Arkansas
High death rates, unchanging poverty level puts Arkansas among worst states for child well-being • Arkansas Advocate
The experience of growing up in Arkansas has worsened in most areas of child well-being according to the latest Annie E. Casey Foundation report.
The group’s latest KIDS COUNT Data Book, released Monday, shows 2022 was the deadliest year on record for child deaths in Arkansas. Child poverty and low educational performance persisted.
The report uses information from 2022 to analyze nationwide data from 16 indicators in four domains: family and community, education, health and economics. The report then ranks states by overall child well-being. Arkansas’ position at 45th is down two slots from its ranking the last two years.
Arkansas has ranked as one of the country’s 10 worst states for overall child well-being nine times in the last decade. The only year it didn’t rank in the bottom 40, it came in at 39.
The recent drop in rankings results from a combination of Arkansas’ indicators worsening and other states improving at a quicker rate, leaving the Natural State to fall farther behind, said Pete Gess, economic policy director at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF).
AACF is a member of the KIDS COUNT network, and staff provided a report preview last week and offered policy solutions. Executive Director Keesa Smith spoke to the connectedness between the indicators.
“If you start with the big piece of data, which is the number of children living in poverty, that speaks to a situation already that families are trying to overcome that will lead to additional problems,” Smith said.
The ability to secure affordable housing, purchase healthy food and access transportation for well-paying jobs all start with the state’s poverty level, Smith said.
By the report’s count, approximately 150,000 of Arkansas’ 683,000 children were living in poverty in 2022. While the percentage of children in poverty, 22%, went unchanged this year, state officials have the ability to improve that number, Gess said.
“We could cut childhood poverty in half … simply if we had spent less than what we have given away in tax cuts over the past decade,” he said. “Those tax cuts, of course, have gone mostly to the wealthy. If we had used that and targeted it at child tax credits, most children would be lifted out of poverty in Arkansas.”
Report highlights
Arkansas performed worst when it came to health, and one standout statistic came from the child and teen death rate.
From 2019 to 2022, the rate at which children and teenagers died in Arkansas increased by 26%. At 44 deaths per 100,000 children and teens in 2022, Arkansas’ rate was the third-highest in the country, and well above the national average of 30 deaths, according to the report.
It was the deadliest year for Arkansas kids on record, said Camille Richoux, AACF’s health policy director.
The state data isn’t broken out into cause of death, but firearm-related deaths have become the leading cause of death among U.S. teens in recent years. Deaths from accidents such as car crashes account for most child deaths.
Richoux referenced other research that suggested Arkansas had one of the highest firearm injury rates as well. She said children and teens often have easy access to unsecure firearms and aren’t safely taught how to handle them.
1 in 5 Arkansas children lost Medicaid during ‘unwinding’ process, report finds
Six percent of children in Arkansas were without health care in 2022, according to the report. This data doesn’t include children who were disenrolled from Medicaid during the state’s “unwinding process,” which started in April 2023.
Richoux said there is more work to be done than what the latest report shows as one in five children in Arkansas recently lost access to Medicaid.
The teen birth rate in Arkansas decreased 17% from 2019 to 2022, but the state’s rate of 25 births per 1,000 females remained one of the highest in the nation. In combination with low-birth weights, these statistics were troubling for AACF staff when considering Arkansas’ high maternity and infant mortality rates.
“This is a really important indicator, not only for those young people who are becoming parents before they plan to, but also for their young children who are so much more likely to live in poverty,” said Laura Kellams, AACF’s Northwest Arkansas director.
Arkansas teens aren’t necessarily more sexually active than teens in other states, Kellams said. The difference in Arkansas is the lack of education they receive about safe sex and their ability to access contraceptives.
A post-pandemic education analysis
The latest national report marked the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of some sense of normalcy. The data highlights how the pandemic affected children and families, specifically related to education and learning loss.
Arkansas’ education performance ranked 36th nationwide, one position higher than in the last report, and data showed that students struggled to keep up with standardized testing measures.
From 2019 to 2022, the percent of Arkansas eighth graders who scored below proficient in math increased by 11% to 81%, ranking the state 43rd in the country. Most fourth graders, 70%, scored below a proficient reading level in 2022, a slight increase from pre-pandemic numbers.
Olivia Gardner, AACF’s education policy director, noted that while standardized tests are a useful tool when marking achievement, they’re not perfect measurements.
“We have research that shows more affluent students perform better than low-income students because [low-income students] lack resources,” Gardner said.
