A–F School Grades Are Coming: What HSD Families Need to Know

Missouri is developing a new way to provide families and communities with information about how public schools and school districts are performing.

At its September 15 meeting, the Missouri State Board of Education approved the next phase of development for an A–F School and District Grading Framework. Once implemented, schools and districts would receive a letter grade based on several measures, including student academic achievement, academic growth, progress toward proficiency, preparation for life after high school, and graduation rates.

It is important for HSD families to know that this new A–F framework is separate from Missouri’s current school accreditation system. The State Board’s action does not mean that letter grades are being issued now. DESE will first test the framework using school and district data, review how the calculations work, and pilot the system before grades are released publicly.

School leaders across Missouri have also provided feedback about the proposed framework, including the need for districts to have sufficient time to review and verify their data before grades are made public and the importance of clearly communicating the difference between an A–F grade and a district’s accreditation status.

What does this mean for HSD?

For now, there is no action families need to take. HSD will continue to monitor the development of the framework and review our district and school data as additional information becomes available. As DESE moves through the pilot process, we will keep our families informed about what the new system measures, how HSD schools perform, and what the information means for our students.

Most importantly, a single letter grade will never tell the entire story of a school. We will continue to focus on student growth, strong instruction, graduation, preparation for college and careers, and ensuring every student across HSD has the opportunity to thrive. If you would like to share your perspective or concerns regarding Missouri’s new A–F school grading system and its potential impact on the Hazelwood School District, you may contact the Missouri State Board of Education at sbe@dese.mo.gov.

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