Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Education announced Friday that nearly $20 million, including fringe benefits, will be distributed to nearly 5,000 educators through the LEARNS Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program.
The program, created under the LEARNS Act, provides merit-based bonuses to licensed educators recognized for exceptional student growth, mentoring aspiring teachers participating in yearlong residency programs or serving in critical teacher shortage areas. Eligible recipients include classroom teachers, library media specialists and school counselors.
Educators can receive awards of up to $10,000. For the 2025-26 school year, the average bonus is approximately $3,300. Nearly 900 educators will receive more than $5,000, while 80 educators qualified for the maximum $10,000 award.
State officials said the number of educators receiving merit pay has increased by nearly 2,000 since the program began in 2024.
School districts are expected to receive the funding and begin distributing bonuses by the end of June.
According to the Arkansas Department of Education, the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund is designed to reward classroom performance and encourage teacher retention by recognizing educators who demonstrate measurable student growth or take on additional responsibilities in areas of need.
Since the LEARNS Act was enacted in 2023, Arkansas has raised the statewide minimum teacher salary to $50,000, provided all teachers with at least a $2,000 pay increase and expanded paid maternity leave for teachers to 12 weeks.
State officials also reported that the merit pay program has awarded more than $50 million to over 12,000 educators during its first three years.
