By RICK KRON Leader staff writer
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles examining the recently released annual test scores. The first looked at Cabot. This article highlights PCSSD scores, and the next will look at other schools in the area.
Pulaski County Special School District fifth graders beat the state average on four of five portions of the annual state test, the ACT Aspire. They outscored the state in English, science, reading and writing. The fifth graders were just two percent points below the state average in math.
However, the district’s ninth graders struggled in math and science, only doing half as well as the rest of the state, and Jacksonville High School posted the lowest scores of any grades in the district in those two areas.
At the district level, in math, 13 percent of the ninth graders met or exceeded expectations and in science that went up to 13.7 percent. At Jacksonville High School. Just 4.4 percent of the students met or exceeded expectations in math and it was only 3.2 percent in science. In other words, nearly all Jacksonville High School students, based on the test, don’t have the skills to move on.
The terminology, “met or exceeded expectations” has replaced the use of proficient or advanced.
“We are disappointed in the scores, particularly at the secondary level,” said PCSSD Deputy Superintendent John Tackett, adding that the district is focusing on the writing aspect.
He said the district was pleased with the English scores, but added that the English portion and the writing portion of the exam required “very different skill sets.”
The annual test scores were recently released by the Arkansas Department of Education.
The tests, given in April and May, were the first time students across the state in grades three through 10 took the ACT Aspire computerized test. It is the second year that the annual test has been computerized. Last year most students took the PARCC on computer and for years before that it was the pencil-and-paper Benchmark exams.
Tackett said students at the sixth-grade level and early high school had to write a reflective narrative based on a certain prompt.
At the seventh-grade level is was an analytical narrative and the eighth graders had to write a persuasive piece. “We will have teachers, schools and students spend more time developing skills for those particular writing pieces.”
Even though the final product is typed on the computer, Tackett feels the district needs to focus on the pencil-paper aspect of developing and organizing ideas (brainstorming).
He said one problem facing the district is that it has the state-level scoring rubric, but no sample writings to see how the rubric is applied. “We are developing prompts similar to what was given and we will have our students write the narratives and the teachers grade them using the state rubric, then will compare how different teachers and schools interpreted the scoring rubric and develop consistent standards of interpretation to be used,” he explained.
Tackett also said that a major factor in the gap between English and writing scores has to do with the complexity of the questions. On the English exam, about 25 percent of the test questions were on the most complex level, while on the writing portion all the questions were at the top level. “Again, it’s something we need to be aware of and focus on,” Tackett said.
Here are PCSSD schools and the percentage of their students who met or exceeded expectations on the five sections of the test.
Arnold Drive Elementary had 69.6 percent of its third graders meet or exceed expectations in English, 73.9 percent in math, 56.5 percent in science, 56.5 percent in reading and 43.5 percent in writing.
Among fourth graders, 75.9 percent did well in English, 58.6 percent in math, 55.2 percent in science, 51.7 percent in reading, but just 7.4 made it in writing. The school did not have enough fifth graders take the test for the state to publish scores.
Bayou Meto Elementary third grade had 51.2 percent of its students meet or exceed expectations in English, followed by 63.4 percent in math, 46.3 percent in science, 41.5 percent in reading and just 7.7 percent made the cut in writing.
At the fourth-grade level, 65.2 percent did well in English, 56.5 percent in math, 45.7 percent in science, 43.5 percent in reading and then it dropped to just 4.4 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in writing.
Fifth grade had 67.4 percent make the cut in English, 39.1 percent in math, 37 percent in science, 26.1 percent in reading and 26.1 in writing.
Cato Elementary had 65.3 percent of its third graders do well in English, 55.1 percent in math, 32.7 percent in science, 28.6 percent in reading and 15.2 percent in writing.
At the fourth-grade level, 58.6 percent made the cut in English, 43.1 percent in math, 37.9 percent in science, 31 percent in reading and just 1.7 percent in writing.
For fifth grade, 82 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 46 percent in math, 40 percent in science, 52 percent in reading and 20 percent in writing.
At Clinton Elementary, 76.9 percent met or exceeded expectations in English at the third-grade level, followed by 47.6 percent in math, 30.5 percent in science, 29.8 percent in reading and 21.4 percent in writing.
Fourth grade had 63.2 percent make the cut in English, 35.4 percent in math, 35.4 percent in science, 42.1 percent in reading and just 7.5 percent met or exceeded expectations in writing.
Fifth grade had 80.5 percent achieve in English, 39 percent in math, 32.9 percent in science, 26.8 percent in reading and 24.4 percent made the cut in writing.
Warren Dupree saw 65.3 percent of its third graders make the cut in English, 36.1 percent in math, 20.8 percent in science, 18.1 percent in reading and 12.9 percent in writing.
At the fourth-grade level, half, or 50 percent, met or exceeded expectations in English, 26.8 percent in math, 21.4 percent in science, 12.5 percent in reading and 12.5 percent in writing.
Fifth grade saw 49.1 percent make the cut in English, 27.3 percent in math, 10.9 percent in science, 14.5 percent in reading and only 5.5 percent succeeded in writing.
At Harris Elementary 48.8 percent of the third graders made the cut in English, 28.6 percent in math, 14.3 percent in science, 17.1 percent in reading and 23.5 percent in writing.
