Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed a new state Board of Education member who has worked as a consultant in higher education.

Aaron Abbott, 40, of Springdale, comes at a time when the state board is trying to help carry out the Arkansas LEARNS Act , the Republican governor's education initiative. LEARNS is an acronym for Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking and Safety.

The legislation, enacted in one bill in 2023, touches on nearly every part of education policy, including higher beginning teacher salaries, literacy tutoring, and adding more taxpayer funds for home school and private school parents.

Although Abbott's appointment is for the state Education Board, which concerns pre-kindergarten-through-12th-grade policy, it is also happening at a ti

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