A new system of accountability for schools has been implemented by the state for use beginning in 2013. Under the A-F Accountability Letter Grade System, school labels will change from what parents are used to seeing as “excelling,” “highly performing,” “performing plus,” “performing,” “underperforming” and “failing” to A, B, C, D and F.
The change is part of the Arizona Ready education reform plan passed by the legislature earlier this year. The reform plan was formulated by Governor Jan Brewer as a method of improving the education of Arizona’s children as our state competes for jobs, economic growth and opportunities for our citizens not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
The intent of the new system is to provide a clear, easy-to-follow format so that parents can base their educational decisions on the best information available about the overall academic performance of schools and school districts.
According to the Arizona Department of Education, with the existing Arizona Learns System, students’ scores on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) tests determines a school’s success label. Under that system, a “performing” label is the second lowest ranking out of five. The result is that more than 90 percent of Arizona’s schools receive a “performing” or better label, which is not a clear indicator of a school’s performance.
The new system evaluates both academic outcomes and academic growth. Including student academic growth in an accountability system is an important measure, according to the Department of Education, because it takes into account the unique student demographics of each school. For example, the challenges facing suburban, inner-city and rural schools are quite different from one another.
“We know that Arizona’s ability to attract the jobs of tomorrow depends upon building a world-class education system today,” stated the governor in a recent press release regarding the changes to the rating changes.
The system is expected to work in conjunction with the Arizona Ready System to improve the advancement of children through the grades. The goal of the program is that in the 2013-14 school year, third graders will be expected to read at or near grade level before advancing to the fourth grade. By 2014-15, all Arizona students between the third and 11th grades will take a diagnostic test to determine if they’re on track for college and a career. Armed with these results, parents and teachers will be able to more effectively address students’ education gaps before they fall behind.
“To remain a leader in America, Arizona must be laser-focused on improving the quality of our children’s education,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal. “We must hold our students and schools to higher academic standards, while at the same time providing the tools and resources necessary for teachers and administrators to be successful in the classroom. The goals of Arizona Ready raise the academic bar in order to get our students college- and career-ready by the time they graduate.”
Arizona Ready sets goals for 2020 that include 94 percent of third graders meeting state standards for reading, which is currently at 69 percent statewide; 85 percent of eighth graders scoring at or above “basic” on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test, which is currently at 67 percent statewide; 93 percent high school graduation rate, which is currently at 75 percent statewide; and twice as many four-year college degrees being issued by state universities.
