Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas education officials are reporting what they describe as significant statewide academic gains following the continued rollout of the LEARNS Act, with new 2026 ATLAS test results showing improvement across nearly every subject and grade level.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Education released the latest figures this week, pointing to what they call a major shift in student performance three years after the statewide education reform was signed into law. The ATLAS assessment, taken by all public school students across Arkansas, is now being closely watched as a key measure of academic progress under the LEARNS framework.
According to state data, overall student proficiency has increased by more than 20% since 2024. In that baseline year, 35% of students were considered proficient across subjects. By 2026, that number had risen to 42%, marking steady growth across multiple academic areas.
Breaking the numbers down further, Arkansas officials reported gains in core subjects. Mathematics proficiency increased from 36.4% in 2024 to 44.2% in 2026. Science scores rose from 35.6% to 44.0% over the same period. English language arts also saw improvement, climbing from 33.8% to 39.5%.
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At the same time, the state says it has seen a decline in the number of students performing at the lowest levels. Those figures dropped from an average of 27.9% in 2024 to 23.1% in 2026, a decrease of roughly 17%. Officials say that shift reflects progress not only at the top end of performance but also among students who previously struggled the most.
One of the most closely watched indicators, third-grade reading proficiency, also moved upward. The percentage of students meeting proficiency standards in third-grade reading increased from 35% in 2024 to 43% in 2026, a gain of more than 18%. Education leaders have repeatedly pointed to early literacy as a critical foundation for long-term academic success.
Even more striking, according to state officials, are the gains seen among younger students. K-2 students, all of whom began school after the LEARNS Act was implemented, are now showing proficiency rates above 50% in nearly all subjects and grade levels. Kindergarten English language arts proficiency alone rose sharply from 50.2% to 66% in just one year, a 31% increase.
Governor Sanders credited the results to what she described as a back-to-basics approach to education reform and sustained investment in classroom support.
“The 2026 ATLAS exam scores confirm what we’re hearing from educators across the Natural State: Arkansas LEARNS is working and students across Arkansas are doing better because of it. We took education back to the basics to focus on what really matters, and our students’ success will power our state’s future for years to come,” said Governor Sanders. “The message these scores send is clear: now is the time to double down on the successes of the LEARNS Act and continue to pursue the strategy we know is helping more students than ever before thrive.”
State education leaders say the results reflect a combination of policy changes and targeted academic interventions introduced under the LEARNS framework. Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva pointed to the design of the reform effort and the involvement of educators in shaping its direction.
“The LEARNS Act was a bold, innovative, and comprehensive approach to improve education,” Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva said. “It was built on research, urgency, and the desperate need for change. These scores prove that listening to teachers, administrators, and parents wasn’t just valuable but also essential. The plan is working. Arkansas students are reading, learning, and benefiting.”
Since its passage in 2023, the LEARNS Act has introduced a wide range of changes to Arkansas’ education system. These include raising starting teacher salaries from $36,000 to $50,000, expanding incentives through the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program, and deploying more than 120 literacy coaches to schools rated D and F across the state.
The initiative also includes tutoring grants aimed at students who need additional academic support. Officials say these combined efforts represent the largest investment in public education in Arkansas history.
Beyond classroom instruction, the LEARNS Act expanded what state leaders call education freedom, required career and technical education pathways in all school districts, and introduced grant programs designed to improve school safety. Additional initiatives have followed, including universal free school breakfast, restrictions on classroom cellphone use under the Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, and the Arkansas ACCESS program focused on post-secondary readiness.
With the latest results now available, districts across Arkansas are expected to review their ATLAS performance data and work with the Department of Education to identify next steps. State officials say this includes continued literacy intervention, targeted tutoring, and ongoing progress monitoring designed to maintain academic momentum.
A summary of the 2026 ATLAS results has been made publicly available, while full school-level growth scores and ratings are expected later in the fall of 2026. Arkansas’ performance will also be compared nationally through the National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called “the Nation’s Report Card,” with results expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
For now, state leaders say the early takeaway is clear: Arkansas students are, by most measures, showing stronger academic performance, with more gains expected as the LEARNS reforms continue to take hold across classrooms statewide.
