By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of three
articles examining the recently released PARCC scores.
Not a single eighth grader in The Leader’s coverage area
exceeded expectations on last year’s statewide assessment, known as PARCC.
Also, Jacksonville Middle School had the lowest math scores
in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. The eighth grade average math score of 694
was the sixth worse in the state and second worse in the district (Fuller
Middle School had a 684).
In April 2015, the state gave its annual mandated
assessments, but this time it was not the long-used Benchmark Exam. It was a
new, more computer-oriented test known as PARRC.
But that particular testing format received a lot of
controversy, and the state decided to scrap it, limiting the validity of the
results.
Starting this year, students will take a different
computer-oriented assessment called ACT/Aspire, which education officials say
is not as rigorous as the PARCC, but still more difficult and demanding than
the Benchmark.
Overall, the PARCC test show students scored significantly
higher in literacy than math. Sixty percent of JMS eighth graders did not meet
expectations, and 50 percent of Lighthouse Middle School eight graders also
failed to meet expectations in math.
On the positive side, 61 percent of Carlisle sixth grades
met or exceeded expectations in literacy and 54 percent of the Flightline
Academy sixth graders did the same, as did 62 percent of the school’s seventh
graders.
Based upon assessment scores, a student can be at a Level 5,
exceeding expectations for that grade level; Level 4, meeting expectations for
that grade level; Level 3, approaching grade-level expectations; Level 2,
partially meeting expectations and needing intervention or additional help; and
Level 1, not yet meeting grade expectations and needing additional help.
“For the Beebe School District, I thought the results of the
PARCC were somewhat inconsistent,” said Dr. Belinda Shook, head of that
district.
“For example, we compared ourselves to the state average and
it was almost an every-other-grade inconsistency in the scores. One grade, we
were much higher than the state average, the next grade we were lower. I don’t
think there is that much variation between how our third- and fourth-grade
teachers teach. They were all using the Common Core Standards. That makes me
question whether it was a standards problem or an assessment problem with cut-off
scores,” Shook said.
Lonoke School Superintendent Suzanne Bailey said,
“Specifically for middle school, the assessments showed we need to focus on
major content in math and written expression for literacy. We continue to excel
in our Algebra I scores at the middle level.
“We know that test scores are just a snapshot of a period of
time in a student’s academic year. They do, however, provide us with key
information that is important to note as we continue to help students of the
Lonoke district to be college- and career-ready,” Bailey said.
JACKSONVILLE
In math, Jacksonville eighth graders had a mean score of
694, with none of its students meeting or exceeding expectations. Sixty percent
of the students did not meet any expectations, while 10 percent were listed as
approaching goals. In literacy, the mean score was 710, with 1 percent
exceeding goals, 13 percent meeting expectations and 21 percent approaching,
but 39 percent failed to meet expectations.
Seventh graders had one of the lowest mean math scores in
the area at 710. The school had 5 percent of its students meeting expectations,
21 percent approaching and 32 percent not meeting expectations. In literacy,
the mean score was 714 with 3 percent exceeding expectations, 12 percent
meeting expectations, 17 percent approaching goals and 39 percent failing to
make the goals.
Sixth graders had a mean math score of 716, one of the
lowest in the area, with 9 percent meeting expectations, 25 percent approaching
and 26 percent not meeting goals at all.
PCSSD
In its last year of existence, Northwood Middle School
posted a mean math score of 704 among its eighth graders, with 1 percent
meeting expectations, 17 percent approaching goals and nearly half (49 percent)
not meeting expectations. For literacy, the mean score was 727, with 1 percent
exceeding goals, 25 percent meeting expectations and 30 percent approaching the
state-set goals for eighth grade. The school had 18 percent not meet
expectations.
Northwood seventh graders had a mean math score of 721, with
10 percent meeting expectations, 32 percent approaching and 14 percent not
meeting expectations. For literacy, the mean score was 729, with 1 percent
exceeding goals, 28 percent meeting goals and 30 percent approaching
expectations. Eighteen percent failed to meet expectations in any manner.
The school’s sixth graders had a mean math score of 719,
with 12 percent meeting expectations, 25 percent approaching them and 19
percent not hitting expectations. In literacy, the mean score was 733, with 31
percent meeting the mandated goals, 34 percent approaching them and 12 percent
not meeting the expectations.
