By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
This is the fourth in a series of articles taking an in-depth look at Benchmark scores across the region.
Seventy-five percent or more of middle school students across the state are reading, writing and understanding math at or above grade level, according to the 2012 Benchmark scores.
But in Jacksonville, only half the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders are on grade level in literacy and math, 25 points below the state average. Eighth-graders in Jacksonville scored a whopping 37 points below the state average on the math exam.
In Sherwood, students were falling about 10 points below the state marks.
Cabot, however, consistently bested the state marks in literacy and math in sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
Beebe and Lonoke students also beat the state average test scores most of the time.
But in the Pulaski County Special School District it was a different story — 40 to 60 percent of the students cannot read, write or perform math problems at grade level.
Among the area middle schools, Sylvan Hills and Northwood were able to top the state average only once in the last five years.
By federal law, all students are supposed to be proficient or advanced at their grade level by the end of the 2014 school year.
Arkansas has recently received a waiver from the federal requirements, but will still give the annual benchmark exams for the next two years and use them to grade student, teacher and school performances.
Benchmark tests are given in April in third through eighth grade in literacy and math. Fifth- and seventh-graders also take a benchmark test in science, but it is not used to determine how well a school is doing.
At the high school level, the required testing includes end-of-course exams in algebra, geometry, biology and literacy.
The following test scores are provided by the Arkansas Research Center, which has tracked Benchmark scores since 2008.
JACKSONVILLE
In 2008 and 2009, the Jacksonville Middle School, part of the Pulaski County Special School District, was divided into a boys and a girls campus. While neither did well against the state average, the girls for the most part, out performed the boys.
In 2010, the campuses were combined, but scores haven’t gotten much better.
At the boys campus in 2008, 30 percent of the sixth-graders were proficient in 2008 and the girls had a 49 percent rate. The combined campus in 2012 was 50 percent, meaning half the students were not reading or writing at grade level. The 50 percent score was 25 points below the state average.
In sixth-grade math, the boys were at 49 percent in 2008 and the girls were at 40 percent. At the combined campus, students scored 48 percent proficient, 28 points below the state average, meaning more than half the students were not functioning on their grade level.
In seventh grade, only 39 percent of the boys were proficient in literacy in 2008 and that fell to just 23 percent in 2009. Among the girls, 41 percent were proficient in 2008 and 59 percent a year later. At the combined campus, 59 percent scored proficient or advanced on the 2012 literacy exam, 21 points under the state average.
In math, the seventh-grade boys were 44 percent proficient in 2008 and the girls were at 34 percent. At the combined campus, in 2012, 58 percent of the students scored proficient or better, 20 points below state averages.
In 2008, 44 percent of eighth-grade boys were proficient in literacy and that went up to 56 percent in 2009. The girls were 60 percent proficient in 2008 and up to 65 percent in 2009. But the combined campus 2012 scores showed only 54 percent were proficient, 27 points under the state mark.
In math, the eight-grade boys were 42 percent proficient in 2008 and the girls were just 21 percent proficient. At the combined campus in 2012, just 43 percent of the students were proficient, a staggering 37 percent below the state average.
SYLVAN HILLS
Also in PCSSD, Sylvan Hills Middle School sixth-graders were 53 percent proficient in 2008 in literacy and moved up to 70 percent in 2012, but still five points under the state mark. In math, students were 53 percent proficient in 2008, jumped up to 69 percent the next year and were at 69 percent on the 2012 exams too, seven points under the state average.
Seventh-graders were 51 percent proficient in literacy in 2008 and jumped to 88 percent in 2012, beating the state mark by eight points. This is the only time in the past five years that any grade level at Sylvan Hills beat the state averages. In math, students were 41 percent proficient in 2008 and 73 percent in 2012, five points under the state mark.
Eight-graders, in literacy, scored 62 percent proficient in 2008, topped out at 75 percent in 2011 and then at 70 percent in 2012, 11 points off of the state averages. In math, students went from 41 percent proficient in 2008 to 57 percent in 2012, 13 points under the state average.
NORTHWOOD
At North Middle School, a PCSSD school, sixth-graders were 58 percent proficient in 2008 in literacy and ended up 69 percent proficient in 2012, six points off the state mark. In math, students were 72 percent proficient in 2008, topped out the next year at 77 percent and were 71 percent proficient on the 2012 exam, five points under the state average.
Seventh-graders, in literacy, were 56 percent proficient in 2008 and moved up to 78 percent in 2012, two points shy of the state mark. In math, students went from 54 percent in 2008 to 75 percent in 2012, three points under the state mark.
In eighth grade, students were 61 percent proficient in literacy in 2008, hit 78 percent in 2010 and finished at 74 percent in 2012, seven points under the state mark. In math, students were 45 percent in 2008, up to 63 percent the next year, but at 59 percent on the 2012 exams, 11 points under the state average.
