What We Know: Missouri public schools are preparing for a new way of being graded — and this time, students aren’t the ones getting the letter.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is working on a new A-through-F grading system for public schools across the state.
What It Means: The change follows an executive order from Governor Mike Kehoe. The proposed system is expected to go before the State Board of Education in September and would be added to Missouri’s existing school accountability system.
The idea is to give parents and communities a simple snapshot of how their schools are performing.
But some local educators say one letter may not tell the entire story.
Republic School District Superintendent Dr. Tyler Overstreet says his district will respond to whatever accountability system the state puts in place. But he says schools do much more than prepare students for standardized tests.
Overstreet says test scores are one piece of the picture. Schools also work on career preparation, individual student growth and skills that aren’t always easy to measure on an exam.
He says reducing all of that to a single letter grade could oversimplify what’s actually happening inside Missouri classrooms.
“There’s a lot more to schools, and there’s a lot more to students than just a single grade letter or a single data point,” Overstreet said.
State education officials are still working on the measurements that would determine those grades and how much weight each area would carry.
Southwest Missouri districts have traditionally been among some of the state’s stronger performers. Local school leaders say they plan to continue working together and focusing on students, regardless of what the final grading formula looks like.
What’s Next: The proposed A-through-F system is expected to be formally considered by the State Board of Education in September.
(Photo provided by Republic School District)