Schools react to Dept. of Education school grades
TUCKERMAN & PIGGOTT, Ark. (KAIT) - Schools have mixed reactions after receiving their letter grades from the Arkansas Department of Education.
Tuckerman High School is celebrating its teachers after the superintendent said the school got its third A in a row.
On the other end of the grade scale, Piggott High School got a D.
Balloons, cupcakes, and food were brought to celebrate the teachers at Tuckerman High School.
“They worked so hard and there’s so much behind the scenes that people just don’t realize or would have no idea how much work goes behind the scenes, it’s not bell to bell for the teacher,” said Principal Angelia Holland.
Holland said the department rates high schools on multiple indicators, from achievement to growth as well as success.
She said before the letter grades came out, teachers were already looking for ways to improve.
“If we’re doing what we’re supposed to, I feel like an A is what the grade will be every time, so honestly it’s setting those expectations,” she said.
Holland also said parents play a big part in the school’s success.
On the other end of the grading system, Piggott High School received a D from the department.
Superintendent Freddie Bowen said he feels the grade doesn’t tell the whole story.
“I think we were 15 points away from being a C school at the high school,” he said. “It’s not an indication of what our staff is not doing.”
Bowen said the letter grade showed them areas the school can improve on.
“There’s about 81 students that had shown some signs of dyslexia, so now we’re in a point that we’re doing a lot of dyslexia intervention,” he said.
Bowen said the district made progress with the elementary school by bringing its grade up, and now he said it is time to get the high school’s grade up.
“What we try to do is get the teachers the professional development and the coaching help that they may need to strengthen their instruction,” he said.
View all the school letter grades.
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