Eighth-graders did beat the state average twice in the past five years in literacy and once in math.
LIGHTHOUSE
The Lighthouse Charter School in Jacksonville has only had sixth- and seventh-graders for two years and eighth-graders just for one, but here is the data for those years. Its scores are better than those surrounding PCSSD schools, but not as high as Cabot’s.
At the sixth-grade level, students were 54 percent proficient in literacy in 2011 and 77 percent in 2012, two points better than the state average. In math, students fell from 78 percent in 2011 to 70 percent in 2012, six points below the state mark.
In seventh-grade, students went from 53 percent proficient in literacy in 2011 to 78 percent in 2012, two points under the state mark. In math, students dropped from 85 percent proficient in 2011 to 57 percent in 2012, 21 points under the state mark.
Eighth-graders scored 69 percent proficient in 2012, 12 points below the state mark. In math, the students were 52 percent proficient in math, 18 points below the state mark.
LISA ACADEMY
Lisa Academy is a charter school with campuses in Sherwood and has been in operation for four years.
Its sixth-graders went from 73 percent proficient in literacy in 2009 to 84 percent in 2012, nine points better than the state average. In math, students fell from 87 percent in 2009 to 80 percent in 2012, but still four points better than the state average.
Seventh-graders went from 72 percent proficient in 2009 in literacy to 95 percent in 2012, one of the best scores in the state and 15 points over the state average. In math, students went from 81 percent in 2009 to 91 percent in 2012, 13 percent over the state mark.
Among eighth-graders, 84 percent were proficient in literacy in 2009 and 90 percent did the same in 2012, nine points over the state average. In math, students went from 58 percent proficient in 2009 to 81 percent in 2012, 11 points better than the state mark.
CABOT
Cabot students beat the state average in sixth, seventh and eighth grade in math and literacy every year over the past five years.
At Cabot Middle School North, sixth-graders, in literacy, were 75 percent proficient in 2008, 86 percent in 2011 and down to 84 percent in 2012, but still nine points above the state average. In math, students were 81 percent proficient in 2008, topped off at 88 percent in 2011 and were 84 percent proficient in 2012, eight points above the state mark.
Seventh-graders at Cabot Junior High North scored 64 percent proficient in 2008 in literacy and 87 percent in 2012, beating the state mark by seven points. In math, students went from 73 percent proficient in 2008 to 85 percent in 2012, seven points better than the state mark.
Eighth-graders were 78 percent proficient in literary in 2008, topped out at 89 percent in 2010 and were 87 percent in 2012, six points better than the state mark. In math, students went from 65 percent in 2008 to 84 percent in 2012, 14 points over the state average.
At Cabot Middle School South, sixth-grade students were 79 percent proficient in literacy in 2008 and 88 percent in 2012, 13 points better than the state mark. In math, students were consistent, scoring 87 percent in 2008, topping off at 88 percent the next year and scoring 87 percent in 2012, 11 points over the state average.
Seventh-grade students at Cabot Junior High South were 68 percent proficient in 2008 in literacy and 84 percent in 2012, four points above the state mark. In math, students were 76 proficient in 2008 and 84 percent in 2012, beating the state mark by six points.
Eight-graders were at 81 percent proficient in literacy in 2008, hit 89 percent in 2010, then fell to 86 percent in 2012, but still beat the state mark by five points. In math, students were 72 percent proficient in 2008 and 79 percent in 2012, nine points better than the state mark.
BEEBE
Sixth-graders in Beebe scored 67 proficient in literacy in 2008 and 77 percent in 2012, two points better than the state average. In math, students were 77 percent in 2008, topped off at 86 percent in 2009 and were 78 percent proficient in 2012, two points over the state average.
Seventh-graders were at 71 percent proficient in 2008 in literacy and 82 percent proficient in 2012, beating the state mark by two points. In math, students were also 71 percent proficient in 2008 and 82 percent in 2012, four points better than the state mark.
In eighth-grade, students were 79 percent proficient in 2008 and 82 percent in 2012, a point better than the state mark. In math, students went from 63 percent proficient in 2008 to 78 percent in 2012, eight points above the state average.
LONOKE
Sixth-graders in Lonoke went from 51 percent in 2008 in literacy to 76 percent in 2012, a point better than the state average. In math, students went from 75 percent proficient to 82 percent in 2009 and 2011 to 78 percent in 2012, two points better than the state.
Seventh-graders went from 59 percent proficient in literacy in 2008 to 85 percent in 2012, five points better than the state. In math, students were 75 percent proficient in 2008 and 83 percent in 2012, five points better than the state average.
In the eighth grade, students went from 68 percent proficient in literacy in 2008 to 83 percent in 2012, two points above the state average. In math, students went from 60 percent proficient in 2008 to 84 percent in 2012, 14 points better than the state mark.
