By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Cabot middle school students tested smarter than almost 70 percent of the middle school students across the country in math on the recently released Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
On the other hand, nearly 70 percent of the students across the country outscored Jacksonville students.
The norm-referenced test is given as part of the annual Benchmark exam but is pulled out and scored separately. It is not used to determine whether a school is failing or not, but as a tool for teachers to see how well students are doing on basic skills.
Being a norm-referenced exam, it does not have cut scores and students do not “pass” or “fail.”
Sixth graders at Cabot Middle School South scored the best in math in the local area. Students were in the 69th percentile in math, followed by CMS North students at 66 percent, meaning they did better than almost seven out of 10 sixth graders across the country.
On the other hand, sixth graders at Jacksonville Middle School were in the 32nd percentile in math, meaning seven out of 10 students across the country are doing better than them.
Kimberly Friedman, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Education, said, “Unlike the Arkansas Benchmark, ITBS is a norm-referenced exam that provides data in math, literacy and science for Arkansas students as compared with other students in the nation. This feedback is at the individual, school and district levels.
“The only other national assessment is the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), which uses a sample size of Arkansas students. With NAEP, neither the school nor the students receive feedback regarding the national sample given for literacy and math in grades 4, 8 and 12,” she said.
The deputy superintendent for the Pulaski County Special School District, Dr. Laura Bednar, said, “It is one more indicator of where each student is at, and we also looked at it to make grade-level improvements.”
About 35,000 fifth graders statewide were tested in April and the scores were released last week. Out of 35,000 students, they were in the 54th percentile in math, 47th in reading and 50th in language — basically average.
Here is a closer look at the scores from fifth through eighth grades:
FIFTH GRADE
Beebe Middle School students scored in the 50th percentile in math, 49th in reading and 47th in language.
In Searcy, fifth graders at Southwest Middle School were in the 61st percentile in math, 57th in reading and 63rd in language.
Lonoke fifth graders were in the 45th percentile in math, 46th in reading and 49th in language.
In England, the students were in the 47th percentile in math, 32nd in reading and 40th in language.
Carlisle fifth graders were in the 63rd percentile in math, 55th in reading and 64th in language.
Students at Cabot Middle School South were in the 69th percentile in math, 60th in reading and 58th in language
Cabot Middle School North students were 66th in math, 56th in reading and 54th in language.
In PCSSD, Bayou Meto was in the 50th percentile in math, 47th in reading and 46th in language. Clinton Elementary was 52nd in math, 49th in reading and 54th in language. Warren Dupree was 42nd in math, 35th in reading and 44th in language. Harris Elementary was 25th in math, 19th in reading and 26th in language.
Tolleson was in the 56th percentile in math, 49th in reading and also 49th in language. Sherwood Elementary was 51st in math, 41st in reading and 62nd in language. Sylvan Hills Elementary was 50th in math, 43rd in reading and 49th in language. Cato was in the 56th percentile in math, 52nd in reading and also 52nd in language. Pinewood was 35th in math, 42nd in reading and 43rd in language.
PCSSD’s Arnold Drive was in the 51st percentile in math, 57th in reading and 54th in language. Oakbrooke was 51st in math, 48th in reading and 51st in language. Murrell Taylor was 35th in math, 31st in reading and 36th in language.
Lisa Academy North was in the 48th percentile in math, 46th percentile in reading and 47th in language.
Jacksonville Lighthouse Middle School was in the 38th percentile in math, 30th in reading and 36th in language. The charter school’s Flightline Upper Academy was 52nd in math, 52nd in reading and 57th in language.
SIXTH GRADE
Beebe sixth-grade students scored right in the middle at the 50th percentile in math, 50th percentile in reading and 45th percentile in language.
Searcy students at Southwest Middle School were in the 61st percentile in math, 58th in reading and 59th in language.
Lonoke Middle School sixth graders were 48th in math, 43rd in reading and 46th in language. England sixth graders were in the 42nd percentile in math, 34th in reading and 30th in language. Carlisle students were 53rd in math, 48th in reading and 50th in language.
Cabot Middle School South students were in the 69th percentile in math, 53rd in reading and 53rd in language. CMS North students were 66th in math, 55th in reading and 55th in language.
In PCSSD, Jacksonville Middle School sixth graders were in the 32nd percentile in math, 28th in reading and 32nd in language. Sylvan Hills sixth graders were 48th in math, 39th in reading and 42nd in language.
Lisa Academy North was in the 54th percentile in math, 49th in reading and 58th in language.
Jacksonville Lighthouse Middle School students were in the 47th percentile in math, 37th in reading and 42nd in language. Lighthouse’s Flightline Academy was 62nd in math, 57th in reading and 63rd in language.
SEVENTH GRADE
Beebe Junior High seventh graders scored in the 55th percentile in math, 60th percentile in reading and 46th percentile in language.
Seventh graders at Searcy’s Ahlf Junior High scored in the 60th percentile in math, 58th in reading and 55th in language.
Lonoke students were 53rd in math, 42nd in reading and 41st in language. England seventh graders were 40th in math, 39th in reading and 36th in language. Carlisle students scored in the 44th percentile in math, 39th in the reading and 39th in language.
Cabot Junior High South students were in the 56th percentile in math, 54th in reading and 49th in language. CHJ North finished in the 60th percentile in math, 58th in reading and 49th in language.
Jacksonville Middle School seventh graders were in the 40th percentile in math, 33rd in reading and 33rd in language.
Sylvan Hills students were 47th in math, 43rd in reading and 43rd in language.
Lisa Academy North finished in the 58th percentile in math, 62nd in reading and 53rd in language.
Jacksonville Lighthouse Middle School was in the 43rd percentile in math, 37th in reading and 43rd in language. At the Upper Academy, students were 55th in math, 55th in reading and 52nd in language.
EIGHTH GRADE
Beebe eighth graders scored in the 54th percentile in math, 55th in reading and 48th in language.
Ahlf Junior High students in Searcy were in the 57th percentile in math, 65th in reading and 58th in language.
Lonoke eighth graders were 53rd in math, 52nd in reading and 46th in language. England students were in the 40th percentile in math, 40th in