OK State School Board Says A-F Report Cards Will Change

The Oklahoma Department of the Education released its 2016 A-F grades for state schools.

The A-F system has been in place for five years but will be overhauled under new federal guideline for the next school year.

Here’s a look at the 2016 grades:

• “A” schools: 196 (212 in 2015)
• “B” schools: 497 (455 in 2015)
• “C” schools: 582 (536 in 2015)
• “D” schools: 319 (333 in 2015)
• “F” schools: 213 (183 in 2015)

“We will be focusing, as a task force and at the Department, on writing new calculations,” said Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister.

Superintendent Hofmeister said there will be a clearer focus on academic achievement for "at risk" students and more weight will be placed on graduation.

She said under the current system graduation rates are not heavily weighted, so an “A” or “B” school can have a graduation rate of only 67-percent.

“The grades will heavily base on the student’s performance on their state assessments, that will be the same,” added Hofmeister.

Meanwhile, the State School Board did vote to ask legislators for 221 million more dollars compared to the last budget.

The board said a lack of materials and qualified teachers, are two reasons the regional education gap is growing.

For a complete list of the 2016 school grades, click here.