Arkansas Public Policy Panel is a statewide organization dedicated to achieving social and economic justice by organizing citizen groups around the state, educating and supporting them to be more effective and powerful, and linking them with one another in coalitions and networks. Perhaps nowhere in the United States has the relationship between access to education and organizing towards multiracial democracy been more starkly connected than Arkansas. Our case study focuses on the education reform fights in Arkansas over the decades, culminating in a current campaign to pass the Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment (ForARKids.org) that does three important things to help Arkansas students thrive: 1) Require any school that receives tax funding to follow the same standards as a public school; 2) Define a minimum quality education in the Arkansas constitution so lawmakers can’t lower standards; and 3) Guarantee access to four of the most effective learning tools that are essential to quality education, such as universal pre-k and support for children in poverty.
Here is a link to the full case study. If you have any feedback for us or questions, please send us a message at [email protected].