Gov Sanders reveals 'major breakthrough' on education as red state positions itself as 'blueprint' for nation
EXCLUSIVE: As Democrats across the country criticize education programs in red states, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is touting a major achievement in her state she hopes will serve...
By Fox News · Fox News
EXCLUSIVE: As Democrats across the country criticize education programs in red states, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is touting a major achievement in her state she hopes will serve as an education blueprint for all states, regardless of politics, nationwide. "The thing we're most excited about is the fact that so many Arkansas students are doing better now than they would have been doing pre-LEARNS legislation," Sanders told Fox News Digital on the day her office announced a "major breakthrough" on education following implementation of a 2023 Republican backed statewide education overhaul, known as the LEARNS Act. The law also raised the minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000, created performance-based teacher bonuses, boosted literacy support, funded school safety initiatives, and banned critical race theory and classroom teachings related to critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexually explicit materials. Arkansas public school students are seeing sharp gains on a new statewide exam, with proficiency rates rising more than 7% across all grades and subjects in just three years under the state’s conservative education reforms. Since 2024, student proficiency has increased by more than 7% and by more than 5% since 2025, according to the governor’s office. MISSISSIPPI'S SCHOOL MIRACLE SHAMES FAILING CHICAGO LEADERS ON EDUCATION "We want our kids to do well," Sanders said. "We love the fact that kids in Arkansas are learning, that they're moving up. The growth and achievement that we're seeing from our kids is exactly what we want to happen." In 2026, 42.2% of students met proficiency standards, up from 36.9% in 2025. Mathematics proficiency increased from 36.4% in 2024 to 44.2% in 2026, science proficiency rose from 35.6% to 44.0%, and English language arts proficiency climbed from 33.8% to 39.5%. Students performing at the lowest levels also fell across all subjects, dropping from an average of 27.3% in 2025 to 2…