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The Arkansas Department of Education’s Office of Early Childhood is excited to launch the new School Readiness Assistance system. This updated system replaces the Kid Care system, which helped eligible families access federal child care assistance for more than 17 years.

The Arkansas Department of Education announced today the six organizations selected for the third early childhood local leads cohort. With this third cohort, all 75 counties are now represented by 26 organizations focused on creating a comprehensive, localized plan to ensure children and families can access high-quality early childhood education programs in their communities.

A study conducted by WalletHub shows that Arkansas has the best early education system in America. The study uses 12 metrics to determine its rankings. Cassandra Happe, an analyst for WalletHub, said those 12 metrics can be grouped into three main categories: access, quality, and resources and economic support.

In an effort to increase families’ access to high-quality early learning experiences under the LEARNS Act, the Arkansas Department of Education is pleased to announce changes to the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy program.

The Arkansas Department of Education is pleased to announce today the 13 organizations selected for the second early childhood education local leads cohort. These organizations, combined with the first cohort of 12 organizations announced in November 2023, represent 65 counties around the state and will establish a comprehensive, localized plan to ensure children and families have access to high-quality early childhood education in their communities.

The Arkansas Department of Education’s Office of Early Childhood is pleased to now offer child care assistance to early child care workers and adoptive parents who qualify for the program. Arkansas becomes one of only a few states in the country to expand the program to these new groups.