FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024

Spencer Watson

Communications Director

(501) 944-0156 

Philanthropic Scholarship Grows Under LEARNS Act

The donor-funded Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids (PIAK) scholarship program, which serves families whose household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, has grown substantially for 2024 thanks to the LEARNS Act.

“I’m not content with the status quo that has been failing kids in Arkansas for decades. Each family deserves educational freedom, and kids should have a choice to attend the school that best fits their needs,” said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Arkansas LEARNS offered growth for the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids (PIAK) Scholarship to extend a lifeline to hundreds more students, giving them access to quality education and a pathway to a high paying job and better life in Arkansas. I’m grateful for our partners in the state, like The Reform Alliance, whose efforts have helped establish this educational option for the kids in our state who need it the most.”

Established by law in 2021, the PIAK scholarship can be applied toward tuition, fees and other specified expenses at participating Arkansas K-12 private schools. The scholarships are funded by donations from individual Arkansas taxpayers, who in return receive a 100% matching dollar-for-dollar credit on their personal or business state income taxes, reducing their liability.

“We are excited for the families of Arkansas and extremely grateful to all our scholarship donors,” said Emmy Henley, managing director of The Reform Alliance, a designated scholarship granting organization participating in the PIAK that raised nearly $5 million in donations in 2023. “Thanks to those donors, hundreds of families of limited means will have access to a high quality education that best serves their child.”

The Reform Alliance has offered scholarships of $5,900 or $6,600, depending on grade level, for the 2023-24 school year.

A provision of the LEARNS Act, the transformative educational reform legislation signed by Sanders in March 2023, increased the total cap on scholarship funding from $2 million to $6 million annually. In the first year with a $6 million cap, more than $5.7 million was raised.

“More donations allow for more scholarships for more students,” said Henley. “That means more families will have access to options they otherwise just could not afford as they consider what kind of learning environment their child needs.”

The PIAK scholarship program is separate from the Educational Freedom Account (EFA) program created by the LEARNS Act, and students cannot generally enroll in both. However, following the 2023 special legislative session, students who qualify for the EFA based on disability can, if they also meet family income requirements, participate in the PIAK as well, providing additional assistance for the state’s most vulnerable students.

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The Reform Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring every Arkansas student has equal access to a quality education. We understand that each child has individual needs, so we strive to raise public awareness of all educational options for every family. Our team is committed to assisting Arkansas families with finding the best option for their child.