From cafeteria workers to bus drivers, it takes a lot of people to make a successful school experience for Arkansas kids. Credit: AnitaPepper/morguefile.com

Celebrating the "Village" that Teaches Arkansas Kids

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - This is American Education Week, to honor all the people it takes to provide a quality education to students. Today is …

A new report takes a closer look at poverty in Arkansas and finds that after factoring in assistance programs, there is good news for kids. Credit: carlkk/pixabay.com

Refined Research Finds 132,000 Fewer Children in Poverty in AR

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The measuring tool for poverty has been recalibrated and the new calculation shows a success story for Arkansas which is often …

The Home Visiting Coalition wants to see federal funding for programs that help struggling parents continue. Unless Congress acts, funding will expire in March. Credit: Microsoft Images

Parent Support Teams Look to Congress

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The clock is ticking on federal funding that helps struggling parents with young children. The Maternal, Infant and Early …

To break the cycle of poverty, a new Annie E. Casey Foundation report recommends providing tools for better jobs for parents, while also providing access to quality early childhood education. Credit: U.S. Dept. of Education.

New Anti-Poverty Toolkit Offers Dual Treatments

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Thousands of Arkansas children are growing up in low-income households. At least 119,000 households with young children are …

PHOTO: Officials from Arkansas and 15 other southern states are meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, at the annual Southern Obesity Summit through Tuesday. The forum brings together community, government and health care leaders from around the south. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith.

Obesity Summit: The South Needs a Healthy Makeover

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - With obesity considered a public health crisis by most experts, community, government and health care leaders from Arkansas and 15…

PHOTO: New numbers indicate one in 68 children tested has autism, a 29 percent increase since 2008. Photo credit: J. Durham.

CDC: Numbers of Kids with Autism Surge in Latest Study

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The numbers of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders have surged, according to the latest figures from the …

According to federal figures, nearly 5000 pre-school kids were suspended from school in the most recent year. A disproportionate number were minority children. Photo credit: U.S. Department of Education.

School Discipline Problems and Racial Disparities Start Early

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Almost 5000 American children have been suspended from pre-school for behavior issues, acording to the latest federal figures…

PHOTO: A new study finds Arkansas children, and particularly children of color, are falling behind in education and other measures of well-being. Photo courtesy the U.S. Dept. of Education.

Report Shows “Serious” Achievement Gaps for AR Kids

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The serious gaps in achievement for children of color in Arkansas are the subject of a new report. The Annie E. Casey Foundation …

PHOTO: A new study finds nearly 7-in-10 of Arkansas 4th-graders are reading below grade level, and the reading gap between high- and low-income students is growing. CREDIT: publicdomainpictures.net

Two Thirds of AR 4th-Graders Would Have Trouble Reading This

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Nearly 70y percent of Arkansas fourth-graders don't read proficiently, but there are ways to fix the problem. According to a new …

GRAPHIC: A new study says movies rated 'PG-13' and 'R' share much of the same risky behavior content.

Study Raises Questions about Movie Ratings

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - You may give the OK for your kid to see a PG-13 movie, thinking the content is age-appropriate, but a new study says that when it …

A new study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation makes the case for investing in a child�s early years to increase chances for a successful life. IMAGE:

Programs For Young AR Children Called Vital, But Funding Threatened

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A new study says investing in children's early years can boost their chances in life, but warns that Arkansas is starting to …

PHOTO: Kathy Pillow-Price with the Arkansas Home Visiting Network says home visits return $7 to the state for every dollar invested, by helping struggling parents with one of the world's toughest jobs - raising kids.

Home Visits Bring Hope to More Arkansas Families

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Advocates for Arkansas families and children hope home visits can make a big, positive difference for the state. This …

This week the Children�s Advocacy Center of Benton County will host an event with Erin Merryn - the abuse victim behind the national push for education on the subject. Child advocates say that kind of education is the best way to prevent what happened to Merryn from happening to others.

Leaving Child Abuse Fewer Places To Hide

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A new law, and a new education effort started by it, should leave fewer places for child sexual abuse to be hidden in Arkansas…

PHOTO: The latest KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranks Arkansas as 40th in the nation for childhood well-being. While still among the worst in the U-S, progress is being made. CREDIT: VA State Parks

Arkansas Sees Improvement in Childhood Well-Being

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas continues to be one of the worst states in the nation for children, but the latest snapshot on their well-being shows …

PHOTO: Arkansas groups are part of a national

Pre-K "Day of Action" Comes to Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Getting children off to a good start in school and life is the goal of today's "Early Learning Day of Action," in Arkansas and …

PHOTO: It's estimated that the federal sequester means 70,000 fewer children will be enrolled in Head Start programs. Courtesy U.S. Dept. of Education.

Cutbacks the "New Normal" for AR Head Start

RISON, Ark. - Arkansas Head Start programs say they're trying to serve as many children as possible in the face of federal budget cutbacks. It's a …

GRAPHIC: Children and adults are being urged to take a technology break for one week, starting Apr. 29. Courtesy CCFC.

A One-Week Challenge: Step Away From the Screen

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Gone are the days of "free-range children" who race outside to play after school. But this week, the idea is to get them to try …

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AR: Early Childhood Education