A strong early childhood system depends on whether early childhood educators have the support they need to build lasting careers.
For years, early childhood educators have shaped the foundation for children’s learning, development, and well-being without access to the kind of retirement benefits long available to K-12 educators. Act 587 begins to change that.
Passed during the 2025 legislative session, the law creates a voluntary pathway for eligible staff in publicly funded early childhood programs to participate in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. The goal is to improve retention and support greater long-term stability across the early childhood workforce. While full implementation is still underway, Act 587 will apply to eligible staff working in licensed early childhood programs that receive public funding.
Excel by Eight has long supported policies that better reflect the value of early childhood educators and strengthen the workforce over time. This legislation is one example of that broader effort. By expanding access to retirement benefits, Act 587 recognizes early childhood educators as professionals whose work is essential to children, families, and communities across Arkansas.
The Arkansas Early Childhood Association will help move this opportunity from law into practice. In April 2026, AECA was approved as the fiscal agent for implementation, which will include sharing information, guiding providers through onboarding, monitoring participation requirements, enrolling employees, managing contributions, and handling recordkeeping and reporting.
With the rules approved and AECA selected as the fiscal agent, the rollout is now moving into its next phase. Additional information will be available this summer, and provider outreach is planned for early fall. After necessary IT and accounting upgrades, enrollment is expected to go live in November 2026. Voluntary participation is projected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
Act 587 does not solve every workforce challenge facing early childhood educators, but it recognizes the value of the profession, creates a new option for long-term financial stability, and gives providers another way to invest in the educators who make their programs possible. Excel by Eight is proud to have advocated for this legislation and appreciates AECA’s role in putting it into practice.
