State ready to roll out A-F grades for schools

The state Department of Education is days away from releasing school and district performance ratings under a new system.

The release, scheduled for Wednesday, follows a weekslong appeals process that was extended at schools’ and districts’ requests, despite the number of appeals remaining the same from last year.

Last year, the grades were handed out in August. But this year, under a revamped system some believe will brand many more schools as failing, the grades remain under wraps months into the school year.

The system is based largely on student standardized test scores and gives schools and districts A-F grades. It was first implemented last year, replacing the previous system that used categories such as “academic progress” and “probation” to rate school and district performance.

Rating schools is part of Public Law 221, a school accountability law that requires stake takeover if schools are rated in the “probation” category or F grade for six consecutive years.