Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed a new member of the Arkansas State Board of Education Friday. The governor announced Leigh Keener, an early childhood education teacher, will take on the role.
“Her students see her as a hero,” Sanders said in a news conference at the Arkansas State Capitol.
Sanders said Keener was “one of her best friends,” with their relationship going back 20 years. She grew emotional reflecting on their friendship, explaining Keener is the godparent to her son, Huck.
“I know I can trust her with my own kids. And I know that I can trust her with all of Arkansas’ kids, and with our state's future.”
Keener has worked as a teacher for two decades, and has a certificate in early childhood education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Surrounded by her family, Keener said early childhood education is a complicated part of a child's development.
“Kindergarten readiness is about so much more than being able to walk in a line or sit for a lesson,” Keener said. “It means language acquisition, vocabulary development and a deep understanding of the world around us. It means being able to say 'Ew, this worm is wiggly,' or 'She's my favorite character,' or 'Our tower needs more blocks.'”
Keener said she wants every child in the state to have good access to early learning opportunities. She wants to “drive” the Board of Education to prioritize early childhood learning.
Sanders said she was excited to have Keener work to implement Arkansas LEARNS, a package of education legislation signed into law earlier this year.
