FAYETTEVILLE -- The state's prekindergarten education program improved student achievement more than any other measure that followed court-ordered school reform in 2007, child advocates were told Thursday.
Despite this history, the program hasn't been expanded, said Laura Kellams, Northwest Arkansas director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. The nonprofit organization hosted the Northwest Arkansas Children's Policy Summit on Thursday. At least 80 representatives of local groups interested in child welfare attended the gathering at the First United Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville.
State Sen. Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville, is a member of the Joint Budget Committee who attended Thursday's conference. He said Kellams and others' praise of prekindergarten was accurate and he supports an increase in funding.
Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Gravette, is a member of the Senate Education Committee and former member of the Gravette School Board. He said he would give a prekindergarten boost a fair hearing, but the request will be competing with work force education, expanded broadband access and high school infrastructure needs in the next legislative session.
Both Hendren and Lindsey said the state also faces noneducation needs and requests. Lindsey said he supports prekindergarten over more prison spending, for instance, but the drive for more prison spending has powerful support among legislators.
Lawmakers usually increase money for kindergarten through 12th grade each year as part of an ongoing review. The review was established after the state was sued by school districts over the adequacy of state school spending.
The Arkansas Constitution requires the state to maintain an adequate and equitable education system for kindergarten through 12th grade. Although the prekindergarten program is effective, the lack of a legal mandate makes expanding the program a struggle, Lindsey said.
The state spends about $111 million annually in taxpayer money on prekindergarten programs serving about 25,000 students, "but another 15,000 can't get in," Lindsey said.
"We know it works and is the best use of scarce taxpayer dollars in education," Lindsey said.
Topics discussed at Thursday's meeting covered a range of health, safety and education issues. Attendees included Roger Collins, chief executive officer and chairman of the board for Harps Food Stores. The employee-owned grocery store chain donates both food and money to children's causes.
The company will contribute to an effort by the Samaritan Community Center in Rogers to send food home with hungry students in middle school, Collins said. The program will start in Springdale, and organizers hope to expand throughout Northwest Arkansas within five years, he said.
"We already have that for elementary school children, but there's nothing like it when they get older," Collins said. He is a member of the board for Endeavor, a charitable foundation in Northwest Arkansas that is also cooperating in the effort.
NW News on 07/25/2014