Broad criticism for A-F system

The idea for replacing Oklahoma’s old accountability system for public schools with an A-F report card had been one of former State Superintendent Janet Barresi’s 2010 campaign platform initiatives and legislators quickly took up the issue.

But implementation of the system has been controversial from the start. Educators across the state and research scientists at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have repeatedly objected to two different grade-calculation methods used by the state.

The state’s current calculation method is to rely on student proficiency rates in core subjects on state-mandated standardized tests for 50 percent of every school’s grade. The remaining 50 percent of a school’s grade is determined through an analysis of how a school or district’s student scores in math and reading compare to the previous year’s.

Bonus points can be earned for strong rates of student attendance, graduation, participation in advanced coursework and college entrance exams, and low dropout counts.

Questioning the validity and usefulness of the existing school-grading system was a major theme of Joy Hofmeister’s successful 2014 campaign to unseat then- State Superintendent Barresi. On Thursday, she stressed to the state board of education that she does not want to roll back accountability for public school performance.

“It costs a million dollars at the state department alone to fund A-F. That doesn’t count the cost in 500 school districts, let alone 1,800 individual school sites,” Hofmeister said. “I would make the argument if we are going to be spending these dollars, at least it needs to be something that guides improvement or shines a light on strengths and weaknesses.

She added, “I believe we all want to see an accountability system that people have confidence in that provokes change and improvement. I am not satisfied with where we are in our state academically.”

A successful piece of state legislation from earlier this year gave Hofmeister’s department until Dec. 31 to deliver to the governor and Legislature some recommendations for improving the A-F school grade card system.