The average debt that a student incurs to earn a bachelor’s degree in Arkansas is almost $2,000 less than the national average. Over the course of a 30-year career, a person with a bachelor’s degree will earn an estimated $1.25 million, compared to $550,000 that a college dropout will earn over the same period.
Weekly Updates
Sales Tax Holiday to Occur on Weekend of August 1 and August 2
Arkansas will hold its annual sales tax holiday on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.
Arkansas Responds to Crisis in Foster Care System
The number of Arkansas children in foster care continued to go down last year, after reaching an all-time high in 2016 and prompting dramatic measures from elected officials to improve the state’s child welfare system.
Flexibility to Help Schools Respond to Challenges of Upcoming Year
During the upcoming school year, local districts will have flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances created by the outbreak of the coronavirus, thanks to a set of waivers adopted by the state Board of Education during a special meeting.
Arkansas Hires More Contact Tracers
The state will hire 350 more contact tracers to help control the spread of the coronavirus. After the funding is allocated to pay them, it will bring the state’s total to 900.
Arkansas Begins Phase Two of Reopening
As Arkansas began Phase Two of its gradual reopening of businesses and social activities, the governor issued three executive orders related to the coronavirus outbreak.
Federal Court Upholds Arkansas's Execution Process
A federal judge upheld the constitutionality of lethal injection procedures used in Arkansas for carrying out the death penalty.
State Revenue Decline Reflects Economic Impact of Pandemic
State revenues have gone down because of the economic consequences of the coronavirus outbreak, but not as much as Arkansas budget officials had feared.
More than 10,000 Arkansas Companies Receive Ready for Business Grants
More than 10,500 Arkansas businesses have been approved for grants to reimburse them for the expenses of protecting the health of employees and customers.
The grants are worth up to $100,000, and the total amount of approved grants is about $115 million. They were made available through the Ready for Business Program.
Senate Committee to Assess Impact of Education Waivers on Public Schools
May 22, 2020
LITTLE ROCK – In June the Senate Education Committee will hear a report on the effect that public schools have seen due to the recent widespread requests for waivers from education standards.