While some Arkansas educators have not been shy in opposing Education Freedom Accounts, two school superintendents in Pine Bluff have not let the idea of losing a larger pool of students to state-funded private education alarm them.
Jennifer Barbaree of the Pine Bluff School District and Keith McGee of the Watson Chapel School District have stood firm in promoting their districts and improving the climate within their campuses, even as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this week announced the third phase of EFAs, established as part of the LEARNS Act of 2023.
Each EFA provides funding for students to attend a school “that best meets their needs whether it be public, private, parochial or homeschool,” according to a release from Sanders’ office. EFAs will be open to any K-12 student in Arkansas starting in the 2025-26 school year.
“I think losing students no matter what for whatever reason hurts our district,” Barbaree said. “Any student that lives in the district, we want them going here in Pine Bluff School District. As far as EFA, we didn’t have any students that I know of participate in it yet, as far as last school year. Right now, we’re just going to continue to move forward, as we do, in our recruiting and trying to make our school the best school that we can so we can get our students back. Of course, losing students no matter what, be it school choice or something else, that hurts us. That hurts our district.”
Currently, no private schools in Jefferson County are acknowledged by the Arkansas Department of Education, and it’s not clear how many students in Jefferson County seek private education outside of the county. State Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said in the release the EFAs assisted more than 14,200 students during the 2024-25 school year.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The department’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education stated EFAs provide up to 90% of the prior year’s per-student foundation funding amount, which is estimated at $6,600 for the 2023-24 school year.
The schools that receive EFA funds must meet “several up-front” eligibility requirements including accreditation, financial, employee background and credentials, administrative and testing, according to DESE. The funds may cover tuition and fees, uniforms and other expenses such as supplies and books.
The LEARNS Act previously opened EFAs to students who either had a disability, were homeless, were foster children, had parents on active duty in the military, participated in the Succeed Scholarship Program, were enrolled in an F-rated school or a school district in Level 5 support from the state Education Department or were enrolling in kindergarten for the first time.
The qualifications expanded for the 2024-25 school year to students who were enrolled in the prior school year in D- or F-rated schools, or whose parents were veterans, in the military reserves, first responders or law enforcement officers.
“What I envision is that we’re going to market, for one, that we’re a top choice in the Watson Chapel School District, academically, athletically and socially by ensuring all students are taught and they can learn in a highly safe environment,” McGee said. “We want to continue to explore the different types of course offerings we’re going to be able to provide to our students and that makes Watson Chapel a viable candidate that they don’t have to go to the private sector to receive the best quality education, by ensuring that all kids can graduate and can graduate college- and career-ready, but they can learn at an extremely high level in the Watson Chapel School District.”
Tackling a loss of students in her district since becoming superintendent in January 2023, Barbaree said the PBSD has addressed the matter through Capturing Kids’ Hearts, a communication model that helps teachers better communicate to students with genuine concern.
“I’ve made it very clear that I want every person to want to love to come to Pine Bluff School District, whether it be the parent loving to send their student or the student loving to be here, the teacher loving to work here and all the staff loving to work here,” Barbaree said. “We’ve made efforts to enhance our culture, to make it a place where you want to be. On top of enhancing the culture, we’ve made strides to grow academically as far as providing every type of support we can for our students.”