Pre-K attendance also decreased from 2019 to 2022, according to the report. Whereas half of children ages 3 and 4 were previously not attending preschool, that percentage has risen to 57%.
To improve students’ classroom experience, AACF staff recommended universal low- or no-cost meals, a reliable internet connection, a place to study or spend time with friends, and access to high-quality teachers and counselors. AACF also suggested an expansion of intensive, in-person tutoring and policy measures that invest in community schools.
Of the 16 measured indicators, Arkansas’ outcomes were worse than the national average in 13.
All members of AACF’s staff noted it is necessary for state officials to make intentional investments that will act as preventative measures when it comes to child well-being.
It was a historic night at Bud Walton Arena on Friday as the No. 8 Gymbacks went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners. While Arkansas fell to Oklahoma 197.925-197.500, there were 15,512 fans in attendance, a new Arkansas and SEC gymnastics attendance record.
Despite the loss, Arkansas’ score of 197.500 was its best at home this season, propelled by the energy of the crowd in the building. The previous SEC gymnastics attendance record, 15,162, was set by Alabama and took 20 years to break.
The Gymbacks closed out the meet with a season-high 49.650 on floor, matching the third-best floor score in program history and besting the Sooners’ 49.375 on the event.
Both Joscelyn Roberson and Morgan Price had record nights, as each matched the program high of 9.975 on floor and bars, respectively. Roberson became the second-ever Gymback to score 9.975 on floor with the mark, along with teammate Frankie Price. Morgan is now the only Arkansas gymnast to score 9.975 on bars two times.
Roberson and Morgan Price’s scores were good for the event titles, and Arkansas also had four more top three finishes on the night: Cami Weaver tied for second on vault with a 9.925, Leah Smith earned shares of second on floor (9.950) and third on bars (9.900) and Allison Cucci tied for second on floor (9.950) and third on beam (9.900).
Vault
Weaver got things started out strong on vault with a big Yurchenko full that score 9.925, including a perfect mark of 9.950 for the vault from one judge. Smith went next and got a 9.850, and Cucci matched it midway through the lineup. Klein scored 9.800 for her Yurchenko 1.5 up fourth. After Lauren Williams scored a 9.750 in the five spot, Morgan Price anchored the rotation with a 9.850 for a total vault score of 49.275.
Bars
Roberson led off bars with a 9.825 and Klein followed with a 9.800 up second. Smith started the sticks midway through the lineup and she scored 9.900 to keep the momentum up. Avery King went 9.850 in fourth, and Avalon Campbell dialed up a 9.800 in the fifth spot. Morgan Price ended the lineup with a bang as she earned a 9.975 for the second time this season, putting a bow on a 49.350 bars score.
Beam
Priscilla Park and Weaver earned 9.850s on beam in the front half of the lineup, and Klein scored a 9.800. Cucci went up and got a 9.900 in fourth, delivering a solid routine with stuck dismount. Morgan Price then earned a 9.825 up fifth, and Roberson scored 9.775 as the anchor. The Gymbacks concluded beam with a 49.225.
Floor
Arkansas’ last floor party of the season at Bud Walton Arena did not disappoint, and Klein got it going in a big way with a season high 9.900 first. Cucci went second and earned a new career high of 9.950, and Smith matched it to keep the energy up in a big way for Arkansas. Frankie Price scored 9.775 in the fourth position, and Williams got a 9.875 in fifth. Needing a bit of juice to end the rotation, Roberson put down her best floor score of the season and received a 10 from one judge, notching her second-ever 9.975 on the event to push the Gymbacks’ floor total to a monster 49.650.
Up Next
Arkansas closes out the regular season on the road on Friday, March 13 at No. 2 LSU. The action is set for 7:30 p.m. in Baton Rouge and the meet will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
More Information
Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas Gymnastics. You can also find the Razorbacks on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Gymnastics) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackGym).
Arkansas
Arkansas man accused of killing daughter’s alleged abuser wins Republican sheriff’s nomination
An Arkansas man accused of killing his teenage daughter’s alleged abuser recently won the Republican nomination for local sheriff while waiting to stand trial for murder in his rural county, where he ran on a message of seeing the failures of law enforcement.
Aaron Spencer defeated Lonoke county sheriff John Staley in a primary election Tuesday, according to unofficial results posted by the Arkansas secretary of state. He would not be able to serve if he is convicted of killing Michael Fosler, 67, who at the time was out on bond after being charged with numerous sexual offenses against Spencer’s then 13-year-old daughter.
