2022 School Ratings and ESSA School Index Scores Released

On November 9, 2022, the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released the 2022 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) School Index and School Rating (Accountability At-a-Glance) reports for public viewing on My School Info. These reports include data from the 2021-2022 school year, including 2022 ACT Aspire results.  

The ESSA School Index includes students’ weighted achievement and growth on statewide summative assessments for third through tenth grade, graduation rates, and school quality and student success indicators. In addition, the report includes three years of trend data (2019, 2021, 2022) on numerous indicators for student subgroups. The complete ESSA School Index is located on My School Info under the Reports tab.

The School Rating report (Accountability-At-a-Glance) provides an overview of the ESSA School Index score for all students and student subgroups. School ratings (letter grades) are available for the 2021-2022 school year per Ark.Code Ann. §6-15-2105. The overview is located on My School Info under the School Rating tab.

For more information about navigating the school reports, please view the following video: 2022 ESSA School Index Public Release. FAQs are available on My School Info.

All stakeholders, including students, caretakers, educators, and community members, are encouraged to review their school’s data and discuss how the education needs for all students can be met. Additional information about Arkansas’ ESSA plan is available on the DESE website at Division of Elementary and Secondary Education - Offices - Public School Accountability - Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Informational Documents webpage.

Announcement of Rewards - Arkansas School Recognition Program

The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is pleased to announce that a total of $6,877,600 will be awarded to 178 schools through the Arkansas School Recognition Program. Awards are based on student assessment results from the 2021-2022 school year and graduation rates from the 2020-2021 school year.                                                                   

The Arkansas School Recognition Program (Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-2107) provides financial awards to the top 10 percent of public schools that achieve high student performance on the state-required assessments in grades 3 through 10 and the top 10 percent of public schools that achieve high student academic growth, including high school graduation rates where applicable.

Schools receiving recognition funds are required to establish a committee to determine the best use of the funds. The committee includes the principal, a teacher elected by the faculty, and a parent representative selected by the local Parent Teacher Association or another parental involvement group. Districts and schools do not have to submit documents to DESE but should keep on file the committee agenda, minutes, sign-in sheets, and documentation on how the recognition funds were spent for auditors.

The totals for each category are listed below. To see the complete list of schools and amounts they are eligible to receive, go to Division of Elementary and Secondary Education - Offices - Public School Accountability - School Performance and Monitoring - Rewards and Recognitions.

2022 Schools on the Move Toward Excellence

Schools on the Move Toward Excellence recognizes Arkansas schools who make significant progress on their Public School Ratings and ESSA School Index Reports. Each year, schools are identified (where appropriate by grade span) for various aspects of improvement:

• Increased by one letter grade (from 2019 to 2022),
  • 9 schools improved from B to A
  • 24 schools improved from C to B
  • 15 schools improved from D to C
  • 2 schools improved from F to D
• Increased their overall ESSA School Index score by 5 points or more (from 2021 to 2022),
  • 68 schools improved their overall ESSA School Index score by 5 points or more
  • 621 schools showed improvement in their overall ESSA School Index score
• Increased their weighted achievement score by 10 points or more (from 2021 to 2022).
  • 84 Schools increased their weighted achievement scores by 10 or more points (52 Elementary, 12 Middle School, 20 High School)
  • 772 schools increased their weighted achievement score.
• Scored 2 standard deviations above the (actual) mean in value-added growth (for 2022).
  • 550 schools earned 80 or more points for student growth (scored at or above the (expected) mean).
  • 11 Elementary Schools scored 86.34 or better (2 standard deviations above the mean)
  • 7 Middle Schools scored 84.73 or better (2 standard deviations above the mean)
  • 6 High Schools scored 83.83 or better (2 standard deviations above the mean)

Congratulations to these schools for their efforts to improve student performance!

For the complete list of schools, visit the Schools on the Move Toward Excellence webpage.