With the year nearing its end, it’s worth reflecting on the major pieces of education legislation that were passed this year.
The 95th General Assembly Regular Session kicked off in January and ended the first week of May. The legislature completed the 2025 regular session after approving a balanced budget, increasing public school funding and making higher education more accessible.
The Public School Fund is the largest single expenditure made by the state every year. State aid to public schools did increase by $161.5 million starting in the new fiscal year that started in July. It is about $2.5 billion and will be distributed according to a formula that takes into account student enrollment. The foundation funding increased from $7,771 to $8,162 per pupil for the 2025-2026 school year. School districts get additional funding for every student from low-income families and students with special needs.
Act 122, that went into effect at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, requires all public school districts to enact policies that restrict cell phone usage by students. It’s called the “Bell to Bell, No Cell Act.” Its purpose is twofold. First, it removes distractions from the classroom that are hindering students academically. Secondly, the governor and legislators hope it will improve the mental and emotional health of young people who spend too much time on social media.
Sixty-four percent of Arkansas public school students are eligible for free or reduced school meals. ACT 123 provides each student with a breakfast at no cost whether or not they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. State budget officials estimate that it will cost the state $14.7 million for the program. The program is funded by a special privilege tax on medical marijuana. The bill was co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of twenty-five senators.
When children go hungry their long-term health is negatively affected, and their grades suffer. Hunger affects a child’s academic performance and increases their chances of being punished for behavioral problems and missing classes, according to testimony before the Senate Education Committee.
National studies indicate that students who have eaten breakfast perform better on standardized tests. Students improve academically in general, and some studies show that they specifically do better in mathematics.
The governor proposed and the legislature approved significant changes in higher education. The law is called ACCESS, an acronym for acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships and standardization.
ACCESS provides students more opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school. It provides incentives for colleges to teach skills in demand by industry.
The legislature raised the Academic Challenge Scholarships to $2,000, up from $1,000 for freshman students. The scholarships are funded with revenue from the state lottery. Since Arkansas voters approved the lottery in 2008 in a statewide election, it has paid for more than 770,000 scholarships. Their value is about $1.4 billion.
