The Arkansas Department of Education on Thursday unveiled a redesigned school report card website that gives parents and communities a clearer look at how their local schools and districts are performing.
For the first time, the state is releasing district letter grades alongside individual school grades, marking a new step in transparency and accountability under the ACCESS Act of 2025, the department said in a release.
“Every student deserves a quality education, and that starts with setting high expectations,” said Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. “Families deserve to know how their child’s school is performing.”
Districts are graded on a 900-point scale based on multiple measures of student outcomes. According to the state’s first set of grades, 23 districts earned A’s, 98 earned B’s, 98 earned C’s, 24 earned D’s, and 11 received F’s.
Assistant Commissioner Hope Worsham said the updated system makes performance data easier to understand while allowing educators and policymakers to identify where improvement is needed.
The department also announced $7 million in awards to 151 schools that showed exceptional student achievement and growth through the Arkansas School Recognition Program.
Officials said the new tools are part of the department’s broader effort under LEARNS to support schools with tutoring, improved literacy instruction, and targeted assistance for struggling campuses.
Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said the new platform “helps families, educators, and communities focus on the measures that matter most to make student success a reality.”
Families can explore the school and district report cards at myschoolinfo.arkansas.gov.
Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ every weekday morning and afternoon. White River Now updates are also aired on weekday mornings on
93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5. Catch CBS News around the top of every hour on 1340 KBTA.
