2025 Arkansas Catholic Schools Appeal

Through the generosity of our donors for the past 11 years, the Catholic Schools of Arkansas Scholarship Appeal helped make Catholic elementary and secondary schools affordable to many families who desire a Catholic education for their children but could not afford it. 

Through the LEARNS Act the past two years, more of our students qualified for Education Freedom Accounts (EFA), which provide funding to cover educational expenses such as tuition, books, uniforms, and supplies — up to $6,856 per year. This program opened to all K-12 students in the 2025-26 school year, so we expanded our fundraising efforts beyond scholarships. 

Now, money raised for the Arkansas Catholic Schools Appeal benefits Catholic schools, allowing them to apply for assistance to meet their essential needs, such as building improvements, technology, learning resources and campus safety. 

While the EFA is a welcome relief to many families, the need for additional funding to support our schools remains. Therefore the Arkansas Catholic Schools Appeal kicks off Nov. 15-16 in parishes to assist schools statewide. 

All parishes in the Diocese of Little Rock are provided a flyer to include in their bulletin, statement to be read at Masses, bulletin announcement and donation forms to kick off the appeal. See the donation form in English or Spanish. Donors may also donate online.

In 2024, donations from the appeal provided tuition support to 38 students ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student. All funds raised through this appeal went directly to an Arkansas Catholic school to provide tuition assistance to a family with a demonstrated financial need.

This appeal was created in 2013 to provide scholarships to families who qualified for financial assistance. Donations helped families who could not otherwise afford to offer a Catholic education for their children. Now this fund helps schools with scholarships, but also with many other areas of essential need. This effort is sponsored by the Office of Catholic Schools. For more information, contact Ileana Dobbins, associate superintendent, at (501) 664-0340, ext. 322.

Donors may mail a check to: Arkansas Catholic Schools Appeal, Diocese of Little Rock, P.O. Box 7565, Little Rock, AR 72217-7565, or donate online via credit card. Thank you so much for your gift and remember our Catholic schools in your prayers.