School Letter Grades: A Starting Point, Not the Final Word
"Grades aren't everything. They don't tell the story. I have made A's and didn't learn squat, and I have learned a LOT and failed. A bad grade doesn't mean you are a screw up. That being said, don't screw up your grades, they're pretty important." - Harry O. Alvis (my father) Arkansas has released its official school and district letter grades for the 2025–2026 school year, and once again, Two Rivers has a lot to celebrate. As happens every year, educators, parents, community members, and probably a few people who have not been inside a school since their own graduation will examine those letters and offer opinions about what they mean. That is not necessarily a bad thing. The letter-grade system has value. It gives the public an easily understood measure of school performance. It creates transparency, encourages accountability, highlights areas of success, and helps districts identify where improvement is needed. When a school earns a ...