Navigating Educational Opportunities: Understanding Arkansas Scholarship Programs

Arkansas offers various scholarship programs aimed at supporting students in pursuing educational opportunities, from K-12 private education to higher education. Understanding the requirements and eligibility criteria for these programs is crucial for families and students seeking financial assistance. This article delves into the details of key Arkansas scholarship programs, including the Educational Freedom Account (EFA) program and the Arkansas Academic Challenge Program.

The Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program

A centerpiece of the LEARNS Act, the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program provides flexible funding to families who are finding that the best learning environment for their child is a private school or home education environment. This program aims to provide families with greater flexibility in choosing the educational setting that best suits their children's needs. The Educational Freedom Account (EFA) program provides state funds for allowable educational expenses, including private school tuition.

Eligibility and Funding

The EFA program is being phased in over three years. For 2025, there will be no enrollment cap at all. Families who choose to participate in this program have 90% of their child’s state education funding (about $6,800 initially) deposited in an online Educational Freedom Account. It is anticipated that most recipients will receive approximately $6,856.

Initial Rollout and Participation

In 2023, more than 90 schools and 4,795 students participated in the program. In 2024, more than 120 schools are participating in the program.

Qualifying Expenses

For the 2023-2024 school year, students used the funds for traditional school expenses like tuition, fees, testing, and the cost of required school uniforms, supplies, technology, and services at a participating school. Like eligibility, what expenses families can pay for through the program will become more flexible with time.

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Application Process

Parents and legal guardians can apply for the Education Freedom Account for free! When you apply, you will need to prove residency in Arkansas and that your student is of school age. Usually this is done with a driver’s license or state ID from the parent or guardian and the child’s birth certificate. For 2025, applications will be reviewed and approved in three-week priority window cycles between March 3 and January 31, 2026.

Impact and Future Considerations

Patrick Wolf, head of the University of Arkansas’ Department of Education Reform, told the Advocate previously that when the program has universal eligibility in three years, he expects to see a large increase in participation by students already in private schools. However, program participation may be impacted by funding. The legislature determines how much money to allocate to the EFA program. The amount awarded to each accepted student in 2025 is still pending.

The Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids (PIAK) Program

Arkansas’ tax-credit scholarship for low-income children, the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Scholarship Program, continues to run separately. The Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids provides vital funding for eligible students to attend private schools. Families qualify based on household income. Any student whose family income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, or about $62,400 for a family of four, is qualified to apply for the PIAK program. Parents and legal guardians can apply for the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids fund for free!

Expansion Through the LEARNS Act

The LEARNS Act actually expands the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Scholarship Program by raising the cap on donations to the program. Low-income students with special needs may even be eligible to receive funds from both programs, if necessary, to cover qualifying learning expenses. The Reform Alliance makes acquiring funding for your child’s unique educational needs a possibility. The Reform Alliance makes funding for student’s unique educational needs accessible. Taxpayers estimate their current year Arkansas state income tax liability and make a donation using the link below. The Reform Alliance will also issue the K-12 scholarships for income-qualified students to attend a qualified private school of choice.

Arkansas Succeeds Scholarship Program

Currently, the Arkansas Succeeds Scholarship Program provides private school vouchers for students with disabilities, foster children, and military families. The Succeeds Scholarship has been absorbed into the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account program in 2023.

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Private School Requirements for Participation in the Succeed Scholarship Program

(a) (1) A private school shall notify the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education of its intent to participate in the Succeed Scholarship Program. § 1412(a)(10), the notice shall specify the grade levels and services that the private school has available for students with severe disabilities who are participating in the Succeed Scholarship Program.

Eligibility Criteria for Private Schools

(ii) A private school shall no longer be eligible if:

(a) The private school has not received accreditation within four (4) years of becoming eligible under subdivision (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section;(b) The accrediting association determines that the private school is ineligible or unable to continue the accreditation process; or(c) It becomes impossible for the private school to obtain accreditation within four (4) years.

(iii) A private school that becomes ineligible under subdivision (b)(1)(B)(ii) of this section shall regain eligibility when the private school receives accreditation.

(iv) A private school that is not fully accredited shall report annually to the state board its progress towards accreditation;

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(2) (A) Demonstrates fiscal soundness by having been in operation for one (1) school year or providing the division with a statement by a certified public accountant confirming that the private school is insured and the private school has sufficient capital or credit to operate in the upcoming school year. § 2000d;

(4) Meets state and local health and safety requirements;

(5) Is academically accountable to the parent or legal guardian for meeting the educational needs of the student;

(6) Employs or contracts with teachers who hold baccalaureate or higher degrees;

(7) Complies with all state laws and rules governing private schools; and

(8) Adheres to the tenets of its published disciplinary procedures before an expulsion of a student receiving a scholarship.

Academic Accountability

(d) (1) (A) An eligible private school shall administer annually or make provisions for a student participating in the Succeed Scholarship Program to take a nationally recognized norm-referenced test as established by the state board.

(B) A list, in a deidentified format, of students who have taken a nationally recognized norm-referenced test under subdivision (d)(1)(A) of this section and the students' test results shall be forwarded annually to the state board or its designee.

(2) (A) A student with an individual education plan or an individualized service plan that provides for an exemption to standardized testing is not required to take the test required under subdivision (d)(1)(A) of this section.

(B) A list, in a deidentified format, of students with an individual education plan that provides for an exemption to standardized testing under subdivision (d)(2)(A) of this section shall be provided annually to the state board or its designee.

