Latest school performance grades released, high-poverty schools receive lowest grades

The State Board of Education released the second annual school performance report cards Wednesday showing that over 72 percent  of the state’s traditional public schools earned a letter grade of “C” or better.

The A-F grading scale is based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score and 20 percent on students’ academic growth.

Almost 28 percent of the schools received a D or F on the latest report card, though it’s worth noting that those are schools where more than 50 percent of the students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We know that students who come from poor circumstances often make significant academic growth each year, but they often begin school behind their more affluent peers and have many obstacles to overcome,” explained State Superintendent Atkinson. “Many of our children living in poverty do not have access to preschool education – a well-researched strategy for improving student achievement.”

State Board of Education Chairman Bill Cobey believes the letter grades “provide a springboard” for parents to learn more about a schools’ performance in reading, math and science.

Critics of the A-F school letter grades contend they simply show where poor children go to school without providing a deeper understanding of how well schools are educating students.

Here’s a snapshot of how all schools performed:

The new data from the state Department of Public Instruction also shows a clear correlation between D and F schools and the level of poor and disadvantaged students attending those schools:

How did your child’s school fare? Click here to find out.