Despite our common values, most Arkansans know that we can do better for our kids. Our schools are stuck near the bottom of national rankings. There are a lot of opinions on how to help our students learn better, and a lot of political and ideological noise around what schools should do.

The good news is there is astonishing consensus around reforms we know will improve outcomes for every child in Arkansas. Backed by a multitude of peer-reviewed studies and case examples, the path to improving our schools is remarkably clear:

• High-quality early childhood education

• Extra help for low-income children

• After-school and summer programs

• Improving special education

• Improving teacher quality

• Strengthening student/parent/educator and community collaboration

• High-quality curriculum and standards

— Bill Kopsky, Executive Director at the Arkansas Public Policy Panel