麻豆精品

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 麻豆精品 Newsletter

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders used Wednesday鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the State鈥� address to tout her ongoing policy priorities, primarily education and law enforcement, and urge state lawmakers to pass her proposed state budget.

鈥淪end me a budget that funds critical services for Arkansans while slowing the growth of government and I will sign it,鈥� Sanders told members of the House and Senate during a joint session on the first day of the state鈥檚 eighth fiscal session.

The $6.3 billion includes a significantly smaller spending increase 鈥� $109 million, or 1.76% 鈥� compared to previous fiscal years鈥� annual 3% hikes.

Sanders reiterated that the proposal fulfills her promise to 鈥渟low the out-of-control growth of government.鈥�

鈥淎rkansas had deep, entrenched problems when I took office,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 going to solve them with the same failed policies that got us here in the first place, so we charted a new course last year.鈥�

She listed as accomplishments several policies enacted so far in her term, including two laws , plans to open , an executive order in government documents and a social media age verification law, which has been temporarily .

Sanders also emphasized her dedication to funding and empowering law enforcement and said her budget proposal includes $3.8 million that would 鈥渞eplenish鈥� the ranks of the Arkansas State Police. She also said she wants to add 100 new officers to the force.

鈥淭here are people outside this chamber 鈥� and even a few inside 鈥� who want to distract us from these common-sense reforms,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淚 beg of you: do not let them.鈥�

Education policy

After prioritizing education during her first year in office, Sanders praised the success of the state鈥檚 new school voucher program.

New participant applications , and Sanders said more than 1,800 applications were submitted on the first day. About a quarter of new Educational Freedom Account program applicants are children of active military duty personnel and veterans, she said. The latter group is newly eligible for the program, which is being phased in over three years.

鈥淓ducational freedom is the least that we can do for those who put everything on the line for our freedom,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淭his time next year, we will have universal education freedom for the first time in Arkansas history.鈥�

The EFA program is a provision of the , an expansive education law backed by Sanders that has made several changes to the state鈥檚 education system since its passage last year.

The governor鈥檚 proposed budget includes $100 million to support LEARNS initiatives. A proposed $65.8 million spending increase for the EFA program accounts for of the budget proposal鈥檚 overall increase.

The voucher program provides state funding for allowable education expenses, such as private school tuition. More than 5,400 students and 100 schools participated in the program鈥檚 first year. Eligibility criteria is being expanded each year until the program is open to all Arkansas students in the 2025-2026 academic year.

鈥淏efore this year, Arkansas families had no choice where to send their kids to school,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淟EARNS expanded education freedom to more than 5,000 students in just one year. Fifty percent of those students have learning disabilities.鈥�

The Arkansas Legislature passed limited school choice legislation prior to the LEARNS Act. The Public School Choice Act of 2015 allows students to transfer to a nonresident district, while the Opportunity School Choice Act permits students in a school with an 鈥淔鈥�-rating or in need of Level 5 Intensive support from the state to transfer to another public school.

The Legislature in 2015 also created the Succeed Scholarship Program, which provided private school tuition for students with disabilities, foster children and military families. The program has been absorbed into the EFA program.

In addition to the voucher program, the LEARNS Act also raises the state鈥檚 minimum teacher salary to $50,000 and prohibits 鈥渋ndoctrination鈥� in Arkansas schools. Sanders signed with similar phrasing regarding indoctrination on her first day in office.

The governor said Wednesday that she was proud to have enacted the policy for the sake of 鈥渙ur children鈥檚 future.鈥�

Three Little Rock Central High students, their parents and the school鈥檚 AP African American Studies teacher in federal court last month, saying it鈥檚 鈥渦nworkably vague and oppressive, and it discriminates on the basis of race.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: [email protected]. Follow Arkansas Advocate on and .

Did you use this article in your work?

We鈥檇 love to hear how 麻豆精品鈥檚 reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.