Arkansas education officials told lawmakers Wednesday that the state’s proposed education budget will need additional funding as enrollment declines across much of the public school system. The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education is requesting $52 million in declining-enrollment appropriations for fiscal years 2028 and 2029.
Greg Rogers, chief fiscal officer for the Arkansas Department of Education, said 203 of the state’s 265 public school districts recorded enrollment declines. Rogers provided the figure after officials answered questions during a budget hearing held by the Legislative Council and the Joint Budget Committee.
Requests in the proposed budget
The declining-enrollment request would be a $28 million increase from the amount appropriated for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Arkansas is currently operating under fiscal 2027, which began July 1, 2026, and ends July 1, 2027, according to the information presented to lawmakers.
- $52 million requested for declining-enrollment funding in fiscal 2028 and 2029.
- $70 million requested for the Educational Freedom Account program.
- $379.4 million in total state funding for Educational Freedom Accounts under the proposed request.
The division also is seeking an additional $70 million in appropriation for the Educational Freedom Account program. The request would bring total state funding for the program to $379.4 million, the same amount approved for the program for the 2026-27 school year.
The budget discussion came as lawmakers examined how the state’s universal school-choice program is affecting public-school enrollment and district funding. Officials were questioned about the relationship between enrollment changes and the money available to districts as students leave traditional public schools.
The proposed appropriations remain part of the state budget process. The Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee reviewed the requests during Wednesday’s hearing as lawmakers considered funding needs for future fiscal years.
