The Downtown education group A+ Schools this morning said it will begin grading the city school board and issuing report cards on the board's work.

Carey Harris, executive director, said trained volunteers will attend the school board's monthly agenda and legislative meetings and fill out a checklist provided by A+ Schools. She said A+ Schools will analyze the checklists and grade the board's work on such issues as transparency, managing conflict and competence.

While the board will be graded, individual board members will not. Ms. Harris said she wasn't sure how A+ Schools will report its evaluations to the public but said she hopes the initiative will lead to better board performance and heightened interest in the board's work.

The first team of three volunteers will attend the board's agenda meeting Wednesday.