Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Arkansas students are showing major academic gains after the state implemented the LEARNS Act, which raised teacher pay, expanded literacy support and restricted classroom instruction on critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation and sexually explicit materials.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is pointing to rising student test scores as evidence that the state’s 2023 education overhaul is producing measurable academic gains.
Sanders said Arkansas students are performing better after the state implemented the Republican-backed LEARNS Act, a sweeping education law that increased teacher pay, created performance-based bonuses, expanded literacy support, funded school safety initiatives and placed restrictions on classroom instruction involving critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation and sexually explicit materials.
“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.
The governor’s office described the results as a “major breakthrough” in education following the implementation of the LEARNS Act.
According to Sanders’ office, Arkansas public school students recorded sharp gains on a new statewide exam, with proficiency rates increasing more than 7% across all grades and subjects over three years under the state’s education reforms.
Since 2024, student proficiency has risen by more than 7%, and since 2025, it has increased by more than 5%, according to the governor’s office.
The LEARNS Act raised the state’s minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000. It also created performance-based teacher bonuses, expanded literacy assistance and funded school safety programs.
The law also banned critical race theory and classroom teachings related to critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation and sexually explicit materials.
Sanders has presented the Arkansas model as a possible education blueprint for other states, arguing that student achievement improves when schools focus on core academic skills such as reading, writing and math while also supporting teachers through higher pay and incentives.
The gains come as education policy remains a major national debate, with Republican-led states emphasizing curriculum restrictions, school choice and academic fundamentals, while critics of those approaches argue such laws politicize classrooms.
Sanders said the Arkansas results show that the state’s approach is helping students make progress.
The governor’s announcement places Arkansas at the center of a broader national discussion over whether conservative education reforms can improve academic outcomes while reshaping what is taught in public schools.