Arkansas Governor Signs Bill Adding $122 Million for Schools

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat, signed legislation last week that authorizes an additional $122 million for Arkansas public schools, a move that could bring a long-running school funding case closer to an end.

The additional $214 in per-student funding and proposed funding to upgrade schools statewide are considered major steps toward addressing the Arkansas Supreme Court’s 2002 mandate to adequately and fairly fund the 450,000-student school system.

Late last year, the high court reappointed a pair of court masters to review the state’s efforts to improve the schools after three school districts complained that the state had failed to meet the court mandate. A report by the masters to the court is pending.

The two bills signed into law together increase state funding per student from $5,662 to $5,876 for the biennium, beginning July 1. One bill increased the per-student funding by $58.3 million over the biennium. The other bill would provide an additional $63.4 million over the same period, but that increase is considered “enhanced funding” that might not be available to school districts in future years.

Last week, the governor signed into law a $5.1 billion public school budget paying for the per-student funding increases. Arkansas Governor Signs Bill Adding $122 Million for Schools

From Education Week.