Sylvan Hills eighth graders had a math mean score of 706,
with 3 percent meeting expectations, 21 percent approaching and 42 percent not
meeting goals. In literacy, the mean score was 725, with 2 percent exceeding
goals, 20 percent meeting them, 31 percent approaching expectations and 18
percent not meeting the expectations at all.
Seventh graders at Sylvan Hills Middle School had a math
mean score of 726, with 15 percent meeting goals, 38 percent approaching them
and 11 percent not reaching expectations. In literacy, the mean score was 730,
with 3 percent exceeding expectations, 24 percent meeting them, 33 percent
approaching and 15 percent not making the goals.
Sixth graders scored a mean of 723 in math, with 1 percent
exceeding expectations, 30 percent approaching them and 19 percent failing to
reach expectations. For literacy, the mean score was 729, with 1 percent
exceeding expectations, 22 percent meeting them, 36 percent approaching and 15
percent not up to par.
LIGHTHOUSE
At the Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School, eighth
graders scored a mean of 704 in math, with no students exceeding or meeting
goals, 8 percent approaching expectations and 50 percent not meeting the goals.
For literacy, the mean score was 741, with no students exceeding goals, but 42
percent did meet them and another 28 percent were approaching expectations. The
school had 8 percent of its eighth graders not meet literacy goals.
Seventh graders at the Light-house Middle School had a mean
math score of 712, with no one exceeding or meeting expectations, but 29 were
approaching goals and 18 percent failed to meet expectations. In literacy, the
mean score was 741, with 6 percent exceeding expectations, 33 percent meeting
the goals, 30 percent approaching them and 9 percent not meeting expectations.
Lighthouse sixth graders had a mean math score of 724, with
11 percent meeting expectations, 39 percent approaching them and 13 percent not
making the goals. In literacy, the mean score was 736, with 28 percent meeting
the goals, 39 percent approaching them and 7 percent not making expectations.
At the Lighthouse’s Flightline Academy, the mean math score
was 706, with no one scoring in the exceeding or meeting goals categories. Nine
percent did score in the approaching range, while 36 percent failed to meet
expectations.
Flightline Academy seventh graders had a mean math score of
736, with 3 percent exceeding expectations, 28 percent meeting goals, 40
percent approaching them and just 3 percent failing to meet expectations. In
literacy, students had a mean score of 755, the highest in the area. Eighteen
percent of the seventh graders exceeded expectations, 44 percent met them, 22 percent
were approaching and 4 percent didn’t meet mandated goals.
Sixth graders had a mean math score of 741, with 4 percent
exceeding expectations, 35 percent meeting them, 31 percent approaching
expectations and 8 percent missing the mark.
CABOT
At Cabot Junior High South, the mean math score was 723,
with 11 percent exceeding goals, 34 percent approaching expectations and 19
percent failing to meet standards. In literacy, the mean score was 731, with 2
percent exceeding expectations, 25 meeting goals, 32 percent approaching and 15
percent not meeting expectations.
Seventh graders at CJH South had a math mean score of 736,
with 2 percent exceeding expectations, 27 percent meeting the goals, 39 percent
approaching them and just 5 percent not meeting any goals. For literacy, the
mean score was 734, with 2 percent of the students exceeding expectations, 31
percent meeting the expectations and another 31 percent approaching goals, but
13 percent did not meet any goals.
Sixth graders at Cabot Middle School South had a mean math
score of 743, with 4 percent exceeding the goals, 39 percent meeting them, 32
percent approaching and 7 percent failing to meet expectations. In literacy,
the mean score was 746, with 3 percent exceeding expectations, 43 percent meeting
them, 35 percent approaching expectations and 5 percent failing expectations.
The eighth-grade students at Cabot Junior High North had a
higher math mean score at 730. The school had 17 percent of its students meet
expectations, 31 percent were listed as approaching, and 14 percent did not
meet expectations. The literacy mean score was 740, with 4 percent exceeding
expectations, 36 percent meeting goals, 29 percent approaching and 14 percent
failing to meet expectations.
Cabot North seventh graders had a mean math score of 739,
the best in the area, with 3 percent exceeding expectations, 29 percent meeting
goals, 42 percent approaching and 5 percent not making the goals at all. In
literacy, the mean score was 736, with 8 percent exceeding goals, 27 percent
meeting them, 30 percent approaching expectations and 12 percent not meeting
them.
