Action at the state level would block the grading of schools in the state with a letter, A to F. This policy of issuing letter grades has been in place for a number of years, yet the BESE Board hopes to withhold the grades from the public for the 2020-21 school year.
That decision did not sit well with Red River High Principal JC Dickey. He said, “While I do understand this position, I really hope my school, Red River High gets released.” Dickey added, “We worked really hard, and I want everyone to know what we accomplished. At least give us a choice to show the community what we were able to do.”
KTBS TV reported that Louisiana’s top school board Monday voted to ask federal officials for permission to shelve the issuance of public school letter grades because of classroom upheaval sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education agreed to the request without dissent.
The U. S. Department of Education is expected to approve the proposal and has already signed off on waiver requests from 45 or so other states, officials said.
The grades and school performance scores are traditionally announced in November and spell out how schools fared in the previous school year.
State officials announced earlier this month that math, English, science and social studies tests students took in the spring — called LEAP 2025 — plummeted in virtually every school district in the state.
