News

Arkansas is home to more than 600,000 acres of lakes and more than 90,000 miles of rivers, streams, and creeks. As this is a popular time of the year for Arkansans to enjoy the waterways, we wanted to highlight boating safety in the state. Last year, Arkansas saw a 9% decrease in boating accidents and […]

From guided hikes to kayak outings, there are over 50,000 family-friendly programs available at our Arkansas State Parks.  If you are still looking for a summer getaway, consider the options in our own backyard.In 1996, Arkansas voters pass a constitutionally dedicated conservation sales tax benefitting Arkansas State Parks and three sister conservation agencies.  We now […]

There are now more than 460,000 students enrolled in Arkansas public schools. And an additional 18,000 attend an open-enrollment charter school. School districts range in size from less than 300 students to nearly 22,000 students. The median size is about 900 students. Charter schools range from about 60 students to more than 3,000. How we […]

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 1 in 4 of adults in the United States have some type of disability. In Arkansas, that number climbs to 1 in 3.In the most recent legislative session, there were a number of acts passed to help better ensure that everybody has the same opportunities to participate […]

Whether it is rebuilding a family home or planning for a loss of crops, our state will be recovering from these historic floods for months to come. FEMA just recently announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to Arkansas to supplement state and local response efforts. While our emergency management teams across the […]

It is estimated that less than 15 percent of children who qualify for free or reduced-priced school lunches in Arkansas are getting the same high-quality meals in the summer. Children shouldn’t go hungry just because school is out. That is why the Department of Human Services and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance partner with schools, […]

In Arkansas, 41% of the population live in rural counties. In contrast, only 14% of the United States population as a whole live in nonmetropolitan counties. Our state is a very rural one, so when we work to expand our economy we must always recognize the challenges that our rural communities face.That is why many […]

Unless otherwise stated in the legislation, all acts passed in the 2019 Regular Session without emergency clauses will become effective on July 24, 2019 (exception: Act 1092 will become effective July 30. Act 1092 passed when the Senate convened for Sine Die adjournment)

For students just beginning an education or going back to school, the lottery scholarship offers opportunities to pursue dream careers and secure financial futures. That’s why you should mark July 1 on your calendar. That day is the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, which has provided hundreds of millions of dollars […]