Data

By Ashley Daniel

They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” In Arkansas public education today, that wisdom feels especially urgent. A school’s letter grade might grab attention, appear in headlines, or drive public opinion, but the real story lies beneath the surface. It lives in the growth, strategy, and daily work unfolding in classrooms across the state.

Working with districts, co-ops, and school teams on a regular basis, I see how letter grades, particularly in a system that now significantly weights academic growth, motivate action, spark reflection, and guide improvement. A letter grade is not the story; the growth behind it is.

Letter Grades in 2024–25: A Snapshot With Real Meaning

In the 2024–25 school year, Arkansas fully implemented its revised accountability system. Under this updated model, school letter grades (A–F) are determined using nine equally weighted indicators across three domains: Achievement, Growth, and Readiness.

Achievement reflects the percentage of students scoring proficient (Levels 3 or 4) on state ATLAS assessments. Growth measures how individual students progressed toward their growth targets. Readiness, for high schools, incorporates graduation rates and merit or distinction diplomas.

• Achievement reflects the percentage of students scoring proficient (Levels 3 or 4) on state ATLAS assessments.
  
  
• Growth measures how individual students progressed toward their growth targets.
  
  
• Readiness (for high schools) incorporates graduation rates and merit or distinction diplomas.

According to the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, 1,032 public schools received a letter grade this year. The distribution shows:

• 122 schools earned an A
• 291 a B
• 352 a C
• 137 a D
• 130 an F

(Arkansas Senate, 2025; New Letter Grades Reward Growth!, Office for Education Policy, 2025)

These grades provide only a momentary snapshot of performance, but their true power emerges in how schools analyze, interpret, and act on the data behind them. A letter may sit on the surface, yet the real story unfolds in the decisions, strategies, and instructional shifts educators make because of it.

What I See Across Arkansas Schools

Working directly with teams across Arkansas gives me a front-row seat to the focused and intentional work happening behind the accountability system. Across districts, co-ops, and schools, educators are doing far more than what a single letter grade can capture.

• Teachers use ATLAS interim and classroom data with precision, breaking down standards and planning instruction that targets mastery.
  
  
• Educators review instructional materials to identify gaps, integrating supplemental resources to ensure clear, high-quality instruction.
  
  
• Leadership teams refine schoolwide systems for support, progress monitoring, intervention, and communication to ensure every learner has a pathway to growth.
  
  
• Schools celebrate student growth early in the process, recognizing progress long before it appears in official ratings.
  
  
• Students develop confidence as they see their growth reflected in assessments, work, and feedback.
  
  
• Communities engage more deeply, asking informed questions and supporting continuous improvement.
  
  

This work is happening across the state, but the impact takes time to show up in a letter grade.

Educators also share concerns about how their work is perceived, especially when the effort happening daily in classrooms is not immediately reflected in a school’s rating. They worry about fairness and about making sure strong student growth is acknowledged, even when overall proficiency is still developing. These concerns are both valid and important, and they remain central to the broader conversation about how Arkansas measures school performance. They also underscore why so many educators appreciate the state’s decision to give student growth greater weight than achievement in Arkansas accountability calculations. 

The incorporation of the bottom quartile growth metric can be confusing because it differs from school to school, and it is new in our accountability system. For some schools, it includes higher-achieving students; in others, mostly students in the lowest achievement bands. Despite these differences, it ensures that each school’s lowest-performing students are identified and progress is being monitored, while also showing whether instruction meets the needs of these students. Students in this bottom quartile carry a heavier weight in the accountability model, emphasizing the importance of supporting their growth. Educators are still gaining clarity on how this metric influences overall letter grades and are continuing to develop and refine their tier 2 and tier 3 supports targeting this group.

A Call to Deeper Understanding

For Policymakers and the Public

• Treat letter grades as starting points, not final judgments
  
• Examine student learning beyond proficiency by looking at growth and context across schools, grade levels, and subjects 
• Ask questions to understand what is helping or hindering progress
  
• Recognize that the accountability system continues to evolve

For Educators and School Leaders

• Tell your school’s growth story proactively
  
• Celebrate gains even before they affect your school letter grade
  
• Identify best practices and share success stories to inspire others, and encourage your team to stay the course where strategies are working
  
• Use data to refine systems and improve instruction

For the Media

• Report the story behind the grade, showing how students and schools are progressing
  
• Highlight growth, momentum, and innovative practices that drive learning
  
• Avoid oversimplifying complex work; provide context for the challenges and successes
  
• Report challenges and areas needing improvement responsibly, while highlighting efforts to address them
  
• Give credit where it’s due and celebrate meaningful achievements

For Families and Community Members

• Ask what the letter does not show
  
• Look for signs of strong systems, culture, and growth
  
• Stay engaged in supporting your local schools

Closing Reflection

Arkansas is building an accountability system that elevates growth, readiness, and continuous improvement, reflecting the priorities of the LEARNS Act and the state’s focus on more meaningful metrics. The transformation underway across districts and co-ops is real.

This work is complex, bold, and deeply human, and no single letter can capture it.

If we believe we should not judge a book by its cover, we must look deeper into the stories of educators, students, leaders, and communities working every day to move learning forward. 

As I work with teams across the state, my message remains consistent: focus on student growth, and achievement will follow. Don’t get lost in the complexity of formulas, percentages, or statistical calculations. This is precisely why the ATLAS suite of assessments were designed, to give teachers clear, classroom-level tools and actionable insights that stay close to instruction and directly support teaching decisions. They help ensure teachers have a clear understanding of the standards, know how students will be assessed on each standard, and can align instruction to meet those expectations. When educators prioritize meaningful learning and targeted growth, the data naturally reflects the impact of their work.

In Arkansas, the letter grade is not a label. It is a reflection point and a catalyst for change.