While hoping it doesn’t happen, Polk County School Superintendent Sherrie Nickell and district staff are preparing for the consequences of having a failing school when the grades come out, probably in mid-July.

This year only, the state has said no school’s grade can fall lower than one level, Nickell explained at the School Board work session last week, so only nine schools in Polk could possibly go to an F grade, and staff thinks there is the potential for a few to get the failing mark.