Arkansas

Arkansas public education coalition again revises proposed ballot measure targeting voucher rules – Arkansas Advocate

Published

2 years ago

February 15, 2024

Arkansas public education coalition again revises proposed ballot measure targeting voucher rules – Arkansas Advocate

An Arkansas coalition attempting to amend the state Constitution’s education clause submitted its fourth proposal to the attorney general Thursday.

The goal of the Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024 is to require the same academic and accreditation standards for public and private schools that receive state funding.

The most significant change to For AR Kids’ proposed ballot language is defining receipt of state or local funds as the school, a student attending the school or the student’s parents or guardians receiving “any State or local funds, property, or tax credits to cover or defray, in whole or part, the costs of any student attending the school.”

Arkansas attorney general again rejects public education group’s ballot initiative

The revised measure would also apply to schools whose students or parents or guardians receive financial assistance for the cost of the student attending a school that’s “funded, in whole or in part, by monetary contributions that qualify for a state tax credit under Arkansas law.”

The clarification is a response to Attorney General Tim Griffin’s opinion last week in which he cited ambiguous terms for his inability to certify the proposed ballot title and language.

For AR Kids again met with Griffin’s staff this week prior to submitting a revised proposal Thursday.

According to a press release, the group made narrowly tailored changes to address Griffin’s specific concerns and asked for an expedited review to ensure volunteers have enough time to collect the required signatures for the November ballot.

“We have over 450 volunteers already and we are just starting our outreach efforts to train people on how to collect signatures and share details about how the Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment will improve the educational opportunities of ALL Arkansas students,” For AR Kids Secretary Steve Grappe said in a statement. “We are just getting going to build toward our goal of over 2,500 people helping collect signatures for the measure.”

Griffin has until March 1 to issue an opinion on the updated proposal. If he certifies the ballot language, For AR Kids has until July 5 to collect 90,704 signatures from at least 50 counties to qualify the measure for the 2024 ballot.

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For AR Kids’ member organizations include the Arkansas Education Association, Arkansas Conference of the NAACP, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Citizens First Congress and Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES).

The coalition drafted its proposed measure in response to a new voucher program that provides nearly $6,700 per student in state funding for allowable educational expenses, including private school tuition.

Critics say the Educational Freedom Account program, a provision of the LEARNS Act, is unfair because private schools receiving state funding don’t have to follow the same requirements as their public counterparts, such as admitting all students, providing transportation and administering certain standardized tests.

The LEARNS Act does require private schools to administer approved annual exams for EFA students.

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In addition to equal standards, the proposed constitutional amendment would guarantee voluntary universal access to pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, after-school and summer programming, quality special education and assistance for children in families within 200% of the Federal Poverty Line ($62,400 for a family of four).

The measure would also establish the minimum quality standards ordered in the Lake View School District No. 25 v. Huckabee court decision. That case, which lasted 15 years, established a process for Arkansas public schools to be adequately funded.

Griffin rejected For AR Kids’ first submission on Jan. 9. The group resubmitted a second version on Jan. 18, but withdrew and replaced it with a third submission Jan. 25 after meeting with the attorney general’s staff.

Griffin rejected that submission on Feb. 8.

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Arkansas

No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks’ Historic Season Comes to an End at WCWS

Published

7 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks’ Historic Season Comes to an End at WCWS

Hunter Corneliusen
May 30, 2026

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – No. 5 National Seed Arkansas Razorbacks’ historic season came to an end on Friday night with an 11-0 (5 inn.) loss to UCLA at the Women’s College World Series inside Devon Park.

With the loss, Arkansas finished its season with a 47-13 record that culminated in the program’s first Women’s College World Series berth. The Hogs’ 47 wins were the second-most in program history, trailing only the 2022 team’s 48-11 overall record.

Tianna Bell, Atalyia Rijo, and Kailey Wyckoff all recorded base hits for Arkansas in the loss. Wyckoff and Karlie Davison both drew walks. Payton Burnham (14-4) took the loss for Arkansas after allowing four runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of work.

