Arizona schools are getting better grades. That is according to a report released on Thursday by the state department of education. More schools received A’s on their annual report card, based on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards or AIMS test. Schools are graded on a variety of factors including test scores, dropout rates, graduation rates and how much students improve from year to year.
Arizona Schools Superintendent John Huppenthal said state schools have managed to overcome the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars cut by state legislators over the last several years.
"We know that the stress from the finances of the last couple of years are significant distraction from the educational mission, and that the Legislature needs to do something about it," Huppenthal said. "Our school system needs to be compensated at least for inflation, and they need a little bit of catch up ground from the cuts over the last couple of years."
The highest scoring school in the state based on total points was University High School in the Tolleson District.