Opinion

JONATHAN TURLEY: Arkansas schools teachers unions and proves education can be improved

Proficiency in math, science and English jumped across the board after Gov. Sanders signed sweeping changes into law

By Jonathan Turley Fox News

Published June 24, 2026 5:00am EDT

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Sarah Sanders outlines how major education shakeup has led to results in her state

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders tells Fox News Digital test scores are on the rise in Arkansas and that she hopes her state can serve as a national blueprint.

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For years, I have been writing about the decline of public education in the United States. The political power of teachers unions led to bloated budgets as schools pursued ideological agendas over educational advancements. Despite massive budgets, scores of students in major cities have continued to plummet or remain at the same dismal levels.

Now, Arkansas has shown what is possible if officials put education first. Scores in the state have soared after the implementation of reforms that many of us have advocated for years. It also shows that state governments, not the federal government, are critical to reversing our slide in educational performance as the administration moves toward eliminating the Department of Education.

Arkansas implemented a new program and testing protocol called the "Arkansas Teaching, Learning and Assessment System," or ATLAS, with a mix of higher pay for teachers, performance-based bonuses and a voucher system for families.

The result has been increasing proficiency scores across every major area between 2024 and 2026, with mathematics increasing from 36.4% to 44.2%, science from 35.6% to 44% and English language arts from 33.8% to 39.5%. Overall proficiency increased from 36.9% last year to 42.2% in 2026

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Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attends an event on natural disaster preparedness with President Donald Trump in........

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