State Performance Reports Issued

Earlier this month, the state released school letter grades based on ATLAS (Arkansas Teaching, Learning and Assessment System) testing of students across grades and subjects areas during the 2025-26 school year.

End-of-year assessments are given to public school students in grades 3 through 8 (in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science), grade 9 and 10 ELA, and end-of-course exams for Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology. K–3 also uses early screeners and mid-year interim checkpoints.

Arkansas public school districts receive an annual A–F letter grade that reflects overall performance across the accountability system. Letter grades were also assigned to individual schools within districts.

This is the second year for grading under the ATLAS exams, which replaced the ACT Aspire testing used prior to the LEARNS Act.

The school rating index calculation includes scores for both achievement and growth in ELA, math and science, along with growth of the lowest 25 percent in each of the three areas. For high schools, graduation rate and readiness is also factored in.

Achievement indicates how effectively students met grade-level expectations on statewide assessments across the district.
Growth shows how well students are meeting their academic growth targets based on their past test scores.

School letter grades for the past two years are included in the accompanying chart.

This year, Mountain View School received B for elementary, B for middle school, and C for high school. Rural Special received B for high school and C for elementary. Timbo received C for high school and F for elementary. The district-wide letter grade was a B.

Timbo School

At Timbo, Supt. Valorie McCleary issued the following statement:

“We take those results seriously, but it is also important for our community to understand what these grades represent.

"These are results from the 2025–26 school year, when Timbo was still part of the Mountain View School District. They are not yet letter grades earned under the new independent Timbo School District.

"This year, for the first time, we have the opportunity —and the responsibility —to build our own systems, make our own instructional decisions, direct our own resources, and ultimately establish our own record of student performance. Last year was an extraordinarily difficult transition for this school and community.

"The uncertainty surrounding Timbo’s future and the process of becoming independent were trying for students, employees, families, and community members. There were also concerns within our community about whether Timbo was receiving the instructional resources and support it needed during that period.

"Rather than remain focused on those circumstances, our responsibility now is to make full use of the opportunity independence has given us.

“We have moved beyond simply looking at the letter grade and are analyzing the individual student data behind it. Because much of the 2025–26 assessment and accountability information belongs to the former district, we have had to request those records from Mountain View and are still working to obtain some of the information needed for a complete  analysis. Even so, we already know enough to act. At the elementary level, student growth — particularly in mathematics — requires immediate attention. At the high school, there are areas of stronger achievement, but we must produce more consistent growth. Across K–12, we are strengthening mathematics, reading, writing, and students’ ability to reason, explain, and support their thinking. Our teachers are identifying students by name, determining the specific skills they need next, aligning instruction to Arkansas standards and assessment expectations, and developing targeted intervention plans. We will monitor progress throughout the year rather than waiting for another state assessment to tell us whether our work was successful.

“Timbo has always been more than a school building. Generations of families have attended it, worked in it, supported it, and fought to preserve it. Independence gives this community something it has not had in many years: the opportunity to determine what Timbo School District becomes. The F is part of Timbo’s history, but it does not have to define our future. The next letter grade will give us an opportunity to begin showing what Timbo can accomplish when this community has ownership of its schools, its resources, and its direction.”

Rural Special School

“We are pleased to celebrate the successes in both Rural Special High School and Rural Special Elementary,” said Supt. Delena Thompson. “The high school performed well in math and maintained in the areas of language arts and science which resulted in the B grade. Rural Special Elementary scored well in language arts, but fell in the areas of math and science resulting in the C grade.

“It is a goal at Rural Special School District to be at the top of the list when it comes to academics. This means we have a little work to do in needed areas of growth. Administration has already met with staff to determine needs of support in achieving this goal. The concept of supporting all students shows in our receiving the GEM award for achievement and growth. The work ethic and dedication of our staff make me proud to represent this district.”

Mountain View Elementary

Mountain View Elementary Principal Carrie Futrell said she and Assistant Principal Lori Sullivan are very proud to see MVES move to a B on the annual report.

“This improvement reflects the hard work and commitment of our teachers, students, their families, and our staff,” Futrell said. “We believe much of our growth can be attributed to our focus on using student data to identify individual needs, providing targeted instruction and intervention, strengthening Tier 1 instruction, and increasing the rigor of classroom learning.”

She added, “The teachers have worked extremely hard to monitor student progress and adjust instruction based on what students need, while keeping the focus on helping every child grow. We know there is still work to do, but we are celebrating this accomplishment and are especially proud of our teachers and staff for their dedication and the difference they make in our students every day.”

All school performance report card information is posted online at myschoolinfo.arkansas.gov.

Statewide, most letter grades moved in a positive direction from the previous year, with A grades rising from 133 to 141, and B grades rising from 308 to 350. The number of schools with a C grade dropped by seven, D grades dropped by 15 and F grades dropped by 36.

The number of schools across the state receiving each letter grade:
2025-26 2024-25
A - 141 133
B - 350 308
C - 339 345
D - 122 137
F - 72 108