The Arkansas Board of Education decided Monday that students in Alternative Learning Environment schools, or those needing extra academic help, will be included in their districts of origins for the purpose of grading schools.
Following federal guidelines, all schools must now receive a letter grade of A through F based on student standardized test scores.
Board member Diane Zook expressed concern during a teleconference that district superintendents would lose discretion to have separate higher and lower achieving schools for the purposes of grading.
“Because of the turmoil going on in the children’s lives, over which the school nor the child has any control, I would hate to see us presume for a superintendent that decision, since he better knows his district than we. He knows the best way to handle these schools and these opportunities,” Zook said.
Board member Jay Barth said student populations that face extra challenges, such as foster students, shouldn’t be placed in schools that are designated as failing.
“I feel wrong to place a young person who has already had so many challenges in their life in a school that is with an F grade. I think that only adds one more obstacle or albatross to a foster child’s life or anyone else who’s had challenges,” responded Barth.
The grading changes will be released for a public comment period before changes are implemented.
