By LANA CLIFTON
The Bryant school district recently received high marks on a report that listed letter-grades assigned to all school districts by the Arkansas Policy Foundation (APF).
The Bryant school district received an “A” rating, one of only 17 districts in the state to do so, and was ranked eighth overall.[more]
“We are all thrilled,” declared Jessica Norris, Director of Communications for Bryant Public Schools.
She added, in a way, they weren’t surprised about the rating because of the high standards the district sets for itself. She commented that the community expects the schools to be successful and that teachers set high goals as well.
APF describes itself as “a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that analyzes the impact of public policy on Arkansas and makes recommendations.”
In August, APF released a report, written by Dr. Michael T. Scoles, which ranked Arkansas school districts based on ninth-grade scores on the SAT-10 in math and reading. They took the scores and assigned letter-grades for them. First-grade scores were also used to determine the school readiness of the district. This provided an adjustment grade that took into consideration the demographic and economic factors beyond a school district’s control. Three grades were averaged to come up with a school’s overall grade: The ninth-grade math, the ninth-grade reading and the adjustment letter grades.
APF uses data from its report to make recommendations on improving education in the state of Arkansas. Recommendations include providing better access to charter schools, school choice and tax credits for families living in districts that received a “D” or “F.” The complete report can be accessed at www.arkansaspolicyfoundation.org.
