Arizona’s school ratings are headed for a major overhaul, with higher targets for schools to earn credit for student proficiency and growth and no more bonus points. The revised A-F system is expected to take effect with ratings released in fall 2027. The Arizona State Board of Education approved changes over the past several months. The system considers factors including how many students meet academic standards, how much students improve compared with academic peers, and graduation rates. Under the new approach, each factor will also receive its own grade. Applying the newly approved measures to current ratings would result in about 6% fewer A grades, according to Sean Smith, the Arizona Department of Education’s chief accountability officer. He said the number of B grades would remain roughly stable, while C grades would increase. The changes have raised concerns among some educators. At a late-September board meeting, Paul Tighe, executive director of the Arizona Administrators Association, warned that placing more weight on proficiency could make school ratings track more closely with the economic circumstances of the communities they serve. Tighe said the existing balance of proficiency and student growth can recognize schools that help students make substantial progress, even when students have not yet reached proficiency. He also pointed to the work of an earlier board subcommittee that sought to reduce the connection between school grades and community wealth. Board Executive Director Sean Ross said he expects grades, especially A’s, to decline at first, but argued that higher expectations can encourage schools to improve. The board reviews its rating system annually. This round of changes followed a report from the Arizona Auditor General’s Office that found the system did not clearly communicate school performance. The report also said outdated measures and bonus points may have inflated some schools’ grades. The board may consider further changes before the new ratings are released. The grades matter to families comparing schools, while educators say the measures must account for both student achievement and progress amid differences in community resources.