UNDERSTANDING OUR ARKANSAS SCHOOL LETTER GRADES
Yesterday, the Arkansas Department of Education released the annual letter grades for school districts and individual school campuses across the state.
We want to take a moment to explain what these grades mean for Newport School District, how the grades are calculated, and—most importantly—recognize the tremendous growth taking place across our schools.
NEWPORT SCHOOL DISTRICT — C
Newport School District received a “C” letter grade for the district.
While we know there is still work to do, we are encouraged by the consistent growth taking place across our schools and are proud of the students, teachers, administrators, families, and community members who continue to invest in our students.
NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH — B
Our Junior High School continues to demonstrate outstanding performance.
Newport Junior High received a “B” for the second consecutive year, while improving its overall score by more than 30 points.
That is tremendous growth. Our Junior High is now much closer to reaching an “A” school designation, and we are extremely proud of the hard work taking place in classrooms every day.
NEWPORT ELEMENTARY — C
Newport Elementary made great strides this year, improving from an “F” last year to a “C” this year.
This improvement reflects the dedication of our students and staff and the continued work to strengthen foundational skills, provide intervention when students need it, and ensure that every child continues to grow academically.
NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL — D
Newport High School remained a “D” this year and is currently within 16 points of moving to a “C” school status.
We recognize there is work to do, and we are committed to continuing that work. We also recognize that some of the measures used in the high school accountability grade reflect student outcomes from previous years.
SO, HOW ARE THE LETTER GRADES DETERMINED?
The Arkansas school letter grade is based on multiple measures of student performance and growth. It is important to understand that a school's grade is not determined by simply looking at one test score.
ELEMENTARY & JUNIOR HIGH
For our elementary and junior high schools, the accountability calculation includes three primary areas:
1️⃣ ACHIEVEMENT
Achievement looks at the percentage of students who score at Level 3 or Level 4 on state assessments.
In simple terms, this measures how many students are demonstrating proficiency or exceeding proficiency on the state's academic assessments.
2️⃣ GROWTH — ALL STUDENTS
Growth looks at individual student growth outcomes.
The question is:
➡️ Did the individual student meet the expected amount of growth for the year?
This is important because students begin the year at different academic levels. The growth measure recognizes whether students are making the progress expected of them individually.
3️⃣ GROWTH — LOWEST 25%
This measure specifically looks at students who fall within the lowest 25% of academic performance and determines how many of those students met their expected growth.
This is especially important because we want to ensure that our students who need the most academic support are also making meaningful progress.
HIGH SCHOOL
At the high school level, the same Achievement, Growth, and Lowest 25% Growth measures are used, along with another important category:
SUCCESS READY GRADUATE
The Success Ready Graduate category looks at indicators that demonstrate whether students are leaving high school prepared for their next step—whether that is college, a career, the military, or another postsecondary opportunity.
An important point to understand is that some of this information is a lagging indicator, meaning the data used in the current accountability calculation can come from the previous school year.
For example:
➡️ The graduation-rate data included in the spring 2026 accountability calculation was based on the graduating class of 2025.
The Success Ready Graduate category also includes Merit and Distinction graduates and measures accomplishments such as:
Industry-recognized certifications
Concurrent college credit hours
Completion of career and technical education pathways
Other indicators demonstrating preparation for life after high school
This is one reason it is important to look beyond the letter itself and understand what is actually being measured and when that data was generated.
GROWTH MATTERS
At Newport School District, we believe strongly in recognizing where we are today while focusing on where we are going tomorrow.
Our Junior High improved more than 30 points while maintaining a B.
Our Elementary School moved from an F to a C.
Our High School is within 16 points of moving from a D to a C.
These results show that progress is happening.
But we are not satisfied with simply making progress. We want to continue improving in every area that impacts our students.
We know this is a process, and meaningful school improvement does not happen overnight. It requires consistent effort from students, teachers, administrators, parents, our school board, and our entire community.
Our goal is to continue moving forward—one student, one classroom, and one year at a time.
We are striving for an “A,” and we believe our students are capable of reaching that goal.
Thank you to everyone who continues to believe in our students and support Newport School District.
Every student matters, and every moment counts!
Once A Hound, Always A Hound!
GO HOUNDS!