In spring 2023, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially signed the Arkansas LEARNS Act into law, marking a significant milestone for the state's educational framework. The LEARNS Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that introduces a wide array of transformative changes designed to affect and enhance the education system throughout Arkansas.
One of the key requirements established within the LEARNS Act is the imperative to improve the experience of families and providers by creating localized early childhood lead organizations dedicated to this mission.
The Office of Early Childhood, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education, has chosen the second cohort of local early childhood leads, adding 13 organizations covering 36 counties in Arkansas. The local leads from both cohorts now represent 65 out of the state's 75 counties. Cohort 3 selections will be announced in October.
