Letter to the Editor: No half-baked cake for our kids. No half-baked school grades, either.

[Editor’s note: In his January State of the State address, Gov. Mike Kehoe announced the signing of an executive order that outlines a plan to improve public education in Missouri. The plan assigns letter grades to Show-Me State public schools and districts based on student outcomes, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. On Oct. 15, the University of Missouri presented an implementation outline titled “A-F School and District Grades Scoring Process” to DESE.]

I’ve been graded before. Every superintendent has. I believe in accountability, and I’ve experienced firsthand a state A–F model being built from the ground up. That experience is exactly why I’m concerned about how fast Missouri is moving to grade its schools.

Good accountability systems take time. They require research, educator input, extensive statistical testing and independent technical review. An executive order and an aggressive timeline are no substitute for that work.

The University of Missouri’s October 15 technical report raises legitimate concerns about the A-F model. School grades remain related to poverty, especially at the high school level, and some high school calculations are provisional because complete student-level data weren’t available. I appreciate the researchers’ honesty. But why would we publicly grade schools before these issues are resolved?

My concerns go beyond the model. Former Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson has floated reducing Missouri’s more than 500 districts to roughly 50 or 60 through consolidation. In rural towns, the school is often the largest employer and the heart of the community. Could a D or F become the case for closing it? Could low grades in high-poverty areas become the justification for charter expansion?

I’m not saying that’s the intent. But in 2023, The Opportunity Trust received about $35.6 million in expected federal funding to expand charter schools in Missouri, with a letter of support from then-Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe. The Opportunity Trust has also advocated for accountability changes. Missourians deserve to know who helped shape this system and how much input came from public school leaders, especially input from those leading rural and high-poverty districts.

State officials say the grades won’t directly affect accreditation or funding. I appreciate that. But what assurance do communities have that future policymakers won’t use them to justify consolidation or changes in governance?

I’m not opposed to an A–F system. I’m opposed to launching one before we know it works. The State Board should require an independent technical review, examine results across multiple years, and give districts a meaningful opportunity to evaluate the calculations.

Everyone knows you don’t pull a cake out of the oven just because the timer went off. You check the middle first. If it isn’t done, you give it more time.

Missouri’s children deserve that same care. No half-baked cake for our kids. No half-baked school grades, either.

—Dr. Gearl Loden, Superintendent, Nixa Public Schools