School choice legislation passed in the Republican-held Arkansas Senate on Thursday afternoon with an overwhelming majority.
“Arkansas is one step closer to unleashing the most bold, comprehensive, conservative education reform package in the nation with the Arkansas Senate’s passage of my signature Arkansas LEARNS bill today,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Fox News in an exclusive statement.
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“It will empower parents to choose the best school for their kid, improve childhood literacy, increase teacher pay to one of the highest in the nation, and prepare kids to graduate into high-paying jobs with the skills and training they need to be successful,” she added.
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The legislation, “Arkansas LEARNS,” will broaden school choice and include a plan for the state to adopt universal choice by the 2025-2026 school year. The legislation will gradually provide vouchers through “Education Freedom Accounts,” which equal 90% of funding allocated per student to each public school district in the previous year.
Some groups of students are eligible to receive the voucher for the 2023-2024 school year, including those who have disabilities; are homeless; have a parent who is active-duty in the military
The bill also seeks to eliminate critical race theory from classrooms, will fund 120 new literacy coaches for students, and will increase the base salary for teachers from $36,000 to $50,000 — the fourth-highest for teachers in the U.S. Arkansas LEARNS also bans instruction on topics about sexually explicit materials, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms before fifth grade. The legislation also requires students to complete 75 community service hours in order to receive their diploma. “Thank you to the Arkansas Senate for passing Arkansas LEARNS with resounding support,” Sanders said. “Let’s get it passed in the House and signed into law, transforming Arkansas education and serving as a blueprint for educational success across the nation.” The Arkansas House is expected to take up the legislation next week.