Taylor Tinsley (33-7) took the win for UCLA, pitching five shutout innings while striking out two and allowing three hits and two walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Payton Burnham made her 19th start of the season for Arkansas, while UCLA went with senior Taylor Tinsley.

In the top of the first inning, Atalyia Rijo had a hand in all three outs of a 1-2-3 frame that featured a pair of groundouts and a popout. Tinsley responded with a 1-2-3 inning herself, courtesy of a strikeout, flyout, and lineout in the home half of the first inning.

Aleena Garcia gave UCLA a 1-0 lead with a lead-off solo home run to dead center field in the top of the second inning. Kaniya Bragg got hit by a pitch, and Alexis Ramirez singled before Soo-Jin Berry made it a 4-0 game with a three-run home run to left field. Following Ramirez’s homer, Saylor Timmerman entered in relief for Arkansas. Megan Grant later extended the Bruins’ lead to 7-0 by way of a three-run home run to center field, her 42nd of the season. Senior LHP Robyn Herron entered with two runners on and two outs in the inning. UCLA extended its lead to 9-0 courtesy of a two-RBI double off the top of the wall in right field by Bragg.

In the bottom of the second inning, Karlie Davison became the first baserunner of the game for Arkansas after reaching on a two-out walk. She later advanced to second base on a single from Atalyia Rijo. Kailey Wyckoff later walked to load the bases, but UCLA would escape with a flyout to get out of the inning.

In the top of the third inning, Herron registered a pair of strikeouts while UCLA made it 10-0 by scoring a run by way of a wild pitch. Tinsley retired the Hogs in order in the bottom of the third inning.

Herron retired UCLA in order in the top of the fourth inning while picking up a pair of strikeouts. Tianna Bell singled down the third-base line to lead off the bottom of the fourth.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Bruins’ Jolyna Lamar increased the UCLA lead to 11-0 with a solo home run to right field.

Kailey Wyckoff singled down the third-base line to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning before UCLA retired three consecutive batters to end the game.

NOTABLES

Arkansas finished the season with a 47-13 overall record. The Razorbacks’ 47 wins were the second-most in program history, trailing only the 2022 team’s 48-11 overall record.

Up Next

The Razorbacks will be back in action in the spring of 2027.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.

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Arkansas

Arkansas men’s track and field sends 21 entries to NCAA Outdoor Championships | Whole Hog Sports

Published

17 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas men’s track and field sends 21 entries to NCAA Outdoor Championships | Whole Hog Sports

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Arkansas

What channel is UCLA vs Arkansas softball on? Time, TV for WCWS elimination game

Published

1 day ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

What channel is UCLA vs Arkansas softball on? Time, TV for WCWS elimination game

It’s win or go home for half of the Women’s College World Series field on Friday, May 29.

In the nightcap of the WCWS elimination games is No. 8 UCLA vs. No. 5 Arkansas, two teams that suffered come-from-behind wins on May 28 by Alabama and Nebraska, respectively. The Bruins couldn’t take advantage of back-to-back home runs against Jocelyn Briski in the third, eventually falling 6-3 to the top-seeded Crimson Tide.

Watch UCLA vs Arkansas softball live with Fubo (free trial)

The Razorbacks’ loss was arguably more painful (or, at least, took longer). Arkansas twice led against Nebraska and USA Softball Player of the Year Jordy Frahm, but was unable to maintain either lead before Ava Kuszak walked the Razorbacks off in the bottom of the 10th inning in the 5-3 defeat.

Now the Bruins and Razorbacks both must gear up for a second game in as many days, with their WCWS hopes on the line. Here’s how to watch as UCLA takes on Arkansas in a pivotal win-or-go-home game:

What TV channel is UCLA vs Arkansas softball on today?

ESPN will broadcast Friday’s elimination game between UCLA and Arkansas. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream WCWS games live with Fubo (free trial)