Education Week ranks Arkansas’ education system 5th in U.S.

Arkansas’s public education system ranks fifth in the nation according to the latest edition of Education Week’s Quality Counts.

The report gives the state high marks in the transitions and alignment category; the standards, assessments and accountability category; and the teaching profession category, according to a press release from the Arkansas Department of Education.

“Quality Counts validates what we already know: Arkansas’s public school system has effective policies and reforms,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Tom Kimbrell. “But this report also confirms we must expect continued improvement in student achievement and seek innovations to expand learning opportunities.”

This year’s Quality Counts grades were based on the performance of states in six broad areas: the role of education in promoting success at various stages of life; K-12 student achievement; rigor and quality of academic standards, assessments and accountability systems; teacher preparation, licensure and evaluation; school finance; and alignment of state policies related to school, college and workforce readiness.

Though all six of these categories are used to determine the overall score for each state, the scores in only three categories have been updated for 2013—chance for success; transitions and alignment; and school finance.

Arkansas earned an A in standards, assessments and accountability; and transitions and alignment. The state also received a B+ in the teaching profession category. Areas for improvement include K-12 achievement and chance for success categories where the state fell just below the national average. The state met the national average in school finance.

State-level data gathered by Education Week comes from a policy survey of the states conducted in the summer and fall of 2012. In addition, the publication draws on data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Link here for the report from Education Week.