The Missouri State Board of Education has approved a new A-F School and District Grading Framework for public schools across the state. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) framework, ordered by Governor Mike Kehoe in January, will eventually assign public schools and districts an A, B, C, D, or F grade. However, the system will first go through a pilot period using 2024-25 school data before grades are publicly released.
This new grading system will evaluate schools based on several key measures, including academic achievement, student growth, progress toward proficiency, and graduation rates. It will also consider indicators of how prepared high school students are for college, careers, or military service.
School leaders, including those from Joplin, Monett, and other Missouri districts, had urged the state to implement a pilot year before public release. These leaders emphasized the necessity for districts to have sufficient time to review calculations, verify their data for accuracy, and correct any potential errors in the system.
During discussions, board members raised questions regarding how socioeconomic factors, specifically poverty, might influence school grades. In response, DESE officials stated that the framework's growth measures are specifically designed to credit improvement irrespective of a student’s economic background or their initial academic standing. DESE reiterated that the framework's pilot phase will precede any public disclosure of grades.
Concurrent with the state's development, Joplin Schools this week introduced its own “Complete Report Card.” District officials noted that a single letter grade from the state may not fully capture the complete narrative of a school district’s performance. The online report card developed by Joplin Schools aims to provide a more expansive perspective by combining traditional academic data with a range of additional information.
Joplin’s new report card includes details on graduation rates, advanced and dual-credit course offerings, and career and technical education programs. It also covers performance in arts and athletics, special education services, and school safety initiatives. The district has also incorporated results from student and parent surveys to reflect community sentiment.
Among the specific figures highlighted by Joplin Schools are a 97% graduation rate for the Class of 2026. The report also notes that Joplin High School offers 81 dual-credit, Advanced Placement, and honors courses. Furthermore, survey results indicate that 85% of parents and staff reported overall satisfaction with the district.
District officials have clarified that the primary objective of their “Complete Report Card” is to offer families a broader and more comprehensive look at various aspects of student growth, available opportunities, and the overall school culture within the district. They state that this local report card is intended to complement the state’s forthcoming A-F rating system. Officials also affirmed that the new A-F system from the state will serve to supplement Missouri’s existing school accountability system, rather than replacing it entirely. This dual approach aims to provide both a statewide comparative measure and a detailed local perspective on educational quality.
