Regional schools earn letter grades from Arkansas Department of Education

The Arkansas Department of Education has released its school letter grades for the 2024-2025 school year. 

The state this year used an updated accountability formula to the new Arkansas Teaching, Learning & Assessment System (ATLAS).

The department said in a press release that 12% of the state’s school’s scored an A, 28% made a B, 34% got a C, 13% received a D and 13% scored an F; additionally, 156 grades are being appealed.

ATLAS is reportedly geared to more closely match what students are expected to learn than the previous ACT Aspire exam.

The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education said it finalized the new accountability formula through a “transparent, educator-driven and expert-led process to set thresholds for A-F ratings” in April 2025. “The grading scale is set to ensure that performance in each indicator is equally prioritized and thresholds effectively identify both exceptional schools and schools in need of critical support,” the DESE explained.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the ATLAS scoring is in line with her signature LEARNS Act.

“LEARNS is all about improving the way we educate kids in Arkansas,” the governor said. “And our new letter grade formula, alongside the new ATLAS exam, allows us to do that with a better, more full picture of where each of our students and schools stand,” the governor said. “We never want to settle until every child in Arkansas has a pathway to success and with this additional information and the new resources now available through the LEARNS Act, we are creating opportunities to help every student across the state.”

Here are how regional schools scored:

Arkadelphia Public Schools

Arkadelphia High School: C

Goza Middle School: C

Peake Elementary School: D

Gurdon Public Schools

Gurdon High School: C

Cabe Elementary School: C

Centerpoint Public Schools

Centerpoint High School: B

Centerpoint Academy of Agriculture & Skilled Trade: B

Centerpoint Elementary School: C

Ouachita Public Schools

Ouachita High School: B

Ouachita Elementary School: B

Bismarck Public Schools

Bismarck Middle School: B

Bismarck Elementary School: C

Bismarck High School: B

Harmony Grove Public Schools (Ouachita County)

Harmony Grove Elementary School: A

Harmony Grove High School: Pending Appeal

CLICK HERE to visit ADE’s website and see letter grades throughout Arkansas.