A report by the National Institute for Early Education Research shows Arkansas needs to improve its reach with pre-K students.
The state fell from sixth to eighth place in preschool access for 3-year-olds and from 22nd to 24th in access for 4-year-olds, according to the report. Study co-author Steve Barnett, director of the institute at Rutgers University, said other southern states and many across the nation are outpacing Arkansas.
“Lawmakers need to focus on two things,” he said: “What can Arkansas do to lift its game; how can Arkansas improve the quality of its program? For example, by ensuring every teacher has a four-year college degree in pre-school. By ensuring adequate funding.”…