Spencer’s attorneys do not deny that he shot and killed Fosler – but maintain he acted within the law to protect his child from a predator.
Spencer won more than 53% of the vote with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. Staley, whose department arrested Spencer in 2024, conceded the loss.
“Congratulations to Mr Spencer,” Staley said in a statement posted on Facebook. “Tonight the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision.”
Spencer said in a statement that his message of accountability resonated with voters.
“Tonight, the people of Lonoke county stood up and chose transparency and accountability,” Spencer said. “This wasn’t a campaign about me. It was about every family who called for help and got nothing. That betrayal ends tonight.”
He is now set to face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr in the heavily Republican county in November.
Spencer has pleaded not guilty and is out on bond while awaiting trial, which was originally scheduled to start in January. The trial was delayed after the presiding judge was removed from the case. A new date has not been set.
Court documents show that on the night of the October 2024 shooting, Spencer woke up to find his daughter missing from her bedroom and went searching for her in his truck. He found the girl in the passenger seat of a vehicle Fosler was driving. Spencer eventually forced Fosler’s truck off the highway and, after an altercation, called 911 to report he had shot the man, records show.
Prosecutors argue Spencer had planned to kill Fosler even before that night and that he could have called police while pursuing Fosler.
Spencer’s attorney, Erin Cassinelli, wrote in an email to the Associated Press that the election results have no bearing on the facts of the case.
“Aaron Spencer did exactly what the law allows and exactly what any father would do: he protected his daughter and himself from harm,” Cassinelli said. “At some point, those responsible for this prosecution will have to reckon with that.”
Spencer pledged in a Facebook post in February that if elected he would establish a dedicated team to combat sex crimes against children.
No. 15 Georgia softball (18-5) opens conference play on the road in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday, March 6, against the No. 7 Razorbacks (19-1).
The Friday game has been moved up to 3 p.m. from 7 p.m. due to weather expected in the area.
The last time Georgia faced Arkansas was in the 2025 SEC Tournament. The Razorbacks defeated the Bulldogs, 5-1, on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second round.
Georgia is coming into conference play with an 18-5 record, while Arkansas only has one loss to Virginia from Feb. 7. The Razorbacks are on a 17-game winning streak with 12 of those games ending in mercy-rulings.
Here’s what you need to know about the Georgia-Arkansas weekend series to open 2026 SEC play:
What channel is Georgia softball at Arkansas?
Georgia’s weekend series at Arkansas will be streamed through the SEC Network+. Fans looking to stream the games can go to the ESPN app. An ESPN select subscription totals $12.99 monthly or $129.00 annually, while an ESPN unlimited subscription totals $29.99 monthly or $299.99 annually.
There is no other way to tune into these games, as the university is not streaming the game audio on their radiocast.
Georgia softball start times at Arkansas
Georgia has a three-game weekend series at Arkansas, with later than normal first pitches due to being in Central Time:
Date
Time (ET)
Friday, March 6
3 p.m.
Saturday, March 7
6 p.m.
Sunday, March 8
2 p.m.
Georgia vs Arkansas softball history
- Series record: Georgia leads, 41-26
- Georgia’s last win: March 31, 2024; 8-2
- Arkansas’ last win: May 7, 2025; 5-1
Georgia softball score updates at Arkansas
This section will be updated throughout the series.
