An empirical test of Oklahoma’s A-F grades

Authors

  • Curt Matthew Adams University of Oklahoma
  • Patrick B. Forysth University of Oklahoma
  • Jordan K. Ware University of Oklahoma
  • Mwarumba Mwavita Oklahoma State University
  • Laura L. Barnes Oklahoma State University
  • Jam Khojasteh Oklahoma State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v24.2127

Keywords:

school accountability, A-F accountability grades, achievement equity, next-generation accountability

Abstract

Oklahoma is one of 16 states electing to use an A-F letter grade as an indicator of school quality. On the surface, letter grades are an attractive policy instrument for school improvement; they are seemingly clear, simple, and easy to interpret. Evidence, however, on the use of letter grades as an instrument to rank and improve schools is scant at best. We address the gap in the literature by using student test scores to evaluate the use of Oklahoma’s A-F grades as a school quality indicator. Achievement differences between letter grades were small and in most cases not statistically significant when student and school characteristics were held constant. School grades did not reveal large achievement gaps in the highest ranked schools. Additionally, free/reduced lunch and minority students in D and F schools outperformed peers in A and B schools. 

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Author Biographies

Curt Matthew Adams, University of Oklahoma

Curt Adams is the Linda Clarke Anderson Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma and co-director of the Oklahoma Center for Education Policy.

Patrick B. Forysth, University of Oklahoma

Patrick Forsyth is a professor of education at the University of Oklahoma and co-director of the Oklahoma Center for Education Policy.

Jordan K. Ware, University of Oklahoma

Jordan K. Ware is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Oklahoma with the Oklahoma Center for Education Policy.

 

Mwarumba Mwavita, Oklahoma State University

Mwarumba Mwavita is an assistant professor of Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics at Oklahoma State University and director of The Center for Educational Research and Evaluation.

Laura L. Barnes, Oklahoma State University

Laura L. Barnes is an associate professor of Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics at Oklahoma State University and a research scientist with The Center for Educational Research and Evaluation.

Jam Khojasteh, Oklahoma State University

Jam Khojasteh is an assistant professor of Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics at Oklahoma State University and a research scientist with The Center for Educational Research and Evaluation.

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Published

2016-01-11

How to Cite

Adams, C. M., Forysth, P. B., Ware, J. K., Mwavita, M., Barnes, L. L., & Khojasteh, J. (2016). An empirical test of Oklahoma’s A-F grades. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 24, 4. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v24.2127

Issue

Vol. 24 (2016)

Section

Articles