Fifty Thousand Students and Counting: Arkansas Schools Face Record Voucher Demand

Interest in school vouchers is soaring in Arkansas. For the 2025-26 school year, more than 50,000 students have applied for Education Freedom Accounts, the state program that provides funding for private schooling and other educational expenses.

This year marks the first time applications are not limited by the previous one and a half or three percent caps, allowing far more students to participate than initially expected. Each voucher will cost the state at least $6,994 per student. If all applicants are approved and remain in the program for the full school year, the total cost could reach nearly $355 million, well above the $277 million currently allocated.

Despite concerns about rising costs, the Department of Education is committed to funding every eligible applicant, making clear that no student will be excluded. For Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the program stands as a signature accomplishment and a key part of her education legacy.

LEARNS Act and the Voucher Program

The Arkansas LEARNS Act of 2023 created the state’s voucher program. It allows families who do not attend public schools to access state funds for private school tuition, tutoring, testing fees, and educational supplies. With the introduction of the Education Freedom Account program, Arkansas became the 11th state in the nation to implement a universal school choice initiative, making all resident students eligible once the program is fully operational.

In its first year, the program had strict eligibility requirements and funded 5,548 accounts at a cost of approximately $32 million. In the second year, eligibility rules were relaxed, and the program’s cost tripled to $97 million, serving 14,297 students. This year, for the first time, every student in Arkansas is eligible to apply.

Earlier in 2025, the Arkansas Legislature approved an additional $90 million for the program, raising the total budget to $277 million. Despite this increase, funding still falls roughly $78 million short of what would be needed if every applicant is approved. A law passed this year also amended the LEARNS Act to restrict voucher spending on extracurricular activities and introduced a priority system to determine which applications would be approved if funding is insufficient.

As of August 6, 44,476 students had already been approved for vouchers, according to education department spokesperson Kim Mundell. Of those, 27,727 are private school students, and 16,751 are homeschooled. Former recipients of the Succeed Scholarship, a program that provided funding for students with disabilities to attend private schools, account for 456 applicants. Each of these vouchers costs the state $7,771.

Voucher Applicant Priorities

With the number of applicants rising, the state has established a priority system to determine which students would receive vouchers if funding becomes limited.

Under this system, priority is given first to students who previously received vouchers, followed by those who participated in the Succeed Scholarship program. Next are students with disabilities, homeless students, and children in foster care. The list continues with students who attended a public school rated D or F in the previous year, students with parents who are veterans, active military, or members of the Arkansas National Guard, students who are or have parents who are law enforcement officers, students who are or have parents who are first responders, and finally students enrolling in kindergarten for the first time.

When asked about the priority system and when it would be applied, education department spokesperson Kim Mundell reiterated, “There are plans to fund every approved application.”

Funding Outlook

Officials do not appear concerned about the potential funding gap. State Representative Bart Hester recently told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he does not expect the Legislature to provide additional funds for the voucher program.

Hester explained that the state disburses funds for the program on a monthly basis, meaning the full $355 million will not be required all at once. He also noted that some families who have applied may not use their vouchers for the entire school year, suggesting that early departures could reduce the need for additional funding.

As of Friday afternoon, the application window remains open, and officials expect the number of applicants could increase with a last-minute rush before it closes.