Arkansas education officials pressed leaders of seven school districts that received an F rating to make measurable improvements before the spring semester, while urging three districts with four-day schedules to work toward returning to a five-day school week.
Education Secretary Jacob Oliva told the State Board of Education on Thursday that school leaders needed to move quickly after the districts received their second consecutive set of accountability grades. The grades were based on results from the state’s end-of-year tests for the 2025-26 school year.
“We have lost our way,” Jacob Oliva said.
The districts receiving F grades were Lafayette County, Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel, Blytheville, Strong-Huttig, Prescott and Blevins. Their superintendents, school board presidents and education cooperative leaders presented improvement plans to the state board during the meeting.
Districts outline improvement plans
Several districts described efforts to increase the amount of time students spend on core subjects, provide targeted tutoring and give teachers and administrators regular feedback and professional development. Leaders also discussed steps intended to prevent teachers from lowering academic expectations for students who are struggling.
Oliva and board members expressed support for portions of the plans but questioned district leaders about the reasons for their low test performance and the specific actions being taken to address it. Oliva repeatedly told the superintendents that their districts needed to act with urgency.
Three of the districts have four-day school calendars. State education officials urged those districts to work with their school boards on a return to a five-day week. Oliva criticized four-day schedules as serving adults at the expense of students and said the state had lost sight of its educational responsibilities.
Lafayette County faces possible state intervention
Oliva also warned the Lafayette County School District that it was close to being placed in the highest level of state support if it does not show improvement by the spring semester. That level would give the State Board of Education authority to assume control of the district.
Superintendent Jon Estes leads Lafayette County, which was among the districts required to present an improvement plan. Oliva said the district must “act with urgency” as it works to improve its academic results.
The Arkansas Department of Education released district and school letter grades in September under an accountability system approved the previous year. Thursday’s grades marked the second time the state has issued the ratings. The process links the grades to performance on end-of-year testing and gives the state board a framework for monitoring districts with the lowest results.
- Seven districts received F ratings for the 2025-26 school year.
- Three districts with four-day schedules were urged to consider returning to five-day weeks.
- Lafayette County could face the state’s highest support level if it does not improve by spring.
