More data sought on failing schools

Open-enrollment and conversion charter schools that have a history of repeatedly earning F and D letter grades from the state drew the attention of the state’s Charter Authorizing Panel at a brief meeting last week.

The panel asked the state Division of Elementary and Secondary Education staff to assemble more information — including written explanations and improvement plans — from the struggling charter systems and achievement data from nearby schools and districts. The panel will use that information to decide in December what school leaders should be called in for further investigation of their problems.

Schools of particular concern at the Tuesday meeting were Blytheville area public schools and the five-campus KIPP Delta charter system that is headquartered in Helena-West Helena. The KIPP system has been held in the past as a model charter school system but, in recent years and with one campus exception, has consistently earned Ds.

There are as many as 13 open-enrollment charter school campuses and up to seven school district-conversion charter schools that have F and D grades.

Examining the schools is complicated by the fact that the state did not administer the ACT Aspire exams last spring because school campuses were closed to help contain the spread of covid-19. As a result, state-issued letter grades come from the 2018-19 school year.

Naccaman Williams of Springdale, a charter panel member, referred to the covid-19 impact on students and schools as “the elephant in the living room sitting on the couch.”