Arkansas Lifts 2026 Proficiency to 42.2% After 2023 LEARNS Act Overhaul

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 24

Arkansas said overall student proficiency rose to 42.2% in 2026 from 36.9% a year earlier, with gains across every major tested subject under its new ATLAS system.
Math proficiency climbed to 44.2% from 36.4%, science to 44.0% from 35.6%, and English language arts to 39.5% from 33.8% between 2024 and 2026.
The state tied the improvement to the 2023 LEARNS Act, which paired higher teacher pay and performance bonuses with a school voucher program for families.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the results could offer a national model, framing them as evidence that state-led education reforms can raise scores despite union opposition to vouchers.