Four Arkansas residents have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of a school voucher program established by an education overhaul signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders last year. The lawsuit contends that the program, known as the Arkansas Children’s Freedom Account Program and created under the LEARNS Act, violates the state constitution’s protections for educational funding.
Under the voucher program, which is gradually being implemented, funds are allocated to cover private and home-schooling expenses equivalent to 90% of the state’s per-student funding for public schools. Lawmakers have designated $97 million in funding for the program for the upcoming year, with an estimated 14,000 students anticipated to participate.
The lawsuit argues that diverting tax money intended for public schools to fund the voucher program undermines the state’s public school system, violating the constitution. It asserts that the LEARNS Act introduces a significant departure from Arkansas’ longstanding public education framework and would deplete vital resources from public schools, potentially creating an unequal educational system based on economic, racial, and physical characteristics.
The voucher program was a component of a comprehensive education bill that also included provisions such as raising minimum teacher salaries and implementing restrictions on classroom discussions regarding certain topics like gender identity.
A spokesperson for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin expressed confidence in defending the LEARNS Act in court, citing a previous successful defense against legal challenges to the legislation’s procedural aspects.