(October 2023) Nearly 5,000 Arkansas K-12 students have taken advantage of the education savings account (ESA) component of the LEARNS Act, according to a Policy Foundation analysis of state Department of Education data.
LEARNS is a major education reform advanced by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. It is an acronym for literacy, empowerment, accountability, readiness, networking and safety. LEARNS includes education freedom accounts, a type of ESA that “may be used by eligible families to cover private school tuition, fees, uniforms, and some other required expenses.” The accounts “provide funding up to 90% of the State’s prior year per-student foundation funding amount,” according to the state Department of Education. (1)
ESAs “establish for parents a publicly funded, government-authorized savings account with restricted, but multiple uses for educational purposes. Parents may use the funds to pay for expenses including: school tuition, tutoring, online education programs, therapies for students with special needs, textbooks or other instructional materials, and sometimes, save for college,” according to edChoice, a non-profit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana. (2)
Pulaski County Leads ESA Enrollment
Statewide, 4,795 students utilize LEARNS ESAs. More than half (2,487) are enrolled in Pulaski County private schools, followed by Washington, Sebastian, Benton and Faulkner counties. The enrollment data informs earlier Policy Foundation research that identifies these counties with well-developed school choice markets. (3)
The following chart shows LEARNS Act ESA student enrollment by county. (4)
Pulaski 2,487
Washington 479
Sebastian 323
Benton 288
Faulkner 208
Saline 152
White 124
Craighead 119
Union 90
Crittenden 73
Conway 69
Drew 64
Sevier 40
Miller 36
Columbia 34
Pope 34
Randolph 34
Crawford 26
Logan 23
Greene 20
Garland 16
St. Francis 15
Ouachita 14
Carroll 12
Arkansas 9
Lonoke 5
Shelby Co., TN. 1
Total 4,795
The following chart shows LEARNS Act ESA enrollment by county and school.
Arkansas Holy Rosary Catholic, 9 students.
Benton St. Vincent De Paul Catholic, 87; Life Way Christian, 84; Providence Academy, 72;Bentonville Christian Academy, 24; Leap Frog Montessori, 10; Clover Community School, 9; Community Christian School, 2.
Carroll Academy of Excellence, 7; Clear Spring School, 5.
Columbia Columbia Christian, 34.
Conway Sacred Heart Catholic, 69.
Craighead Lighthouse Homeschool Cooperative, 55; Blessed Sacrament Catholic, 25; The Academy of the Learning Center, 23; Eighty-Twenty Learning for ASD, 16.
Crawford Joshua Academy, 26.
Crittenden West Memphis Christian, 68; St. Michael’s Catholic, 5.
Drew Cornerstone Christian Academy, 64.
Faulkner St. Joseph Catholic School, 106; Compass Academy, 102.
Garland St. John’s Catholic, 16.
Greene Arrows Academy, 20.
Logan St. Joseph Catholic, 12; Subiaco Academy, 11.
Lonoke Cabot Christian School, 5.
Miller Trinity Christian, 36.
Ouachita Victory Christian, 14.
Pope St. John’s Catholic, 19; Valley Christian School, 15.
Pulaski Little Rock Christian Academy, 324; Central Arkansas Christian, 224; Pulaski Academy, 190; Episcopal Collegiate, 175; Baptist Preparatory, 173; Christ The King Catholic, 172; Calvary Academy, 129; Immaculate Conception Catholic, 119; Our Lady of Holy Souls, 114; Abundant Life, 95; Access Academy 90; Catholic High School For Boys, 81; Anthony School, 80: Easter Seals Arkansas-The Academy at Riverdale, 71; Southwest Christian Academy, 67; Mt. St. Mary Academy, 59; Christ Lutheran, 49; North Little Rock Catholic Academy, 42; St. Theresa Catholic, 36; Friendship Lab School for Dyslexia, 36; North River Christian Academy, 30; Immaculate Heart Mary Catholic, 25; New Life Christian, 25; Central Arkansas Montessori,21; The Huda School, 18; Agape Academy, 14; Pinnacle Classical Academy, 10; Shiloh Excel Christian, 9; Sherwood Christian Ac., 8;Cedar Christian Ac., 1.
Randolph St. Paul Catholic, 34.
Saline Arkansas Christian Academy, 110; Our Lady of Fatima Catholic, 22; Avilla Christian Academy, 16; Cornerstone Montessori Christian Academy, 4.
Sebastian Union Christian, 73; Immaculate Conception Catholic, 69; First Lutheran, 55; Christ The King Catholic, 50; Trinity Catholic Junior High, 32; Harvest Time Christian Academy, 28; Fort Smith Montessori, 16.
Sevier Legacy Academy, 40.
St. Francis Calvary Christian, 15.
Union West Side Christian, 80; Maranatha Baptist Christian, 10.
Washington Shiloh Christian, 209; St. Joseph Catholic, 117; Fayetteville Christian, 37; FirstAcademy, 33; Prism Education Center, 22; Anthem Classical Academy, 21; Ozark Catholic, 15; The Grace School, 15; Fayetteville Nature School, 10.
White Harding Academy, 97; CrossPointe Preparatory School, 17; Liberty Christian School, 10.
Shelby, TN. Madonna Learning Center, 1.
Research Questions
Has the Little Rock School District’s past designation as a failing district (2015) influenced student enrollment in Pulaski County private schools?
Which rural schools are most likely to expand LEARNS ESA enrollment?
— Greg Kaza
Sources
(1) Arkansas Department of Education, “Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts”
https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Files/2023-2024_EFA_Family_Handbook_20230616171329.pdf
(2) www.edchoice.org
(3) Policy Foundation research memos, “Pulaski School Choice Market Tops 20,000” (November 2021); and “Top 25 County School Choice Markets” (December 2020).
(4) Arkansas Department of Education, “Education Freedom Account Annual Report: 2023-2024 School Year.” Enrollment as of September 20, 2023
