LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For the first time since the formula to calculate the grades was changed, every public school in Arkansas received a letter grade on Friday.

Arkansas Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva explained that the formula was changed due to school officials feeling that it was too complicated and ambiguous.

“Leaders didn't have confidence that the A through F system reflected the learning that was happening in the school,” Oliva described.

With the new formula, every school receives a score out of 900.

The scores that constitute a certain letter are slightly different for elementary, middle, and high schools, but generally, a little over 500 points is good for an A, around 450 points is a B, and so on.

“We pull in experts and expert educators from all over the state to help

See Full Page