Thursday, March 31, 2020
Bill to extend Succeed Scholarship eligibility to military families passes the Arkansas House of Representatives
HB1446, which would expand the Succeed Scholarship to include students from military families has passed the Arkansas House of Representatives and will now go to the Senate Education Committee.

Rep. David Ray and Sen. Jane English are sponsors for the bill, which would expand eligibility for the Succeed Scholarship to children of active duty military and national guard members, as well as children of those killed in the line of duty.

"At TRA, we honor the service of our military personnel and the sacrifices they make for our country - giving up their comfort, safety and sometimes even their lives," said TRA Managing Director Emmy Henley. "We believe we owe these service members and their families the best opportunities that we can possibly give them, including helping their children get a quality education."
The Succeed Scholarship is an important complement to Arkansas's educational environment
In a recent letter to members of the General Assembly, several “civil rights” and “education advocacy” organizations have once again manipulated data and the conclusions of BLR’s Biennial Report on the Succeed Scholarship Program in order to request that you end the Succeed Scholarship Program.
EDUCATION HEADLINES
West Virginia passes education savings account bill
West Virginia has passed arguably the most expansive school choice bill in the nation. The bill would give about 97% of West Virginia Students the educational opportunities they deserve.
Kentucky General Assembly overrides Gov. Beshear's veto
The Kentucky legislature has overridden a governor veto on a school choice bill in order to give more educational options to parents in Kentucky.
Bid to bar some negotiations with unions goes to state House
Bill to limit the power of unions advances to the House.
Bice: Superintendent candidate Jill Underly accused of 'hypocrisy' for sending her children to private school
A public school administrator is under fire for choosing to send her children to a private school. Choice for me but not for thee.
A CLOSER LOOK: education can mean more than books -for some, it means a meal
Many school districts have over 55% of students that qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Arkansas Succeed Scholarship success stories
"The succeed scholarship has provided a safe haven for my son to learn."- Neshon, parent of Succeed Scholarship

The legislature established this overwhelming popular program in 2015 without a single dissenting vote.
  • 38 schools across Arkansas participate
  • 665 scholarships have been awarded
  • Scholarship cap for 20-21 is $7,018 per student
  • 97% parent satisfaction rate from survey
We are proud to administer the program for the state with 100% of all state funding going directly to scholarships. All administrative costs of managing the scholarship for the state is paid for through a private philanthropic grant. 
Education bills of interest to our network
  • SB89 - Changes the IEP requirements for the Succeed Scholarship and establishes a lottery program for selection if applications exceed available scholarships.
  • Status: In Senate Education Committee
  • HB1446 - Opens the Succeed Scholarship to all children of active duty military members.
  • Status: Returned to House Ed Committee recommend do pass
  • SB25 - Schools do not have to count a student for the 3% cap of public school choice if a student has gone to the district for preschool.
  • Status: Amended and referred back to Senate Education Committee
  • HB1237 - Schools would have an option to provide virtual options permanently. The school year would be amended to not start before the Monday before Labor Day, and schools would have the option to implement an alternate school calendar. 
  • Status: Returned by House Education Committee recommend do pass
  • HB1464: Provides a mechanism for parents to bring their concerns over instructional material and activities in the classroom to the district/school administration.
  • Status: Passed out of House. Sent to the Senate Education Committee
  • HB1610: Requires reporting the use of restraints as a manner of discipline and to require training in disciplinary methods. 
  • Status: Returned by House Education Committee recommend do pass
  • HB1840: Gives income tax credits for donations to a scholarship fund for Medical school students
  • Status: In House Education Committee
We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring every K-12 student in Arkansas has equal access to a world class education. Our mission is to create a network of parent and community leaders so every policy decision and every conversation about education starts and ends with how it impacts our kids.