District looks for ways to improve letter grades
FORT SMITH — Three Fort Smith schools have improved a letter grade, three others have gone down a letter and 19 have maintained their grades, according to the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Every Student Succeeds Act School Index Report for the school year.
According to the Arkansas Department of Education’s data center, Fairview Elementary achieved a C grade, Sutton Elementary achieved a D grade and Southside High School achieved a B grade in the 2022-2023 school year.
Beard, Cavanaugh and Cook elementary schools all went down to a C grade.
A news release from the district said the index reports on student performance for every school within a school district by issuing a School Letter Grade. Multiple variables factor into the scores, including student attendance and individual student growth.
While letter grades may remain constant, the underlying numerical score may have gone up or down from the previous year. For example, an A grade could have a 90-100 numerical score.
The index reports show areas where each school can improve.
The district release said Fort Smith views the scores as an opportunity to reassess district strategies, enhance curriculum and increase resources to support students and staff.
“Since the introduction of our Continuous Improvement Plan last year, we recognized that elevating math and reading scores across the district would require time,” Superintendent Terry Morawski said. “We wholeheartedly embrace these scores and are dedicated to ensuring that progress continues and we remain optimistic about future scores.”
The district’s curriculum and instruction department has developed a comprehensive plan to provide student support, including a Benchmark Reading program, online tutoring through TutorMe and English language development through the E.L. Achieve program.
TutorMe was implemented in the 2022-2023 school year through $290,000 of Title I funds, which can only be used for student achievement, staff development or parent involvement.
Tiffany Bone, the district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said there are about 30 languages and dialects spoken in the district, with the major
ones being English, Spanish, Welsh, Vietnamese and Arabic, and that TutorMe has tutors who can teach in all of those languages.
Kris Griffith, director of customer success at TutorMe, said in a School Board meeting last year that the platform has over 15,000 tutors who can teach more than 300 subjects in addition to ACT prep.
Other features include a text editor, virtual whiteboards, audio and video chat and screen sharing. All lessons are archived for future reference. Students also have access to the writing lab to submit their essays, papers and other writing assignments for detailed feedback from an academic writing expert within hours.
Students can access TutorMe through their district-issued Clever account like they do with all district programs.
“I can remember when my child was in middle school to high school and what math help looked like for him,” Bone said. “I was trying to pull up YouTube videos and stuff to help, and I’m an educator. So I just think having that access to a tutor who can help to answer those tougher questions or to help guide students through that, I just think that’s an absolutely fabulous opportunity.”
According to Benchmark Education’s website, the company publishes quality literacy resources for students and educators to advance their knowledge, growth and achievement.
The E.L. Achieve website states the company provides instruction in the English language in order to grow students’ proficiency in English.
Addie Reith, communications specialist for Fort Smith, said both programs were also implemented in the 2022-2023 school year.
“E.L. Achieve was piloted in nine schools, while Benchmark was piloted in 11,” Reith said. “Due to the success of the consultants, the Benchmark Education program is now in all 19 elementary schools, while E.L. Achieve is being implemented at Kimmons Middle School.”