Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a "major breakthrough" in education outcomes for her state Wednesday, pointing to gains on statewide exams as evidence that the 2023 LEARNS Act reforms are producing measurable results she hopes will serve as a national model.
The law raised minimum teacher salaries from $36,000 to $50,000, created performance-based bonuses, boosted literacy support, funded school safety initiatives, and restricted certain classroom teachings related to critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexually explicit materials. Sanders said the comprehensive approach distinguishes Arkansas's reform effort from narrower policy changes in other states.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats have previously criticized education policies in red states, with former Vice President Kamala Harris and prominent teachers' union officials among those who have targeted such initiatives. Critics of conservative education reforms generally argue that restrictions on curriculum content limit students' exposure to comprehensive perspectives on history and social issues. They also contend that school choice provisions and accountability measures can undermine public school funding and destabilize community schools.
Progressive education advocates have argued that student achievement gains reflect multiple factors beyond legislation, including socioeconomic conditions, local investment, and pre-existing trends. Some Democrats have called for increased federal education funding rather than state-level overhauls as the primary path to improving outcomes in underserved communities.
Requests for comment from Democratic lawmakers and education advocacy organizations were pending at time of publication. This story will be updated if responses are received.
What the Right Is Saying
Sanders told Fox News Digital that she believes Arkansas's results demonstrate what works without requiring states to "reinvent the wheel."
"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 said. "We want our kids to do well. We love the fact that kids in Arkansas are learning, that they're moving up."
The governor expressed hope that both red and blue states would adopt elements of Arkansas's approach. "I'm hopeful absolutely that red states will use what we're doing here as a blueprint, but I also hope that blue states will look at the success that you're seeing in places like Arkansas, Mississippi and others and try to follow suit because we want all kids to do well," she said.
Sanders emphasized that the gains stem from "a comprehensive aligned approach" rather than any single policy. "Not any one thing, but it's the collective process of really transforming the way that we approach education," she stated. "Realizing that every single kid can learn when given the right environment, when given the right tools, and letting failure not be an option."
Jacob Oliva, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Education, credited the reforms in a press release: "The LEARNS Act was a bold, innovative, and comprehensive approach to improve education. It was built on research, urgency, and the desperate need for change. These scores prove that listening to teachers, administrators, and parents wasn't just valuable but also essential."
What the Numbers Show
According to data released by the governor's office, Arkansas public school proficiency rates rose more than 7 percentage points across all grades and subjects in three years under LEARNS Act reforms.
Overall state proficiency reached 42.2% in 2026, up from 36.9% in 2025 — a 5.3-point increase year-over-year. The cumulative gain since the law's implementation exceeds 7 percentage points.
Subject-by-subject gains from 2024 to 2026 include: Mathematics proficiency increased from 36.4% to 44.2%, a 7.8-point gain; Science proficiency rose from 35.6% to 44.0%, an 8.4-point gain; English language arts proficiency climbed from 33.8% to 39.5%, a 5.7-point gain.
Students performing at the lowest achievement levels declined from an average of 27.3% in 2025 to 23.1% in 2026. Third-grade reading proficiency improved from 36% in 2024 to 43% in 2026, a 7-point increase.
Students in kindergarten through second grade — the first cohort to learn entirely under the reformed system — exceeded 50% proficiency in nearly every subject and grade level while maintaining upward momentum, according to the governor's office.
The Bottom Line
The announcement positions Arkansas as a case study for conservative education reform advocates who argue that accountability measures, teacher compensation changes, and curriculum restrictions can produce measurable student gains. Sanders has explicitly sought to export the Arkansas model nationally.
Critics question whether gains can be attributed solely to policy changes versus external factors such as post-pandemic recovery or pre-existing trends. The lack of independent analysis in the governor's announcement means outside researchers have not yet verified causal relationships between specific provisions and outcome improvements.
What happens next: Education researchers at universities and nonpartisan organizations are expected to analyze Arkansas's data in coming months. Legislative sessions in other states may reference Arkansas as they consider similar overhauls. Federal education officials have not commented on whether Arkansas results might influence national policy discussions.