Facing the Educational Challenges Ahead in Arkansas

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed, created, and exacerbated a number of obstacles to preparing the children of Arkansas for lifelong success. The necessity of social distancing upended classroom instruction. Consequences of unreliable internet access grew larger and fell unevenly on rural and lower-income communities. An already-weak support system for child mental health faced new strains. Developing long-term solutions to these challenges will strengthen the future of our public safety, workforce, and national security.

Arkansas business leaders, law enforcement, and military leaders call on state policymakers to provide communities, students, and schools with the resources to fully recover from the pandemic and work toward a safer and more prosperous future. This includes resources to help students catch up on missed instruction, to help communities provide reliable high-speed internet access, and to help schools support child mental health