Today, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed SB624, landmark legislation that would empower every student with the opportunity to attend any public school in the state—regardless of their ZIP code.
The bill, which cleared the Senate last week, now heads to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for signature. SB624 will elevate Arkansas’ public school enrollment law to one of the best in the nation.
Why it matters:
- SB624 would ensure every student can access any public school in the state, within or outside of their resident school district.
- Currently, within-district transfers are only permitted for students assigned to schools with an “F” grade.
What we’re saying:
“Lawmakers in Arkansas are seizing on their mission to expand education freedom for every kid,” said Alice Kerce, government affairs director, yes. every kid. “SB624 sponsors Sen. Breanne Davis and Rep. Austin McCollum are champions for families. We commend them, as well as Sen. Jane English and Rep. Keith Brooks, Senate and House Education Committee chairs, for their ongoing support for education freedom.”
Background on SB624:
- Empowers Arkansas students to transfer to another public school within their resident district or to a nonresident district.
- Requires each school district to report the number of students who applied for transfer, were accepted, and who were denied including reasoning for each denial.
- Requires each district to define school and grade level capacity so families have up-to-date information on availability.
- Prohibits a school district from discriminating against a student based on his or her residential address.
About yes. every kid.
yes. every kid. is a leading advocacy team with a family-first approach to transform America’s education policy landscape. We work to transform education away from the current top-down standardized model to a bottom-up approach that enables every family and student to customize an education that best matches their values and priorities.
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