Among fourth graders, just 23.9 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 17.4 percent in math, 13 percent in science, 10.9 percent in reading and 8.9 percent in writing.
For fifth grade, 60.6 percent made the cut in English, 39.4 percent in math, 27.3 percent in science, 18.8 percent in reading and 19.4 percent met or exceeded expectations in writing.
Murrell Taylor had 35.1 percent of its third graders meet or exceed expectations in English, 43.9 percent in math, 12.3 percent in science, just 8.8 percent in reading and only 8 percent in writing.
Fourth grade had 42.3 percent of its students make the cut in English, 45.1 percent in math, 26.9 percent in science, 32.7 percent in reading and just 5.8 percent in writing.
Fifth grade had 71.9 percent make the cut in English, 28.1 percent in math, 25 percent in science, 18.8 percent in reading and 18.8 percent in writing.
Oakbrooke Elementary had 79.1 percent of its third graders succeeded in English, 60.9 percent in math, 32.2 percent in science, 34.1 percent in reading, 20.2 percent in writing.
At the fourth-grade level, 61.3 percent did well in English, 42.5 percent in math, 28.8 percent in science, 27.5 percent in reading and 15.2 percent in writing.
In fifth grade, 84.1 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 42.7 percent in math, 43.9 in science, 37.8 percent in reading and 24.4 percent in writing.
At Pinewood Elementary, 56.2 percent of its third graders made the cut in English, 37 percent inmate, 18.1 percent in science, 23.3 percent in reading and 11.3 percent in writing.
Fourth grade had 44.4 percent of its students do well in English, 30.2 percent in math, 15.9 percent in science, 14.3 percent in reading and just 6.3 percent in writing.
Among fifth graders, 61.3 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 26.7 percent in math, 25.3 percent in science, 24 percent in reading and 13.5 percent in writing.
Tolleson had 68 percent of its third graders make the cut in English, 55.8 percent in math, 34.6 percent in science, 34.6 percent in reading and 19.6 percent in writing.
At the fourth-grade level, 63.5 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 52.2 percent in math, 26.7 percent in science, 24.4 percent in reading and 18.2 percent made the cut in writing.
Among fifth graders, 64.4 percent did well in English, 34.9 percent in math, 16.3 percent in science, 23.3 percent in reading and 14.3 percent writing.
At Sherwood Elementary, 81.3 percent of the third graders met or exceeded expectations in English, 60.4 percent in math, 27.1 percent in science, 31.3 percent in reading and just 8.3 percent made the cut in writing.
In fourth grade, 55.4 percent did well in English, 50.9 percent in math, 32.1 percent in science, 39.3 percent in reading and 10.7 percent in writing.
At the fifth-grade level, 75 percent made the cut in English, 47.3 percent in math, 41.8 percent in science, 32.7 percent in reading and 30.8 percent in writing.
Sylvan Hills third grade had 66.7 percent of its students meet or exceed expectations in English, 60 percent in math, 33.3 percent in science, 33.3 percent in reading, 21.6 percent in writing.
In fourth grade, 76.4 percent made the cut in English, 50 percent in math, 41.7 in science, 41.7 in reading and just 4.2 percent did well in writing.
Among fifth graders, 68.9 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 44.6 percent in math, 25.7 percent in science, 25.7 percent in reading and 29.7 percent in writing.
At Jacksonville Middle School, 60.9 percent of sixth graders did well in English, 42.4 percent in math, 25.9 percent in science, 28.6 percent in reading and 21.5 percent in writing.
At the seventh-grade level, 67.3 percent made the cut in English, 19.4 percent in math, 18.5 percent in science, 20.5 percent in reading and 21.4 percent in writing.
In eighth grade, 50.7 percent of the students met or exceeded expectations in English, 13 percent inmate, 17.7 percent in science, 25.8 percent in reading and just 9.4 percent made the cut in writing.
Among sixth graders at Sylvan Hills Middle School, 65.2 percent met or exceeded expectation in English, 44.8 percent in math, 40.6 percent in science, 37.6 percent in reading and 31.9 percent in writing.
At the seventh-grade level, 75.1 percent made the cut in English, 28 percent in math, 28.5 percent in science, 26.7 percent in reading and 26.2 percent in writing.
Among eighth graders, 64.6 percent did well in English, 25.7 percent in math, 22.2 percent in science, 37.8 percent in reading and 16.4 in writing.
Jacksonville High School freshmen had 27.3 percent of its students make the cut in English, just 4.4 percent in math, only 3.2 percent in science, 11.3 percent in reading and 15.9 percent in writing.
Sophomores had 31.2 percent do well in English, 8.7 percent in math, 5.4 percent in science, 11.4 percent in reading and 25.1 percent in writing.
At Sylvan Hills High School, 45.3 percent of the freshmen did well in English, 20.3 percent in math, 30.9 percent in science, 38.8 percent in reading and 57.1 in writing.
Sophomores had 58.6 percent make the cut in English, 55.1 percent in math, 32.7 percent in science, 28.6 percent in reading and 15.2 percent in writing.
Among North Pulaski High School freshmen 29.2 percent met or exceeded expectations in English, 6.4 percent in math, 8.3 percent in science, 22.9 percent in reading and 37.5 percent in writing.
At the sophomore level, 56.3 percent did well in English, 18.8 percent in math, 27.5 percent in science, 33.8 percent in reading and 50.6 percent in writing.
