Missouri Board Approved New School Grading System
The state adopted an A-F grading framework for K-12 public schools following an 8-1 vote by the board in September.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Missouri State Board of Education formally approved a new A-F grading framework for public schools in September 2026. This system was developed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education following a executive order signed by Governor Mike Kehoe in January 2026.
Why it matters
The board created this system to offer a clearer metric for assessing public education performance across the state. Officials opted against requesting $300 million in additional funding, leaving the current state appropriation levels unchanged despite existing gaps.
The new framework uses academic achievement, growth, and proficiency metrics to assign grades. Missouri currently ranks 49th nationally in the percentage of K-12 public school funding provided by the state.
The players
Mike Kehoe
Mike Kehoe is the Governor of Missouri who issued the executive order that initiated the development of the new school grading framework.
Missouri State Board of Education
The Missouri State Board of Education is the state-level governing body responsible for overseeing public K-12 education and establishing academic standards.
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is the state agency tasked with administering the public school system and creating educational policy.
The details
The grading system evaluates elementary and middle schools based on core academic proficiency and growth. High schools are measured by additional factors, including graduation rates and student success-ready indicators.
Timeline
Governor Mike Kehoe signed an executive order regarding school grading in January 2026.
The Missouri State Board of Education approved the new grading framework in September 2026.
Culture Shift
The introduction of a standardized A-F scale mirrors a broader trend among state education agencies to simplify performance metrics for public accountability. This move signals a shift toward data-centric management in a state that consistently ranks low in direct educational investment.
Parents and local community members can expect to see their schools assigned letter grades that influence district-level administrative decisions. These changes directly impact how school performance is communicated to the public and how district priorities are set.
The takeaway
The adoption of the A-F system provides a standardized way to compare school performance across different regions of the state. Residents should monitor how their local school district adapts its internal policies to meet these new state-mandated grading criteria.
Further reading
Learn more about the state curriculum and assessment landscape in Missouri Secondary Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ky3.
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