State Board of Education votes to reform school letter grades, expects fewer A-rated schools

Arizona's State Board of Education voted to raise the proficiency and growth targets used to calculate A-F school letter grades, a change the state's own analysis projects will strip A ratings from 50 high schools. The vote follows reporting that found many A-rated schools had majorities of students failing state proficiency tests, and a June Auditor General report that said the old system risked inflating grades with bonus points even when few students showed proficiency.

In 2025, 60% of 11th graders failed to meet English proficiency standards and 70% failed math, yet 80% of high schoolers graduated that year, a gap the board's own staff acknowledged. Educators including Tolleson Union district leaders warned the board that raising the bar without warning could disproportionately hurt low-income schools, where poverty and proficiency are already known to correlate, and charter representatives noted that an F or three straight D grades can trigger charter revocation.

The board previously eliminated bonus points in August as a first step, and is expected to vote on further changes in the coming months; the new targets take effect for the 2026-27 school year.

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