Patricia Levesque, CEO of ExcelinEd, released the following statement today regarding the release of new statewide testing results in Arkansas, which demonstrate growth across every subject area:
“Arkansas students, teachers and school leaders deserve tremendous credit for the remarkable progress seen in this year’s math, English, and science results.
“These gains reflect the hard work happening in classrooms every day—educators raising expectations, leaders supporting strong instruction and students rising to meet the challenge. It’s especially encouraging to see improvement across core subjects that are foundational for long-term success. Arkansas is showing what’s possible when everyone stays focused on helping students learn, grow and achieve at higher levels.
“We also commend Gov. Sarah Sanders, Education Secretary Jacob Oliva and Arkansas lawmakers for their leadership in passing the LEARNS Act in 2023, which was an important step toward strengthening outcomes for students statewide. By investing in teachers, expanding opportunity and prioritizing literacy and career readiness, Arkansas laid a strong foundation for continued progress.
“These results are an early sign that a clear focus on students and what they can achieve when held to high standards alongside a commitment to bold, thoughtful reform can make a huge difference.”
In 2023, Arkansas enacted the LEARNS Act, which focused on improving student outcomes by strengthening teachers, expanding school choice, boosting early literacy and aligning education with workforce needs.
Since then, the state has seen positive momentum in student outcomes. This year’s results:
