Sarah Huckabee Sanders explains why being a mother of school-aged children makes her a better governor

After spearheading one of the nation’s biggest investments in education, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is proud of what she accomplished – and excited for the future.

“We believe that every kid can be successful if given the right tools and access to resources, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do in Arkansas,” Sanders told Chris and Christine Stigall, cohosts of Making the Leap.

The state’s universal school choice program – Arkansas Children’s Education Freedom Accounts – was part of an education overhaul via the LEARNS Act, signed by Sanders in 2023.

Sanders called the bill “one of the most transformative pieces of education legislation in our state’s history, possibly anywhere in the country. We think it will really impact our state for years and years to come.” 

Though the choice program is currently limited to certain groups – such as special-needs students or those living in the worst school districts – it will become universal in 2025.

The state Department of Education announced last week the program is already at full capacity for the 2024-25 school year.  

“One of the things that’s pretty amazing [is] getting to hear kids’ stories of how they were once struggling and now they’re in thriving environments,” Sanders says. “Right at 50% of the students who are currently enrolled in Education Freedom Accounts in Arkansas are students with disabilities and special needs, so it is a massive change for so many of these students.” 

But education freedom isn’t without its challenges. 

Anti-school choice groups are trying to overturn programs in states such as Nebraska, and let one die in Illinois, so Sanders knows Arkansans will have to fight to keep theirs.   

“The best thing that we can do to solidify and hold onto school choice is for people to experience it,” the governor argued. “The more and more kids that we have that go to a place where they’re able to thrive and do well because their parent was empowered to make that decision, I think the more advocates you’re going to have for school choice.” 

As a mother of three school-aged children, the policy debate is personal for Sanders too.  

“I know that every single decision that I make as governor will have a direct impact on my own kids, as well as every kid in the state of Arkansas,” she explained. “Decisions get a lot simpler when you look at it in that lens.  

“You can zero (in) and say, ‘Is this better or worse for the kids in my state?’”  

Another challenge Arkansas is addressing is children’s cellphone use in school, which Sanders also understands as a mother.

“We know how dangerous and how detrimental it can be to our students by giving them too much access and certainly too early,” she explained. “We’re seeing the anxiety, suicide, and depression rates skyrocket among young people in our country, and we know that the data ties it directly back to the amount of time they’re on smart phones.” 

Her state offered to buy pouches or lockers for students’ phones, and 75% of districts voluntarily opted in within the first 6 weeks of the program.   

“As a parent, frankly, I think it makes me a much better governor because I’m living the same challenges as most families in my state in real time,” Sanders concluded. 

The Making the Leap podcast is produced by The Herzog Foundation, which also publishes The Lion.