SRHS School Letter Grade Announced

SRHS School Letter Grade Announced
Posted on 01/08/2019
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The Arizona Department of Education released school letter grades (A-F) for the 2017-18 school year. Salt River High School received an “F” letter grade, which was calculated using results from our student AzMERIT tests and other data. Salt River Schools appealed, which the Arizona Department of Education denied, and the SRHS final letter grade decision was officially announced December 28, 2018.

Click here to view the letter grade presentation given to parents and families by the Superintendent on January 14.

This is a reflection of the state standards students learn in our schools. An “F” highlights the urgency we face to provide students the education they deserve. Furthermore, if SRHS doesn’t show an increase in academic achievement—a “D” letter grade or better—by the end the current school year (June 30, 2019), the school will lose its charter, which could potentially lead to the closure of grades 7-12 at SRHS. If, however, SRHS increases its student achievement, it will need to show similar improvement during both the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 school years; should either of those school years result in an “F” letter grade, the charter will be revoked.

Flow chart detailing the Consent Agreement for a failing school: if SRHS doesn’t show an increase in academic achievement—a “D” letter grade or better—by the end the current school year (June 30, 2019), the school will lose its charter, which could potentially lead to the closure of grades 7-12 at SRHS. If, however, SRHS increases its student achievement, it will need to show similar improvement during both the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 school years; should either of those school years result in an “F” letter grade, the charter will be revoked.

The situation is dire, but I am optimistic that the strategies Salt River Schools put in place over the past year will soon yield the positive results I know are possible. To that end, we have developed a school improvement plan based on the following six principles:

  • Effective Leadership
  • Effective Teachers & Instruction
  • Effective Organization of Time
  • Effective Curriculum
  • Culture, Climate, & Conditions
  • Family Engagement

Our process for drafting this plan included facilitation of a comprehensive needs assessment, a root cause analysis, and development of needs statements and desired outcomes. From this information, we have developed goals, strategies, and action steps for the SRHS Integrated Action Plan. We are currently in the process of refining many aspects of SRHS, including the master schedule and tutoring models, and will establish metrics and procedures for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating these and other strategies during the current 2018-19 school year.

Our current academic focus is strengthening student literacy. SRHS saw improvement in this area during the latest round of NWEA testing, which can be attributed to our teachers effectively using the new English Language Arts curricula introduced this school year. This follows the goals outlined in the Division’s 5-year Strategic Plan, which also calls for the adoption of new math and science curricula over the next two school years; a 30-day public input period will begin later this month for math adoption.

Additionally, focused and ongoing professional development for the Division’s instructional staff will ensure new concepts and materials are taught to each student’s individual learning needs. Finally, Salt River Schools will partner with AdvancED Systems Accreditation to ensure maximum accountability toward improvement beyond state standards.

Efforts like these require an “all-in” approach, including from student families, in order to support achievement by aligning all practices with student learning, organizational growth, and total stakeholder engagement.

Click here to view the Consent Agreement between Salt River Schools and the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, which includes more details regarding improvement steps and requirements. Click here for more information regarding AzMERIT, including tips for families to help their children succeed. 

Sincerely,

Superintendent Dr. Louis Laffitte, Jr.



About the Arizona A-F Letter Grade
& Accountability System

From the Arizona State Board of Education

The system quantitatively measures student proficiency and annual growth in key areas as well as readiness to take the next step in their education or career. Specifically, schools annually earn a letter grade based on a range of comprehensive measures including:

  • Proficiency in English Language Arts, Math and Science (Federal law requires proficiency on English Language Arts and Math)
  • Growth in English Language Arts and Math (Required by federal law)
  • Proficiency and Growth of English Language Learners (Required by federal law)
  • Graduation Rate (Required by federal law)
  • Acceleration and Readiness Measures, which consists of several measures including chronic absenteeism and the improved growth of subgroups (economically disadvantaged, special education, etc.).
  • College and Career Readiness Indicators, which includes passing the ACT or SAT or earning an industry credential, certificate or licenses

How school letter grades are calculated (K-8).
How school letter grades are calculated (9-12).
A breakdown of what each letter grade means.
Click here to view the full letter grade explanation PowerPoint from the Arizona State Board of Education.

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