FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — According to the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research, foundation funding is distributed to public schools based on the number of students that attend.

Foundation funding is the building block of public education funding in the state of Arkansas and every year the state distributes foundation funding to each school district on a per-student basis.

To distribute that per-student funding amount, it has to go through an Arkansas formula known as the matrix.

The matrix is divided into three parts: school-level salaries, school-level resources, and district-level resources. All of those categories average together creating the per-student foundation funding.

“In Arkansas, our funding is based on a matrix formula and currently right now it’s like $7400 per student,” Pruitt said.

Bryan Pruitt, the Superintendent of Eureka Springs School District, is not fully on board with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Arkansas Learns Education plan.

“Arkansas Learns is a comprehensive blueprint to meet teachers, needs respect, parent rights, and most importantly, deliver the quality education that our kids deserve,” Sanders said.

“I’m not really in favor of it as a public school person or as a public school superintendent, however, we have to accept change,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt says he doesn’t want that change to have a huge financial impact on public schools.

“You’re talking about $60,000 or $70,000 that can be gone real quick, so you know, if that money does leave the district and go with vouchers or home school students, it’s concerning,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt says Eureka Springs School District doesn’t receive any foundational funding, but the bill still raises concern for other districts and public schools in general.

However, Sanders tweeted her myths and facts about Arkansas Learns which says the opposite is true.

“It empowers parents of all incomes to customize their child’s education; if the local and school district is the best option, it won’t lose any kids,” Sanders said.

“My concern is for those schools that were offered that opportunity to leave, not only will it affect that school, but it’s also going to affect that community. And, it could cause a ghost town there in that town,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt says no matter what school a student attends, he just wants to ensure they’re receiving a proper education

Sanders says, ultimately, school choice is about parental empowerment, giving parents the choice to make a decision that best fits the needs of their child.