How Arizona’s school letter grade system gives ‘F’ earners opportunity for improvement

PHOENIX — The number of Arizona schools that received an “F” letter grade doubled since last year, but that could open the door for state improvement funding.

Arizona State Board of Education Director Sean Ross explained that while schools with an “F” grade increased in the past year, the education system is stable overall.

“The State Board has kept those cut scores relatively stable over the last few years, which is very much at the behest of schools because it gives them a constant target and a known target for which to work towards and reach,” he said.

Six schools received an “F” last year, but 13 schools received that bottom mark in the latest ratings.

Ross said a factor in the increase could be that state statute changes a school’s letter grade to an “F” automatically if it gets t