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(March 2012) The number of Arkansas homeschooled and private school students outnumber Arkansas Education Association (AEA) members by a ratio of more than 2-to-1, public records show.   Arkansas students in home school totaled 16,3031 in 2010-11, according to the Arkansas Department of Education.  Arkansas private school enrollment was 19,3752 in 2010-11, according to the Arkansas Nonpublic School […]

(February 13, 2012) The Policy Foundation has joined a legal challenge to nationalized medical insurance, joining a coalition of national and state think tanks and legislators in a friend-of-the-court brief filed today with the U.S. Supreme Court. The amicus curiae brief, filed by the Cato Institute1, the Pacific Legal Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute, 14 organizations including the […]

A financial analysis model should be created to augment the existing Arkansas Public School System Computer Network (APSCN) accounting/reporting system, with the adequate appropriation of funds. (Murphy Commission, Policy Foundation project, 1998 recommendation)   (February 2012) The creation of a uniform accounting system for Arkansas K-12 school districts is one reform of the post-Lakeview policy […]

“The State Board of Education should authorize the (Education) Director…to expend department funds for any salary-related bonus or merit raise-appropriately certified and capped as to percentage amounts-to any district…” (Murphy Commission, Policy Foundation project, 1998 recommendation)   (February 2012) Performance pay has advanced from Murphy Commission recommendation to experiment in Arkansas’ largest school district to […]

(January 2012) Eighteen states—more than one-third of the U.S.—have school choice programs serving students and parents attending private schools.1  But Arkansas does not have any private choice programs two decades after Wisconsin launched a key program in 1990 in Milwaukee.   School choice programs date to 19th Century New England2 but most state programs inclusive of private schools […]

Summary: Two reports on student performance underscore the problem: the state Department of Education has failed to acknowledge there is a problem. (January 2012) A new student performance report by the Univ. of Arkansas-Fayetteville’s Office for Education Policy (OEP), following surveys from the state Department of Education (2011) and the Policy Foundation (2005-2008) underscore a […]

(December 2011) Arkansas policymakers, pressed by fiscal conservatives have rejected an expansion of nationalized medical insurance by disbanding seven advisory groups seeking to establish a state-operated health exchange.   State officials tried to launch the exchange with a $1 million federal grant but fiscal conservatives objected to additional funding, noting the U.S. Supreme Court has […]

“The following provision for Arkansas school districts is recommended: a prohibition on the use of all taxes collected and secured by the pledge of an ad valorem tax levy to debt service for other than reducing bond principal and interest.”  Policy Foundation, 1998 report   (December 2011) Outstanding loans and bonded indebtedness of Arkansas K-12 public […]

“Reduce the state’s income tax…repeal the state’s capital gains tax.” Arkansas Policy Foundation, 1998   “This week I signed into law the Quick-Action Closing Fund. This legislation will provide our State with an additional tool in our economic-development toolbox.” Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, March 29, 20071   (November 30, 2011) Arkansas payroll employment is lower […]

“Reduce the state’s income tax. Among the reforms, consider an across the board 10% cut…reduce the marginal rates, exempt taxpayers below a certain income level from filing, and expedite the process of indexing for inflation.” (Policy Foundation, Murphy Commission project, 1998)   (November 2011) Arkansas still has the highest income tax rate among states that […]