North Carolina School Superintendent Pushes for Major Changes to State’s School Grading System
In North Carolina’s Iredell-Statesville district, thirteen schools got failing grades. The state’s grading system weighs test scores at 80%, while student improvement makes up only 20%. Jeff James, who runs the district as superintendent, doesn’t agree with how the state grades schools. Since 2013, schools have gotten A-F grades based on tests and a complicated tracking system called EVAAS. The district now uses iReady tests to track how students are doing. At Third Creek Middle, these tests show kids are improving, but state grades paint a completely different picture.
Education experts slam the EVAAS system. In a harsh review of Caffeinated Rage, scholars Audrey Amrein-Beardsley and Clarin Collins didn’t mince words: “The system is a disaster and a psychometric bad joke.”
In real classrooms, teachers are getting fed up. Test scores come back months later after students have moved up a grade, making the information useless for helping current students. Nobody can see how the system actually works, making it like a black box that gives out numbers without explanation.
Some schools can’t escape their poor grades. Four I-SS schools have been stuck with them for almost ten years. Teachers say these grades make it harder to hire new staff and don’t show the good things happening in their classrooms. The school board can’t agree on what to do. Some members want quick changes at struggling schools, while others think they need to completely rebuild the grading system.
School leaders now find their pay linked to EVAAS scores, something that worries many since a private company controls this system that affects their careers.
The grades hit poorer neighborhoods the hardest. Many people say this unfairly overshadows the good work and improvements happening in these schools. Taking action, the district is trying new ways to help struggling schools. They’re working to connect better with families and matching students with mentors who can help them succeed beyond just test scores.
