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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — State Board of Education members are backing a plan that would assign A grades to fewer Mississippi schools and districts than an administrator task force recommended, but more than Department of Education officials had originally wanted.
The board voted unanimously Thursday for a proposed school rating system where the top grade would be given to schools and districts in the top 10 percent of all scorers. The board is likely to finalize the plan in September after seeking public comment.
"It's a decision about what you think an A district should look like and what an A school should look like," said state Superintendent Carey Wright, adding the state doesn't want to give top ratings to districts that might not be performing highly on all measures. The decision means 14 of Mississippi's 144 districts will get the top grade.
A task force of administrators has originally proposed giving As to the top 15 percent of schools and districts, but the department had suggested cutting that share almost in half, to about 8 percent. The state's Commission on School Accreditation Tuesday stuck by the original, broader bracket for an A-rating, though.
Board member Buddy Bailey, a Rankin County school administrator, said that with schools being rated after giving a new standardized test for the first time, some leeway was warranted.
"Don't let us get hurt in this process," Bailey said.
But board member John Kelly of Gulfport said giving out too many As would go against the state board's push to challenge students and raise achievement levels.
"Those standards were designed to raise the bar to higher expectations and push the children," Kelly said. "It appears this recommendation would be lowering that bar."
After trying to assign Fs to more schools, department officials agreed to grade the bottom 13 percent of schools as failing. The accreditation commission earlier this week rejected an attempt by the department to assign Fs to the bottom 20 percent of schools and districts.
It's a high-stakes decision for schools and districts that will get F grades, because after two years of failing marks, the state could take them over. The ratings will also designate D and F districts where charter schools are allowed to locate without local permission, as well as C districts where students can leave to attend charter schools elsewhere.
Booneville Superintendent Todd English, who led the task force that made the original recommendation, said getting an A is a goal that goes beyond pride as well, saying it helps a community lure residents and businesses.
"It's very important to us from as economic growth is connected," English said. He said described Thursday's vote as a "good compromise."
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