sarah huckabee sanders
SESSION SNAPSHOT: Legislation marches on and a sneak peak at the governor’s education package
The fifth week of the 2023 legislative session finally brought us Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ education plan — sort of. The bill hasn’t been filed (more on that later), but she outlined some of the key components of a sweeping piece of legislation that would bring drastic changes to K-12 education in Arkansas. Vouchers, a […]
Arkansas governor creates group focused on workforce development
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders established the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet and the Chief Workforce Officer through executive order Thursday. Mike Rogers, senior director of Maintenance and Refrigeration for Tyson Foods, will serve as CWO. Rogers has taught agriculture and industrial maintenance at Siloam Springs High School for 20 years and was the Energy Manager for the […]
Governor shares details of education overhaul proposal
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday unveiled some details of her long-awaited education overhaul plan, which includes raising the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 and rolling out a new school voucher program that will eventually be available to all Arkansans. During a press conference inside the Capitol, Sanders said providing every child with access to […]
Sanders attacks “radical left” and “woke” culture in response to State of the Union address
LITTLE ROCK — In the GOP response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders painted a picture of a nation living in fear because Biden and Democrats “have failed you.” Her roughly 15-minute speech was long on criticism of Biden and Democrats, but short on specific […]
Teachers, students voice support for AP African American Studies course
If C.C. Smith had had access to an African American history class as a kid, the self-described history nut said he “would’ve ate it up.” Smith said he learned much from his father, “an expert on the Delta” and professor emeritus at Arkansas State University where he was the school’s first African American faculty member. […]
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will deliver GOP response to Biden State of the Union address
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will deliver the Republicans’ address to the nation from Little Rock on Tuesday following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech to Congress. U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sanders would offer Americans an alternative to Biden and the Democrats’ view of […]
High schoolers need exposure to ideas in African American studies
As Black History Month begins, our education governor’s Education Department says it’s reviewing an advanced placement course in African American studies that’s being tried out in two Arkansas schools as part of a pilot program in 60 high schools nationwide. The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education is asking questions of the nonprofit that […]
Arkansas lawmakers to consider increasing homestead tax credit
The Arkansas Legislature is poised to increase the state’s homestead tax credit; the question: How much? House Bill 1032 by Rep. Lanny Fite (R-Benton) would increase the Homestead Property Tax Credit from $375 a year to $425 in 2024. Fite explained his bill last week to the House Revenue and Tax Committee, but he plans […]
Arkansas Supreme Court reverses ruling that struck state law banning mask mandates
The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a lower court’s decision to strike down Arkansas’ prohibition on government mask mandates. Thursday’s order tossed Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox’s 2021 ruling on procedural grounds, and it did not contemplate the merits of the arguments in the case. Fox’s ruling had struck down Act 1002 of […]
SESSION SNAPSHOT: Culture wars and the first bills of the Arkansas legislative session
Week two of the Arkansas General Assembly has come to an end, and it feels like the session is now actually underway. Thursday had it all: a tense committee hearing on a divisive social issue, a school choice rally, a rally in support of drag performers and action on dozens of bills destined to become […]
Arkansas governor, school choice supporters rally at Capitol
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders reiterated her commitment to an overhaul of education policy during a rally hosted by the Arkansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity on Thursday inside the Capitol. “This is not about school choice,” Sanders said. “This is about parental choice.” Arkansas LEARNS, Sanders’ education plan, aims to improve literacy, increase workforce readiness […]
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders reverses predecessor’s position on mask mandates
The Arkansas governor’s office asserts that it is unconstitutional for public entities to require people to wear masks as a COVID-19 prevention measure, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Wednesday, just over a week after taking office. Sanders’ predecessor, fellow Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, signed a 2021 law prohibiting state and local governments, including public school […]