(3) (A) An eligible private school shall annually prepare a portfolio that provides information on a student's progress to the student's parent or guardian if a student is exempt from standardized testing as permitted under subdivision (d)(2)(A) of this section.

(B) A list, in a deidentified format, of students with portfolios under subdivision (d)(3)(A) of this section and a general summary of the information provided in the portfolios shall be provided annually to the state board or its designee.

(4) (A) An eligible private school under this section shall submit annually to the division or its designee, in a deidentified format required by the Bureau of Legislative Research in consultation with the division, a:

(i) Report that lists all students who have received a Succeed Scholarship under this subchapter who have been dismissed from the Succeed Scholarship Program by the private school;

(ii) Report that lists all students who have received a Succeed Scholarship under this subchapter who have voluntarily returned to a traditional public school;

(iii) List of foster children who have:

(a) Entered the Succeed Scholarship Program;(b) Been dismissed from the Succeed Scholarship Program; or(c) Been removed from the Succeed Scholarship Program by the Department of Human Services;

(iv) Report of administrative costs required to implement the Succeed Scholarship Program; and

(v) Report regarding the demographic data of students who have applied for the Succeed Scholarship under this subchapter and students who were awarded the Succeed Scholarship under this subchapter, including without limitation the geographic location in the state of the students who are participating in the Succeed Scholarship Program.

(B) The division shall make information received from eligible private schools under subdivision (d)(4)(A) of this section available to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education in a deidentified format specified by the bureau in consultation with the division.

(5) All information under this subsection shall be included in the Succeed Scholarship Program biennial study under § 6-41-908.

(e) (1) The division shall prepare and submit annually or obtain from its designated administrator for the Succeed Scholarship Program under this subchapter a report, in a deidentified format required by the bureau in consultation with the division, that indicates the:

(A) List of students who have received a Succeed Scholarship under this subchapter;

(B) Eligible private school attended by each student who has received a Succeed Scholarship under this subchapter; and

Arkansas Academic Challenge Program

The Arkansas Academic Challenge Program provides scholarships to Arkansas residents pursuing higher education.

Eligibility Criteria

Traditional: Students applying for the upcoming academic year who expect to attend an approved college or university in the academic year following their graduation from a public high school, a private or out-of-state high school, or homeschool must have one of the following to qualify:

ACT composite score or superscore of 19+ (**)
Accuplacer score of all three sections averaging 246
Classic Learning Test score of 58+
High School GPA of 3.00
Diploma of Merit

Traditional students must begin attendance in at least 12 credit hours in the first Fall semester following high school graduation and at least 15 credit hours each semester thereafter to receive their funds that semester. This means they must earn at least 27 credit hours in their first academic year and at least 30 credit hours each academic year thereafter, with a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Freshmen finishing their first academic year who did not apply for or qualify for the Academic Challenge Scholarship may be considered Traditional students if they were enrolled as a full-time, first-time student and earned 27 hours with a 2.5 GPA in their first academic year. If they do not have 27 hours at the end of Spring, they can still apply as a Non-Traditional student.

Non-Traditional: Students with some or no college credit can qualify. If a student has some college credit, they may be considered eligible with a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.5. A student with no college credit can qualify as a Non-Traditional student if they have an ACT composite score or superscore of at least 19 (or an equivalent of a 19 composite on an equivalent test). Non-traditional students may begin attendance with fewer semester credit hours than the required number for Traditional students and still receive a prorated scholarship award for that semester. They must also maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and earn the appropriate number of hours, based on whether they attended full-time (15+ credit hours) or part-time (less than 15 credit hours) each semester.

NOTE: ADHE will take the official composite or superscore from ACT only. We are not able to manually add or remove the Science from any ACT test that is taken, Legacy or Enhanced. You will need to coordinate with ACT and/or your high school counselor to determine the best option to reach the ACT composite or superscore you are aiming for BEFORE you take the test.

Open Enrollment Act

Besides creating the Children’s Educational Freedom Account program for students who are not enrolling full-time in public school, the LEARNS Act also enacts several changes for public school students. The LEARNS Act makes it easier for students to make a public school transfer by lifting the cap on the number of transfers each school district allows (unless a desegregation order is in place).

Strengthening Open Enrollment

In May of 2025, Arkansas passed a law strengthening open enrollment for the 2025-26 school year. This addition to the LEARNS Act lifts the cap on the number of public school transfers each school district allows and removes barriers to intra-district open enrollment. Families interested in transferring public schools must submit their application between January and May. They will be notified of their acceptance or denial by July 1 with a letter stating the reason.

Additional Considerations

Private School Financial Assistance

Many K-12 private schools offer various forms of financial assistance to their families, including scholarships. The details of this assistance will vary from school to school, but some schools have strong philanthropic support to make sure any students with demonstrated need can still attend. If you have a specific private school in mind, be sure to ask them about scholarship options.

Homeschooling

This school year, more than 26,000 students are homeschooling in Arkansas. Homeschoolers who meet the qualifications for the Educational Freedom Account program could only apply if they wanted to switch to private school. This year, homeschoolers can choose to opt into the program and keep homeschooling, using the program funding for their approved homeschool curriculum.

School Choice Resources

Ready to explore your local school options? Our tool enhances the information we offer on school choice options in your state. With this tool, you can access information on more than 132,000 public, charter, magnet, and private schools across the United States.

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