Sarah Huckabee Sanders calls education a top priority

Schooling might be a significant coverage focus for Sarah Huckabee Sanders if she’s elected as Arkansas’ subsequent governor, she mentioned.

What occurred: The Republican candidate for governor made remarks at a marketing campaign occasion Friday in Bella Vista to a crowd of about 400, then fielded just a few questions from reporters.

Why it issues: Arkansas obtained a “C” rating as No. 22 within the U.S. by way of total schooling, based on the American Legislative Trade Council.

• Sure, and: The state is twenty fifth by way of instructor pay, an influencing think about recruitment and retention of high quality educators.

What they’re saying: “I feel [education is] the one finest place that we will impression and alter Arkansas for the higher,” Sanders instructed information media. “One of many causes I am operating is as a result of I feel schooling in Arkansas hasn’t been made a prime precedence in the way in which it must be.”

• Solely about 31% of the state’s third graders are studying at or above their grade degree, she mentioned.
• “We all know that if a child’s not studying by the point they’re in third grade, there is a 70% likelihood that they will have a lifetime in poverty,” she mentioned.
• Arkansas is beneath the nationwide common in childhood literacy, she famous.

Particulars: Ways Sanders believes will assist present higher education for youngsters embody: utilizing studying coaches in struggling college districts, offering lecturers with assets and coaching to show the science of studying, and increasing entry to pre-Okay.

• Sanders did not supply any concepts on how the state can pay for these expanded providers.

The intrigue: Requested about her often-used line of schooling and never indoctrination, she mentioned: “I wish to be certain that it by no means sees the sunshine of day — issues like [critical race theory].”

• “I do not need that to be a part of our curriculum, and so long as I am governor it will not be,” she added.

Of word: There isn’t any indication that important race concept has been taught in Arkansas’ public colleges or that anybody intends to introduce it into the curriculum.