ADE Proposes New School Letter Grade Calculations PDF Free Download
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April 10, 2025
CONTACT: Kimberly Mundell
PHONE: (501) 683-4788
kimberly.mundell@ade.arkansas.gov
ADE Proposes New School Letter Grade Calculations
New Formula Focuses on Academic Outcomes, Student Progress, and Workforce Preparedness
LITTLE ROCK — During a State Board of Education work session today, the Arkansas Department
of Education presented a new proposal for calculating school grades. The proposed formula
simplifies the previous complex formula while still emphasizing academic outcomes, annual student
progress, and workforce preparedness.
“We are pleased to recommend a revised formula that focuses on three key areas of student
progress: academics, growth, and readiness,” ADE Secretary Jacob Oliva said. “The previous
formula was confusing and complex and was not aligned with measuring true student progress.
Thanks to the thousands of educators, district leaders, and technical experts for their input on this
formula that better represents student outcomes.”
New Accountability Formula
The new accountability formula factors in results of the Arkansas Teaching, Learning, and
Assessment System (ATLAS), a new statewide assessment system that was administered for the
first time to students last spring. Year one results were released in October.
The new accountability formula will focus on the following:
Achievement — the percent of students who met or exceeded grade-level expectations in each
of the tested areas (English Language Arts, math, and science).
Growth — the expected progress that an individual student makes over a school year based on
previous years’ data, as all students are expected to make continuous academic gains.
Readiness — factors in graduation rates as well as students who are graduating with a diploma
of merit or distinction. Learn more about Success Ready Pathways
at https://dcte.ade.arkansas.gov/Page/CareerReadiness.
Next Steps
The department will promulgate rules and will release official letter grades for both schools and
districts for the 2024-2025 school year by late summer. The release will include an easier-to-use
website, so all stakeholders can navigate the information in a clear manner.
For more information about Arkansas’ accountability system,
visit https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/public-school-accountability.
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