Lawsuit challenges constitutionality of Arkansas school voucher program
COM A lawsuit filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court late Friday challenges the constitutionality of Arkansas’ new school voucher program and asks a judge to block its enforcement. Created through the LEARNS Act, a 2023 law that made wide-ranging changes to the state’s education system, the Educational Freedom Account Program provides state funds for allowable For fiscal year 2025, $97.5 million has been appropriated for the state’s voucher program. Lawmakers approved a $65.8 million increase for the program during this year’s fiscal session (https:// arkansasadvocate. com/2024/04/09/ arkansas-fiscal-sess ion - beg ins- t h i s week-proposed-budget- expected-to-passwith- few-changes/). A Department of Finance and Administration official told lawmakers last year that the EFA program could cost $175 million its third year (https:// arkansasadvocate. com/2023/03/02/ arkansas-house-approves- governors-edu cation-legislation-sends-back-to-senate/) More than 5,400 students participated in the first year of the program. Participation will be capped at about 14,000 students for the 2024-2025 school year. Around $6,600 in state funding was available to students last year. That will increase to nearly $6,900 this year.
