Arkansas Legislative Council Released Education Funds
The state released $70 million in reserve funds to support the Educational Freedom Account program for students.
Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Financial Aid
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The Arkansas Legislative Council approved the release of $70 million in reserve funds to bolster the Educational Freedom Account program. This brings the total state funding for the 2026-27 school year to $379.4 million.
Why it matters
The funding supports a program that provides financial assistance for students attending private schools or homeschooling. It reflects the ongoing commitment to expanding alternative educational options across the state.
The program currently serves approximately 28,000 private school students and 21,000 homeschooled students. The state payment per student increased to $7,346 this school year from $6,994 in the 2025-26 period.
The players
Arkansas Legislative Council
This is a joint committee of the Arkansas General Assembly that manages state legislative business and funding approvals when the legislature is not in session.
Arkansas Education Department
This state agency oversees public education policy and manages the administration of state-funded scholarship and voucher programs.
The details
The Legislative Council voted to release the funds in a batch request following an endorsement from the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Subcommittee. A total of 55,833 applications have been submitted for the current school year, significantly higher than the 52,529 received for the previous term.
Timeline
In April 2025, the legislature approved $187.4 million in general revenue for the program.
In June 2025, the legislature approved $90 million in one-time reserve funds.
In January 2026, the Legislative Council approved $32 million in additional reserves.
By mid-August 2026, the Education Department estimated 50,000 students would participate.
On September 18, 2026, the Legislative Council released the $70 million in reserve funds.
Culture Shift
The expansion of the Educational Freedom Account program mirrors a broader national trend of states diverting public funds toward private school vouchers and homeschooling subsidies. This shift signals a departure from traditional public school funding models toward a student-centered choice framework.
Families currently participating in the program should monitor updates from the state regarding account balances and disbursement timelines. The increased per-student funding may also influence household decisions regarding private school tuition or homeschooling curriculum costs.
The takeaway
The continued growth of the Educational Freedom Account program reflects a major shift in how Arkansas families access education. Parents should stay informed on upcoming report releases to understand how these financial shifts affect long-term school planning.
What happens next
The University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform is expected to publish an annual report on the program within the next few weeks.
Further reading
Learn more about state-sponsored initiatives in Arkansas Financial Aid.
Live Poll
Should the state provide identical per-student funding to both private and homeschooled students?
