Governor Sanders Unveils Revolutionary ACCESS Plan to Transform Higher Education in Arkansas

Today, Governor Sanders announced an exciting new plan to make higher education in Arkansas more accessible and affordable. Her initiative is called ACCESS, which stands for Acceleration, Common Sense, Cost Efficiency, Eligibility, Scholarships, and Standardization.

This plan follows her previous work with the LEARNS Act, aimed at reforming K-12 education in the state. Now, the focus is on helping college students succeed. Governor Sanders believes the current system is too complex and doesn’t fully prepare students for the jobs they will face after graduation.

ACCESS aims to simplify the education process and tackle important issues like funding, admission policies, and scholarships. It’s designed to ensure students are ready for the real world. Education Secretary Jacob Oliva emphasized that when students leave high school, they should be ready for employment, military service, or further education.

Senator Jonathan Dismang praised the plan’s approach, noting it creates more opportunities for students to qualify for scholarships without relying solely on the ACT. He mentioned that there will be new provisions to streamline this process.

The bill also includes what lawmakers call “Common Sense” measures. For instance, it removes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requirements from accreditation standards and prevents professors from imposing their beliefs on students. Dismang explained that while discussions in classrooms should remain open, students shouldn’t feel pressured to support ideas against their own beliefs.

Additionally, the plan would change policies regarding student conduct. Schools would no longer allow excused absences for attending protests, and students who damage property would need to pay for repairs before graduating.

Lawmakers are currently making minor edits to the bill and hope to move it forward by Monday.