Arkansas families submitted 54,442 applications for Education Freedom Accounts by the June 1 deadline—a 17% increase over last year’s 46,578 applicants and the highest total since the program launched under the LEARNS Act in 2023.
Why it matters: Now in its fourth year and fully universal, Arkansas’s EFA program empowers families to direct education funding toward the learning environment that works best for their child.
The big picture: The application window opened March 9. Across nearly three months, families across Arkansas made clear that education freedom is not a niche interest; it is what tens of thousands of families are actively choosing.
What we’re saying: “54,442 applications represent thousands of families who believe their child deserves an education tailored to who they are and how they learn best. Year after year, more families are finding this program, trusting it, and choosing it. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. It reflects the enduring commitment Gov. Sanders and Arkansas lawmakers have shown to making education freedom real and accessible for every family in the state.”
—Heidie Nesset, Vice President of Implementation, yes. every kid. foundation.
How it works: Applications are reviewed in priority order.
- Returning EFA students
- Students with specialized needs, including students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, students in foster care, and Succeed Scholarship recipients
- Students from D or F rated schools
- Students whose parent or guardian serves in the military, law enforcement, or as a first responder
- First-time kindergarten students
- All other eligible Arkansas students
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