Missouri Schools Get New Report Cards: What's the Plan?

Missouri is making waves in education with a new grading system for schools. Here's what you need to know:

The Plan

• Order from Governor Mike Kehoe
• Missouri Department of Education has until June to create a plan
• Letter grades (A to F) based on:
• Student test performance
• High school graduation rates
• Penalties for schools that don't test enough students

Timeline

• Grades awarded by September 15th each year
• Schools must display grades by September 30th

The Details

• Grades will be public and easy to understand for parents and teachers
• Standards will increase over time to push schools to improve
• Focus shifts from rule-following to student success and learning

Controversy

• Critics worry about the impact on education funding
• Debate over grading schools based on test performance

The Goal

• Encourage schools to focus on what students are actually learning
• Potential changes in teaching methods and school priorities