Arkansas students are demonstrating improved academic performance, with scores surpassing national averages in both math and English, according to state officials. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders attributes these gains, which she stated showed a 20% increase in student performance across all subjects last year, to the state's universal school choice initiative and the Education Freedom Account program.
"Arkansas is investing in education where it matters, and it's paying off, and we're seeing a big difference," Sanders said Tuesday during an appearance on "Fox & Friends." She highlighted that the program empowers families by providing approximately $8,000 per student annually to cover expenses such as private school tuition, charter school fees, or homeschooling costs.
Sanders noted that around 50,000 students participated in the program during the past school year and have signed up for the upcoming one. She emphasized that this approach allows funds to follow students, enabling parents to select the educational environments they believe are best suited for their children. The governor also stated that Arkansas has simultaneously increased funding for public schools and raised the starting pay for teachers, along with providing at least a $2,000 raise for current educators.
In addition to the school choice expansion, the state is implementing literacy coaches in schools facing challenges and has increased salaries for educators. Sanders advocated for a tailored approach to education, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all model is insufficient and that different students require different environments to thrive. "I believe that every single kid can learn when given the right resources, the right environment and the right opportunity, and in Arkansas, we're making sure that's happening," she said.