The idea of school report cards was inspired by a similar scheme in New York.
However, difficulties with the policy emerged in the city, with a rapid increase in the number of schools being awarded top grades. The proportion of elementary and middle schools rated A shot up from 23 to 84 per cent in just three years.
A or B grades went to 97 per cent of the schools, rendering them virtually useless for meaningful comparisons and forcing red-faced officials to looking at changing the system so that grades were lower this year.
