Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Huckabee Delivers On Education
Among the things most important to Mike Huckabee when he became Governor of Arkansas was to address the poor condition of the state's educational system. For decades Arkansas had ranked near the bottom of all states in virtually every measure of education including test scores and graduation rates.Over the years Huckabee implemented numerous education reforms, including the creation of programs to promote more aggressive curricula. Last summer, his efforts began to bear fruit.
We reported results that can only be described as spectacular -- from the adoption of one of the most rigorous high school curricula in the nation to dramatically improved test scores for Arkansas students.
Now, the natural result of these improvements has manifested itself in a dramatic improvement in Arkansas' high school graduation rate. According to news reported today, Arkansas' graduation rate has leaped to 74%, besting the national average of 70%. This puts Arkansas at number 25 in the national rankings.
Buried within the numbers is an even more exciting result for Arkansans. The state now ranks #2 in the nation for the graduation rate among black students.
Congratulations, Governor Huckabee!
BSR
