Arkansas's Education Freedom Accounts are increasing student performance, says Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. In an interview with Fox News, Sanders credited investments in universal school choice with boosting student test scores after a report showed students enrolled in the program performed higher in math and English. The accounts provide families with $8,000, equivalent to about 90 percent of the foundation funding that a public education student would receive. The funds can be put toward private school tuition, charter schools, or even homeschooling costs.
"We had about 50,000 kids that have participated during the last school year, and have signed up for the upcoming year. That means that the money is truly following the students. We are empowering parents to make the best decisions about where and how their kids can be educated," Sanders said.
School choice, investing in teachers and increasing accountability works and you don’t have to take my word for it.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) July 15, 2026
The proof is in the data. pic.twitter.com/fzd04DfD1h
Sanders emphasized the importance of giving parents and students autonomy over where and how they learn, speaking from personal experience, saying, "I'm a mom, I have three kids...all three of them learn differently, so we can't expect that a one-size-fits-all system is gonna work for every student." "Every single kid can learn when given the right resources, the right environment, and the right opportunity," she said.
The investments are yielding results, too. Sanders's website announced that since the launch of the LEARNS Act (which established the universal school choice accounts), proficiency has risen by more than 20 percent since 2024 across all subjects and grade levels. The number of students performing at the lowest levels also decreased by 17 percent across all subjects.
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Arkansas has also paired school choice funding with historic investments into public schools and teacher salaries. Literacy coaches were placed in the state's struggling schools, and the state began a merit incentive fund to keep the best and brightest teachers in schools by awarding them with raises.
School choice has surged across the country, with federal legislation like the Educational Choice for Children Act proposing tax credits for donations to scholarship-granting organizations. Nationally, more than 1.3 million students are enrolled in school choice programs. More states should follow Arkansas's lead and give students and parents power over their education.
Editor's Note: President Trump is fighting to ensure America's kids get the education they deserve.
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