Early Childhood

School Readiness Assistance Program

NEW INFORMATION

EFFECTIVE 09/19/2025

The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) has made important updates to the School Readiness Assistance (SRA) Program to help maintain access for as many working families as possible. These changes include adjustments to program rates and family copayments, effective October 1, 2025.

To learn more about these updates and how they may affect families and providers, please review the resources below:


 

Waitlist Status

OEC continues to have a waitlist for SRA. As we transition into the new federal fiscal year beginning October 1, 2025, we are closely monitoring available funds to ensure we can continue to support children, who are currently being served.

Please note that the following Priority 1 populations will continue to be exempt from the waitlist:

  • Foster children;

  • Families eligible to receive TANF (TEA/ESS) assistance;

  • Homeless families as designated by OEC; and

  • Special needs families as designated by OEC.

Families currently receiving assistance will continue to be reauthorized as long as they meet eligibility requirements and until they meet their the lifetime maximum for assistance.

For additional inquiries, please contact us at oec.familysupport@ade.arkansas.gov. 


 

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the School Readiness Assistance Program. Use this link to apply for services: https://sra.ade.arkansas.gov/.

Overview

School Readiness Assistance is a program available for low-income families. It provides financial assistance for quality childcare, which is made possible by the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF). The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Arkansas's Office of Early Childhood manages the School Readiness Assistance Program.

Quick Links

Am I eligible for school readiness assistance?

Families must meet the following criteria:

  1. Meet the established income guidelines.
  2. Each adult residing in the household must be employed at least 20 hours per week or be enrolled and attending high school, college, GED classes, vocational school, or a training program as a full-time student. A combination of school and work is acceptable if the individual is involved at a minimum of 20 hours.
  3. Have an eligible child. Our program serves children from birth through 12 years of age.

What are the income guidelines?

The SMI Monthly Income Chart provides income guidelines for SRA program eligibility. Open the SMI Monthly Income Chart below, find the size of your family, and then locate the column in which your family's Gross Monthly Income falls. Please note that ALL income from all family members must be included in the monthly total. This includes earned income, SSA, SSI, VA, etc.). If your monthly income falls into one of the eligible columns listed on the chart, your family may qualify for school readiness assistance. 

Families may be required to pay a percentage of cost of childcare in the form of a copayment. To determine whether you would be required to make a copayment, please use the SRA Rates and Sliding Fee Scale Chart below that corresponds to your geographic area (statewide or Benton/Washington Counties) and benefit type (full-time or part-time). From there you would use your SMI% category from the SMI Monthly Income Chart to review your potential copayment rates. If you have any questions or need assistance, the OEC team is always happy to assist.

How do I apply for school readiness assistance?

The Office of Early Childhood is pleased to announce that we launched an online portal for submitting applications for School Readiness Assistance (Child Care Vouchers). 

If you have recently submitted an application or would like to submit an application, please visit https://sra.ade.arkansas.gov/ to complete your profile. Once your profile is approved you will be able to do the following:

  • Complete and submit an application
  • Upload all required documentation

Please feel free to reach out to us at OEC.familysupport@ade.arkansas.gov if you have questions or concerns.

Thank you,
OEC Team

 

Physical:

2 Capitol Mall
P.O. Box 1437
Little Rock, AR 72203

Mailing:
Office Early Childhood
4 Capitol Mall - Box 36
Little Rock, AR 72201

What is the application process?

The School Readiness Assistance Program is based on the availability of funds. If funds are available at the time your application is received, you will be contacted by the local Program Eligibility Specialist. They will verify your eligibility for childcare assistance.

If funds are not available at the time your application was received, the local Program Eligibility Specialist will send you a notification stating that you have been placed on a waiting list for the county of your residence. Your application will only be effective for twelve (12) months, as stated on your application. If you still require assistance at the end of the twelve (12) months, then you must submit a new application to remain on the waiting list.

How is childcare provided for my children?

Once a family is determined eligible for the School Readiness Assistance Program, they must select a childcare provider that is licensed or registered by the Office of Early Childhood. The provider must be an active participant in the School Readiness Assistance Program.

Families may contact the Program Eligibility Specialist to request a list of childcare providers that participate in the School Readiness Assistance Program or call 1-800-322-8176. Families may also use the Search for Childcare located here.