Our View

Our View

Dropping school report cards only hides, not solves, the problem

Remember a few weeks ago when we ran the story on the labeling and grading of the state’s public schools on the basis of results from the state-mandated tests given students in grades three through 10 this spring?

And, remember how poorly several schools did. In fact, locally, two schools that achieved A’s last year saw their grades drop. Richland Elementary School in West Memphis saw its grade drop to a C, while Marion Junior High School fell all the way down to an embarrassing D. The Richland dip is particularly perplexing as it was one of only a handful of schools in the state to score a perfect 300 last year, meeting or exceeded standards in virtually every category across demographics, sub-populations and subjects.

Statewide, only 10 schools received A’s, down sharply from 162 schools scoring the high mark last year.

Besides the state Department of Human Services, public schools are among the state’s biggest expenses, amounting to millions upon millions of our tax dollars every year.

These scores were obviously a total embarrassment to not only politicians who use education as a major selling point to getting elected or re-elected but also school superintendents, principals and teachers throughout the state.

So then, what is being done about the situation? Well, one of the measures our elected officials did during Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s second special session that began on May 19 was to temporarily prohibit labeling and grading of the state’s schools.

That’s right, folks. When the scoring and grading system shows a serious flaw then the quick and easy solution seems to be to simply do away with it altogether, hide it and shove it under the rug.

By doing so, it leaves taxpayers who pay for public education in the dark as to performance and accountability levels. No new schools will be designated for academic distress, nor will A-F grades be issued, based on 2016 ACT Aspire results.

Responding to the elimination of the grading system was Richard Abernathy, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators who said, “ I think it would be a good thing,” and added, “Schools have been under such pressure with changing standards, changing tests. From a school perspective, it’s been the Wild, Wild West.”

“Let’s back up. We are going to hit pause for a little bit until we get everything lined out and then we will go back and reset the scores on what schools should be doing to avoid academic distress,” he continued.

That sounds to us like changing the way things are done just because the results are too embarrassing and revealing.

Listen, by simply eliminating a system of evaluation because the results aren’t what was expected isn’t going to address or solve the core problem in our educational system in Arkansas. Who is kidding who here?