Dear Staff, Parents, and Community Members,
In the coming days, the state of Missouri will release preliminary letter grades for public schools across the state. At Adrian R-III School District, we believe transparency is essential. We want our staff, families, and community to hear directly from us about this new grading system, what it measures, what it does not measure, and the concerns we have regarding its implementation.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is introducing its first pilot A-F grading system for public schools, established through an executive order signed by Governor Kehoe in January. As these preliminary grades are released, we believe it is important for our community to understand three key points:
• Every school district and school building will receive a single letter grade.
• This system is in addition to Missouri’s existing Annual Performance Report (APR); it does not replace it.
• The grading system relies heavily on standardized test scores, assessed once per school year, providing a limited picture of overall school performance.
It is important to recognize that this is a pilot program—the first year of a new state-level system using performance data from the 2024–2025 school year. As the framework evolves, the criteria and resulting grades may change over time. The current A–F grading framework is based on an executive order and action by the State Board of Education rather than state law.
We support accountability and continuous improvement in public education, which the APR supports. However, we have expressed professional concerns to the state regarding the accelerated timeline for developing and implementing this system. In response to this concern, the Adrian R-III Board of Education passed a resolution in opposition to the A-F grading system. We believe school evaluation should be fair, comprehensive, and reflective of the many factors that contribute to student learning and success. Standardized test scores provide one measure of performance, but they are only a snapshot in time. They cannot fully capture the quality of instruction, the growth of individual students, the dedication of educators, or the many ways our schools serve the community.
Ultimately, no state-assigned letter grade can replace the knowledge and perspective of a parent. You see the relationships your children build with their teachers, the support they receive in the classroom, the challenges they overcome, and the progress they make each day. Those experiences matter. Our responsibility is to partner with you to help every student reach their full potential.
Regardless of the letter grade assigned or the requirements established in Jefferson City, our mission remains unchanged. We will continue to focus on the local priorities, programs, and systems that support student achievement and reflect the values of our community.
Public education serves every child who walks through our doors, without exception. Our schools welcome students with different abilities, needs, backgrounds, life circumstances, and starting points. This commitment is fundamental to who we are. It is also why we believe a single letter grade can never fully represent the work of a school or the dedication of the educators who serve our students each day.
Strong public schools are essential to the future of our communities. Building and sustaining that strength requires meaningful accountability, thoughtful evaluation, and, above all, trust between our schools and the families we serve. While state ratings may provide one perspective, they should never define the full value of a school or the success of its students.
Thank you for your continued trust, support, and partnership. We remain committed to keeping our community informed as this process unfolds and to advocating for an evaluation system that fairly reflects the work happening in our schools every day.
Our commitment to our students, our families, and our community will not change.
Sincerely,
Adrian R-III School District
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