Finding a job in today's most competitive fields often requires a strong foundation in math and science. In Arkansas, we are working to improve students' preparation for high-tech careers through AAIMS, the Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science. This grant program is expanding the number of Arkansas high-school students taking Advanced Placement courses and improving their scores on ...

As a new school year began, Arkansas was honored this week to host U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. He chose to launch his Back to School tour at Little Rock's historic Central High School, and also visited Hamburg Pre-K and the University of Arkansas at Monticello. I was pleased to share with him the significant strides we have made at every grade level, from pre-kindergarten through hi...

Over the past several years, consumers have grown increasingly aware that their behavior affects the environment. People are building homes, office buildings, and schools with materials and techniques that lessen the negative impact on the environment. We see more hybrid cars every day, and alternative energy sources are becoming an increasingly viable means of powering our homes, offices, appli...

Recently, representatives from the National Center for Youth Law visited Little Rock to recognize Arkansas's advances in improving our juvenile justice system. Over the past four years, we have progressed from being a system considered below average to one praised as a model for other states to follow. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our system required a change in mindset at the...

Arkansas's State Parks system showcases our greatest natural treasures. Our 52 public parks and museums encompass more than 54,000 acres of lakes, rivers, mountains, and valleys. They include camp sites, hiking and walking trails, swimming and boating areas, archaeological and historic sites, and the chance to experience Arkansas crafts and folklore. We are called the Natural State for a very g...

At the top of my list of priorities for Arkansas are two bedrock goals: finding the best ways to expand our state's economy and continually advancing standards of achievement in education. We focus on economic development because good jobs provide the foundation for strong, safe, and prosperous communities, and on improving our schools because job growth and education are inseparable. Despite th...

On July 17, Arkansas lost a true American hero. As a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, serving in Vietnam in 1968, Nick Bacon displayed unselfish bravery and heroism in the face of intense enemy fire, even while wounded. His leadership of his platoon during that dangerous battle was so remarkable that he was honored with the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration this Nation bes...

On July 13th, I was pleased to join Windstream Corporation's leaders as the company announced that it will make Little Rock its permanent headquarters. The telecommunications provider has maintained offices in Little Rock since the company was created in 2006, but this announcement is momentous as it will not only save the 300 Windstream jobs currently held by employees in Little Rock, it will cr...

It has been a month since a flash flood claimed 20 lives at the Albert Pike Recreation Area in the Ouachita National Forest. In the weeks since the tragedy, my staff and I have visited with families of the men, women and children who died that morning. Along with sharing their grief, these families had stories of inspiration and appreciation that they asked me to pass along. I want to recount s...

While we have just passed the halfway mark for the year 2010, in the world of state government, it is the beginning of a new year. The state budget runs on a fiscal calendar that begins July 1st and runs through June 30th. As we begin this new fiscal year, I am pleased to report that our conservative budgeting and cautious spending have put Arkansas in an advantageous position. Two weeks ago,...

Too many times in recent years, I have seen the physical damage and personal havoc that natural disasters can wreak on communities. Rebuilding can be a long and arduous process, one that requires patience, teamwork, and resilience in the face of rubble and ruins. However, with time and perseverance, we begin to see the results of that recovery. We all remember three years ago, when a powerf...

The flash flood that inundated portions of the Albert Pike Recreation Area tragically and suddenly took the lives of 20 men, women, and children who had come to the Ouachita National Forest seeking rest and relaxation. Many of them had been there before; some had been visiting the site for decades. Torrential rainfall feeding in from the surrounding hillsides caused the Little Missouri River to ...

Last week, I had the distinct privilege of spending an evening with American heroes. Sixty-eight years after defending the USS Yorktown at the Battle of Midway until it sank under Japanese fire, survivors of the battle and their families assembled in Little Rock for their annual reunion. These U.S. Navy veterans come together every year to continue their long history of friendship forged in batt...

Our corrections system is one of the three biggest obligations of state government, along with education and human services. We work to protect public safety while punishing those who have broken the law and by putting them on the path to becoming productive members of society after they've done their time. However, it has become evident in recent years that the growth in our corrections syste...

Last week, I was honored to address the first graduates of Helena-West Helena's KIPP Delta Collegiate High School. Made up of 82 schools nationwide, KIPP is a network of free, college-preparatory public institutions. The system has a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. KIPP, which stands for Knowledge Is Power Program, puts learning ...

Building a workforce that can attract higher-paying jobs to Arkansas will require more education and training for our students. The Arkansas Works Initiative has been in action since 2008, making our State more competitive by coordinating education, training, and economic development in Arkansas communities. Today, we are launching another new component of that Initiative. The ACT Summer Reme...

Recently, violent storms tore through Arkansas. Tornadoes and flooding rains damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, demolished the community of Scotland, and took the lives of three Arkansans while injuring many others. I declared a State of Emergency to help with the immediate response, including the clearing of debris, restoring of utilities, and evaluating public safety need...

Education is a lifelong endeavor that begins at birth and extends throughout our lives. Arkansas has made a significant investment in pre-kindergarten education to ensure that our children receive a good start in school. That investment has made Arkansas a national leader in early childhood education. A recently released annual survey by the National Institute for Early Education Research ran...

This past week, the Arkansas Forestry Commission distributed wildland firefighting kits to 285 rural fire departments throughout northern Arkansas. The equipment in these kits is badly needed in that part of our State because of the ferocious ice storm that devastated the region in January of 2009. The aftermath of that storm left vast stretches of forestland littered with fallen trees and other...

Any education is not complete without establishing a practical application in real-life situations for what that person learns. Our students can take classes in broad subjects like math, English, or science. But in order to grasp the importance of this information and these skills in their lives beyond school, students must have the chance to employ those skills in a real-world setting. Ear...