Future School of Fort Smith earns ‘B’ grade for inaugural year

Future School of Fort Smith has received a “B” letter grade from the Arkansas Board of Education. The grade is based on a variety of factors including test performance, teacher qualification, student retention, and discipline, and it covers the school’s inaugural year of operation.

Founded in 2016, Future School of Fort Smith is a tuition-free, public charter high school centered on a personalized approach to learning via student-designed internships, personalized learning plans, and an advisor for each student. It serves students in grades 10-12. The assessment period was for grade 10 only.

The school’s score of 71.33 falls in the 70-75 bar of the state distribution of the overall ESSA index score for the High School Level grade span. The ESSA score refers to the Every Student Succeeds Act signed by President Barack Obama in December 2015. The average state high school score is 67.43. To earn an “A,” schools must register an overall ESSA of 75.4 or above.

“While we recognize that these letter grades do not tell the full story of all the exciting and ‘real world’ work happening in our community, we appreciate this early indicator of Future School’s success,” said Future School superintendent Trish Flanagan. “In addition, we welcome the challenge of Future School earning a grade of ‘A’ in the coming years as we work to meet the needs of our community of diverse students.”

As of the 2016-2017 enrollment figures, Future School’s demographics consisted of 59.7% White, 24.2% Hispanic/Latino, 9.7% African-American, 3.2% Native American, 1.6% Asian, and 1.6% Multiracial. Around 53% of the student body comes from low-income households.

Groups that are below 10% of the school’s makeup are considered “Restricted Value” sub-populations, so a performance number is not provided on the school report card website. However, the available demographics — White, Hispanic/Latino, and Low-Income, scored higher than state averages. White students at Future School registered a 73.75 score against a 69.93 average across the state. Low-Income students received a 71.31 against 63.49 statewide, and Hispanic/Latino students earned 65.85 against 62.42.

Enrollment for year one was 62 with an average class size of seven. The student-to-teacher ratio was 3:1, and per pupil expenditures were $13,555 at the district level and $9,807 at state. While publicly funded, Future School is a charter that operates independently from the Fort Smith Public School (FSPS) district.

The FSPS received a “C” letter grade overall, but that encompasses 25 schools across elementary, junior high, and high school. Belle Point Alternative Center was not graded. Northside High School received a “D,” while Southside High School received a “B.”