A grassroots coalition on Wednesday announced its intention to refer to the 2024 ballot a measure to amend the education clause of the Arkansas Constitution.
The proposed measure is supported by For AR Kids, a coalition that includes the Arkansas Education Association, Arkansas Conference of the NAACP, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Citizens First Congress and Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES).
According to a press release, the measure will propose the following changes:
- Require any school receiving public funds to follow the same standards that traditional public schools are required to follow.
- Establish the minimum quality standards ordered by the Arkansas Supreme Court in its 2022 Lake View decision.
- Guarantee voluntary universal access to pre-K for 3 and 4-year-olds, afterschool and summer time programming, quality special education and wrap-around services for children within 200% of the Federal Poverty Line.
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