Game 1
| TEAM | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | 5TH | 6TH | 7TH | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | ||||||||
| Georgia |
Game 2
| TEAM | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | 5TH | 6TH | 7TH | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | ||||||||
| Georgia |
Game 3
| TEAM | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | 5TH | 6TH | 7TH | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | ||||||||
| Georgia |
Georgia softball 2026 schedule
Record: 18-5 overall
- SEC competition*
- Red & Black Showcase^
- Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational#
- Georgia Classic/
- Bulldog Classic//
| Date & Time | Opponent | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6 @ 3:30 p.m. | Missouri State^ | Athens | W, 10-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 6 @ 6 p.m. | Fordham^ | Athens | W, 7-1 |
| Feb. 7 @ 1 p.m. | Fordham^ | Athens | W, 5-1 |
| Feb. 7 @ 3:30 p.m. | Belmont^ | Athens | W, 12-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 8 @ 1 p.m. | Belmont^ | Athens | L, 1-2 |
| Feb. 12 @ 11 a.m. | Oklahoma State# | Clearwater, Fla. | L, 5-6 |
| Feb. 12 @ 4 p.m. | Nebraska# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 6-5 |
| Feb. 13 @ 9 a.m. | NC State# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 16-2 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 13 @ 1 p.m. | UCF# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 13-5 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 14 @ 1 p.m. | Northwestern# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 8-3 |
| Feb. 14 @ 4 p.m. | Duke# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 18 @ 4 p.m. | Samford | Athens | W, 13-8 |
| Feb. 20 @ 3:30 p.m. | Seton Hall/ | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 20 @ 6 p.m. | Utah State/ | Athens | W, 4-1 |
| Feb. 21 @ 3:30 p.m. | Virginia Tech/ | Athens | L, 3-9 |
| Feb. 21 @ 6 p.m. | Utah State/ | Athens | W, 11-2 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 22 @ 1 p.m. | Virginia Tech/ | Athens | L, 3-9 |
| Feb. 25 @ 6 p.m. | Clemson | Athens | L, 1-10 (6 inn.) |
| Feb. 27 @ 6 p.m. | South Alabama// | Athens | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 28 @ 1 p.m. | South Alabama// | Athens | W, 9-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 28 @ 3:30 p.m. | UNC-Wilmington// | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 1 @ 1 p.m. | UNC-Wilmington// | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 4 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia State | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 6 @ 3 p.m. | Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. | |
| March 7 @ 6 p.m. | Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. | |
| March 8 @ 2 p.m. | Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. | |
| March 10 @ 6 p.m. | West Georgia | Athens | |
| March 18 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Tech | Athens | |
| March 20 @ 6 p.m. | Mississippi State* | Athens | |
| March 21 @ 2 p.m. | Mississippi State* | Athens | |
| March 22 @ 2 p.m. | Mississippi State* | Athens | |
| March 25 @ 6 p.m. | Mercer | Athens | |
| March 27 @ TBD | Kentucky* | Lexington, Ky. | |
| March 28 @ TBD | Kentucky* | Lexington, Ky. | |
| March 29 @ TBD | Kentucky* | Lexington, Ky. | |
| April 2 @ TBD | Texas A&M* | College Station, Texas | |
| April 3 @ TBD | Texas A&M* | College Station, Texas | |
| April 4 @ TBD | Texas A&M* | College Station, Texas | |
| April 8 @ 6 p.m. | USC-Upstate | Athens | |
| April 10 @ 6 p.m. | Missouri* | Athens | |
| April 11 @ 2 p.m. | Missouri* | Athens | |
| April 12 @ 2 p.m. | Missouri* | Athens | |
| April 15 @ 6 p.m. | Kennesaw State | Kennesaw, Ga. | |
| April 18 @ 4 p.m. | Texas* | Athens | |
| April 19 @ Noon | Texas* | Athens | |
| April 20 @ 7 p.m. | Texas* | Athens | |
| April 22 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Athens | |
| April 24 @ TBD | Oklahoma* | Norman, Okla. | |
| April 25 @ TBD | Oklahoma* | Norman, Okla. | |
| April 26 @ TBD | Oklahoma* | Norman, Okla. | |
| April 30 @ 6 p.m. | Florida* | Athens | |
| May 1 @ 6 p.m. | Florida* | Athens | |
| May 2 @ Noon | Florida* | Athens | |
| May 5-9 | SEC Tournament | Lexington, Ky. | |
| May 15-17 | NCAA Regional | Campus sites | |
| May 21-24 | NCAA Super Regional | Campus sites | |
| May 28-June 5 | Women’s College World Series | Oklahoma City, Okla. |
Ohio Gov. DeWine to deliver 2026 State of the State address on Tuesday
Authorities searching debris after suspected tornadoes kill 6 in Michigan, Oklahoma
OPB’s First Look: Oregon legislative session is over
Tornado watch in place for part of Pennsylvania until Saturday evening
Rhode Island Foundation Awards $5.2M to Newport County Nonprofits in Record Grant Year – Newport Buzz
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Tech company at odds with Pentagon warns its AI possibly gained consciousness, Elon Musk gives 2-word response
Israel kills father, daughter in Gaza as genocide continues amid wider war
Cleveland playground now a place of mourning for two girls found in suitcases
Man convicted of Iran-backed Trump assassination plot compared his plan to Butler shooting: FBI
‘Everyone loves Bukele,’ El Salvador’s VP Ulloa defends crackdown
-
World1 week agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Wisconsin6 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts4 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Maryland7 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Florida6 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Denver, CO1 week ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Oregon1 week ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
Pennsylvania2 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico