LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed longtime educator Dr. Gary Stark to the Arkansas State Board of Education.
Stark will serve a term that expires June 30, 2033, replacing Adrienne Woods on the board.
According to the governor’s office, Stark brings more than 35 years of experience in education, including service as a classroom teacher, school principal, nonprofit executive and education policy advisor. State officials said his appointment reflects his experience in educator development, school improvement and public education leadership.
Most recently, Stark served as senior advisor for K-12 education with the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group, where he worked with education agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations on initiatives across Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Stark began his career as a teacher in Tennessee before becoming a principal in Arkansas. In 2001, he received the Milken Educator Award and later served as vice president of the Milken Family Foundation and president and chief executive officer of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, a nonprofit organization focused on educator effectiveness and school improvement.
His career has also included service as a special assistant with the U.S. Department of Education. He currently serves as chairman and a board member of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching and is a member of the board of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas.
Stark earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Arkansas and holds bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degrees from the University of Central Arkansas.
A sixth-generation native of Cleburne County, Stark has lived in Northwest Arkansas for the past 30 years. He is a military veteran, and his wife is a retired educator.
The Arkansas State Board of Education oversees public education policy, hears appeals involving school districts and works with the Arkansas Department of Education on statewide education initiatives.
