Arkansas
2023
For every dollar spent on school-aged students in Arkansas, $0.16 was spent on infants and toddlers, and $0.31 was spent on preschool-aged children.
Arkansas invested over $532 million in early care and education in 2023. Of these investments in birth to kindergarten-entry:
– 36% supported infants and toddlers, and 64% supported children aged three to kindergarten-entry.
– 64% came from federal sources, and 36% came from state funds.
ECE Spending by Program Type
Between 2022 and 2023, Arkansas increased state-specific spending on children from birth through kindergarten-entry by almost $28 million.
In 2023, Arkansas supported early care and education through dedicated programs such as the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education and the Arkansas Better Chance Program. Continued investments, such as the Office of Early Childhood (OEC), will be reflected in future reports.
Per Capita Spending by Age Group
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