Arkansas schools are showing improved student performance, with participants in the state's universal school choice program scoring above the national average in math and English, according to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Sanders stated on Tuesday that the state has seen a 20% increase in student performance across all subjects last year.
She credited Arkansas's Education Freedom Account program for empowering families with greater control over their children's education. The program provides eligible families with approximately $8,000 per student annually to cover private school tuition, charter schools, or homeschooling expenses. Concurrently, the state has increased funding for public schools and raised the salaries for over 12,000 educators.
"We are investing in education where it matters, and it’s paying off, and we’re seeing a big difference," Sanders said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends." She indicated that around 50,000 students participated in the program last school year and have signed up for the upcoming year, stating, "the money is truly following the students."
Beyond school choice, Arkansas has implemented initiatives such as deploying "literacy coaches" to schools facing academic challenges. The state has also raised the starting pay for teachers and ensured that current teachers receive a minimum raise of $2,000.
Sanders emphasized that a "one-size-fits-all" approach to education is insufficient, drawing on her experience as a mother of three. She argued that different students require different educational environments to reach their full potential and that parents should be empowered to identify those environments. "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 stated.