Arkansas
State Government
Governor
Sarah Huckabee Sander (R)
State Senate
6
Democrats,
29
Republicans
State House
18
Democrats,
82
Republicans
Economic well-being - Arkansas
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.2
Minimum wage
11.0
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.4
Poverty rate
15.5%
Unemployment rate
3.8
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
9.4
Poverty by demographic - Arkansas
Child poverty rate
0.2
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
N/A
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
80000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
58000
Senior poverty rate
12.1 %
Women in poverty
1,535,219
Immigrants Contribute to Arkansas Communities and the Economy
Sherece Y. West-Scantlebury, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
The San Francisco Chronicle, March 20, 2013: Ark. panel rejects private school tax credit bill
"A proposal to offer tax breaks for donating to a scholarship fund that would allow low-income Arkansas students to attend private schools failed before a state Senate panel Wednesday, after state education and finance officials raised concerns about the impact the move would have on the budget."
Southwest Times Record, October 28, 2012: Enrollment Up Some, Free Meals More in Larger Area Districts
"Enrollment at several of the larger area public school districts saw slight gains this year over last year, but they were accompanied by bigger gains in low-income students, according to Arkansas Department of Education and school district data."
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, October 17, 2012: Professor, author to talk at UA on education change, social inequity
"Low-income families need assistance early to ensure children enter school on par with their more affluent peers, said Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children in Little Rock. Programs that help include those that provide good prenatal care for mothers, promote a strong bond between parents and children and ensure that families have access to quality child-care programs. Children from low-income families also need quality programs after school and during the summer, he said."
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, June 29, 2012: Grant spurs work to aid kids at risk of homelessness (Subscription Required)
"For a homeless child, it's not uncommon to attend three or more schools in a single year. As a result, it's not uncommon for those children to face serious academic problems, making them more likely to be homeless adults."
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, December 30, 2011: Infant day care is hard to find in parts of state; Need high in rural NW Arkansas
"The center participates in the Better Beginnings ratings, a state-run program, and has a rating of one star out of a possible three. There are only two child-care centers with a Better Beginnings rating in Franklin County, according to the state's Child Care and Early Childhood Education Division."