School letter grades for 2023-24 have been released. See how your school scored

The Arizona State Board of Education has released preliminary letter grades for the 2023-24 school year.

Most Arizona public schools received an A or B. About 36 percent received an A, while six schools—less than 0.5 percent—received an F. About 41 percent of schools received a B.

Letter grades are issued annually as an indicator of school performance, schools receiving “A” grades described as excellent, “B” schools described as high performing, “C” schools described as performing adequately, “D” schools described as being of minimal performance. and “F” schools described as failing, according to the board.

Federal law requires states to measure school performance. The AF letter classification system is mandated by Arizona law.

Several Valley school districts posted district-wide improvements from the previous school year: Agua Fria Union improved from B to A, Balsz Elementary improved from C to B, Deer Valley Unified improved from B to A, Fountain Hills Unified improved from B to A, Gila Bend Unified improved from D to C, Glendale Union improved from B to A, Morristown Elementary improved from C to A, Murphy Elementary improved from C to B, Pendergast Elementary improved from C to B, Roosevelt Elementary improved from C to B , Peoria Unified improved from B to A and Wilson Elementary improved from D to C.

Jennifer Petty, superintendent of the Morristown Elementary School District and principal of its only school, described the district’s jump from C to A as a “remarkable improvement.”

It reflects “years of focused effort since our initial identification as a ‘D’ school in 2020,” Petty said in a statement, adding that the improvement “demonstrates the strength and resilience of our small, rural Title I school community.”

Petty said the school’s success stems from its efforts to implement standards-based instruction in small groups to “ensure that the unique needs of each student are addressed,” free tutoring services, staff commitment to meeting students’ emotional needs, collaboration with families and the community, professional. development based on data and benchmarks and a ‘whole school approach to setting high standards’.

“We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our students and staff,” Petty said.

Peoria Unified attributed its grade improvement to “the district’s dedicated and talented teachers, the hard work of our students, our supportive parents and community members, and the newly adopted math and science curriculum that has been implemented in every classroom,” according to a statement published. by district.

“We certainly celebrate these accomplishments and have our sights set on continued achievement,” Peoria Unified Superintendent Kenneth Christopher Somers said in the statement.

Other Maricopa County school districts saw their district-wide grades drop this year: Arlington Elementary moved from a B to a D, Chandler Unified moved from an A to a B, Cartwright Elementary moved from a B to a C, Kyrene Elementary moved from A to B, Litchfield Elementary moved from A to B, Maricopa County Regional School District moved from B to C, Mobile Element moved from B to C, Palo Verde Elementary School moved from to B to C and Riverside Elementary School moved from B to C.

What do Arizona public school letter grades measure?

The grades measure several factors: year-over-year student growth, proficiency on statewide assessments, English language proficiency and growth, high school readiness among elementary students, readiness for postsecondary settings among high school students, and rates high school graduation.

These measures are submitted to the Arizona Department of Education, and the State Board of Education sets “cut scores” — the number of points required for each letter grade.

Are these school grades final?

The notes of the letters are not set in stone yet. Schools can challenge their grades until November 15.

Appeals can be made based on factors including incorrect data, adverse testing conditions and school or community emergencies, according to the State Board of Education.

Which schools got F’s?

Six schools received Fs, described by the State Board of Education as having systematic failures in proficiency, growth and graduation rates and performance in the bottom 5 percent of Arizona schools.

One of the schools that received an F was an alternative school in Navajo County’s accommodation district. The Arizona Department of Education defines alternative schools as schools with unique and clearly stated mission “to serve specific at-risk student populations.”

The rest of the schools that received F’s were Glassford Hill Middle School in the Humboldt Unified School District, Peach Springs School in the Peach Springs Unified School District and charter schools Aim Higher College Prep Academy, Imagine Superstition Middle and Step Up School.

Where can I find a school’s letter grade?

The State Board of Education notes that while letter grades are “important considerations” for parents when selecting a school, they are not the only indicators of a school’s performance. Things like school and extracurricular programs, as well as school characteristics such as size, should also be considered, according to the board. Additional information about the schools can be found at https://azreportcards.azed.gov/.

Letter grades can be found at https://azsbe.az.gov/parents/af-school-letter-grades.

Contact the reporter at [email protected].