OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma education officials say they plan to have a new A through F grading system for public schools up and running by October.

State Superintendent Janet Barresi said Thursday the new system involving letter grades for schools will make it easier for parents to determine how well their local schools are performing.

The new grading system was approved by the Republican controlled Legislature in 2011 as a way to provide easy-to-understand information to parents.

But the rules for the new grading system have been opposed by some school officials and lawmakers who say they're concerned about the way the grades are determined and a lack of input in the rulemaking process.

Barresi says preliminary grades will be released to schools later this month, with final grades released in October.