School districts are experiencing record enrollment numbers this fall, thanks in part to new provisions under the LEARNS Act. The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education reported this week that over 4,800 students statewide have applied and been approved for school choice vouchers.
Earlier this year, the state legislature approved a universal school choice bill, the LEARNS Act, that will give Arkansas families $6,600 per student per year to pay for education expenses. The program will have income requirements for the first three years but will be open to all families by 2025. The legislation also increased the base salary for teachers from $36,000 to $50,000 per year.
Wynne Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kenneth Moore said the district had an enrollment of 2,412 students as of the last count. He added that the figure would have been higher were it not for the tornado.
Dr. Moore said 82 students choiced into the district – the most ever – and the number of students enrolled in kindergarten is over 200 for the second year in a row. Since the pandemic, the district has averaged between 170 to 185 students in kindergarten. Dr. Moore said the district has around 435 students in kindergarten and first grade combined.
