MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Do you send your child to a grade “A” school? Is your child’s school considered to be failing? Schools in Tennessee could soon find out.
A Tennessee bill would hand out letter grades to schools themselves.
Bill sponsor Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin) said the grades would provide “information to both parents and taxpayers, so they know from a macro-view, from a large overall view, of how that school is doing in their community.”
He said schools would get letter grades, A through F, based on a grading system from the state Department of Education, which he expects includes state test results.
Shelby County School Board member Shante Avant said the local board is already working on coming up with a framework to monitor school performance based on factors like “academic achievement, growth, as well as school climate.”
Opponents told WREG they believe schools in poor neighborhoods might get hit the hardest with the bad grades and letter grades do not present a full picture.
Avant said she hopes the state talks with districts about this grading system to make sure everyone is heard.
The bill passed the state House by a vote of 73-14 last week.
The House changed the bill to require the state Department of Education to come up with the grading system, instead of the state Board of Education.
Casada said the department has the staff to handle the workload with no additional cost.
The state Senate passed the bill unanimously last year, but will have to look at the amended version Monday. Then it is expected to head to the governor’s desk.
The first group of school letter grades would likely come out in 2017.
