AR SB458

Expands school choice eligibility for children of uniformed service members, including active-duty personnel, surviving spouses, reserve component members during mobilization periods, and uniformed service veterans returning to civilian status.

Removes the May 1 application deadline for school transfers for students whose parents are active-duty uniformed service members who have been transferred to and reside on a military base, allowing applications within 15 days of arrival.

Establishes new public school choice provisions (Arkansas Code § 6-18-1909) allowing eligible uniformed service family dependents to enroll in any public school district without standard application deadlines and limiting transfers to one per academic year.

Defines "uniformed service member" to include active or reserve component members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

Changes terminology from "military" to "uniformed services" in the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program to align eligibility criteria across all state school choice programs.