Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces universal school choice proposal: Freedom for 'every family in Arkansas'
The governor proposed a 'three-year, phased-in approach to fund students' that will provide 'universal choice for all families by 2025-2026'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Ark., on Wednesday announced a universal school choice proposal that would be unprecedented legislation if passed in the state.
"Our new Education Freedom Account allows parents to enroll their kids in whatever school is most appropriate for their family," Huckabee Sanders said during a press conference. "Within 3 years it will be available to every family in Arkansas."
Huckabee Sanders’ proposal includes education reform measures like education freedom accounts and a "three-year, phased-in approach to fund students" that will provide universal choice for all families by 2025-2026.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders delivers the Republican rebuttal to President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. (Fox News)
The proposal would also prohibit a limit on the number of charter schools allowed to operate and the number of school choice transfers a student can use. Other pieces of the proposal entail boosting teacher pay, providing incentives for teacher performance, and banning "critical race theory and indoctrination."
Huckabee Sanders' proposal comes after she delivered the response to President Biden's SOTU on Tuesday. During the response, she stated that she would unveil details of an education reform proposal the next day.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Americans flocked to Fox News Channel on Tuesday for coverage of President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address. (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Reacting to Huckabee Sanders’ proposal, American Federation for Children senior fellow Corey DeAngelis told Fox News Digital that the proposal would "unlock education freedom for all Arkansas parents."
"Governor Sanders is based. She is an unapologetic education freedom fighter. Her proposal will unleash education freedom and make Arkansas a national leader on school choice. This is the only way to truly secure parental rights in education," DeAngelis said. "The proposal by Governor Sanders will unlock education freedom for all Arkansas parents, allowing every single family to take their children's education dollars to the education providers of their choosing. Every governor should follow the lead of Sarah Huckabee Sanders and empower families with educational opportunities."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gov. Kim Reynolds just signed an unprecedented school choice bill on Tuesday, allowing any Iowa student to use public money to pay for private school tuition or other expenses. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Last year, Arizona became the first state in the nation to pass education scholarship accounts, expanding the program to all 1.1 million K-12 students in the state. Other red states have now followed suit in pushing school choice legislation.
The most recent example of major school choice legislation being passed occurred when Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, R., established scholarship accounts on behalf of all Utah K-12 students to pay for "approved education goods and services" starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Utah became the second state to sign a major school choice bill this year, trailing shortly behind Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, R., who signed a similar bill a week before.