Cabot Middle School North sixth graders had a mean math
score of 740, with 3 percent exceeding goals, 35 percent meeting them and the
same percentage approaching expectations. Five percent of the sixth graders did
not meet expectations. In literacy, the mean score was 744, with 2 percent
exceeding goals, 41 percent meeting them, 34 percent approaching all the goals
and 5 percent not reaching them.
The district’s behavior academy, the Academic Center for
Excellence, had enough eighth graders for the scores to be tabulated. At ACE,
the math mean score was 720 with 10 percent meeting expectations, 40 percent
approaching and 30 percent not making the goals in any manner. For literacy,
the mean score was 733, with 9 percent exceeding goals, 9 percent meeting
expectations and 36 percent approaching the state-mandated goals. The school
had no students in the bottom category of not meeting expectations. ACE did not
test enough sixth or seventh graders for the state to publish results.
LONOKE
Lonoke’s eighth graders had one of the better math mean
scores in the area with a 724. Fourteen percent of the students met
expectations, and 39 percent were approaching, while 19 percent failed to meet
standards. In literacy, the mean score was 727, with 1 percent of the students
exceeding expectations, 22 meeting goals and 31 percent approaching them.
Lonoke had 20 percent of its students not meet expectations.
In math, seventh graders had a mean score of 728, with 17
percent meeting expectations, 41 percent approaching goals and 10 percent not
meeting goals. In literacy, the mean score was 720, with 2 percent exceeding
expectations, 12 percent meeting expectations, 32 percent approaching and 28
percent not meeting expectations.
Sixth graders at Lonoke Middle School had a mean math score
of 728, with 1 percent exceeding expectations, 18 percent meeting expectations,
35 percent approaching the goals and 12 percent not making the goals in any form.
In literacy, the mean score was 734, with 1 percent of the sixth graders
exceeding goals, 26 percent meeting them, 42 percent approaching expectations
and 10 percent not meeting goals.
BEEBE
Eighth graders in Beebe had a mean math score of 739, the
highest in The Leader coverage area, with 35 percent meeting goals, 34 percent
approaching and 9 percent not meeting goals. In literacy, the mean score was
741, with 4 percent exceeding expectations, 33 percent meeting them, 34 percent
approaching them and 10 percent not meeting expectations.
Seventh graders in Beebe had a mean math score of 734, with
2 percent exceeding expectations, 22 percent meeting goals, 40 percent were
approaching them and 9 percent failed to meet expectations. In literacy, the
mean score was 736, with 6 percent exceeding goals, 29 percent meeting them, 33
percent approaching expectations and 13 percent missing the mark completely.
Beebe sixth graders had a mean math score of 732, with 24
percent meeting expectations, 36 percent approaching them and 6 percent not
making them. In literacy, it was a 740 mean score, with 2 percent exceeding
goals, 32 percent meeting them, 43 percent approaching expectations and 7
percent missing the mark.
At Badger Academy, eighth graders had a mean math score of
702, with 10 percent meeting expectations and another 10 approaching. The
school had 40 percent of its eighth graders not make the appropriately needed
score. Badger Academy did not have enough seventh or sixth graders tested for
the state to publish information on scores.
LISA ACADEMY
At Lisa Academy North, the eight graders had a math mean
score of 715, with 8 percent of the students meeting expectations, 32 percent
approaching and the same number, 32 percent, not meeting expectations. In literacy,
the mean score was 749, the best in the area. Eight percent of the students
exceeded expectations, 36 percent met expectations, 40 percent were approaching
goals, and 6 percent failed to met expectations.
Seventh graders, in math, had a mean score of 718, with 9
percent meeting expectations, 19 percent approaching and 9 percent failing to
meet any expectations. In literacy, the mean score was 752, with 18 percent
exceeding goals, 38 percent meeting them, 22 percent approaching the mandated
goals and 10 percent not meeting expectations.
Sixth graders had a mean math score of 729, with 1 percent
exceeding goals, 18 percent meeting them, 39 percent in the approaching
category and 9 percent failing to make the cut. In literacy, the mean score was
745, with 6 percent exceeding expectations, 39 percent meeting goals, 34
percent approaching them and 8 percent failing to achieve them.
CARLISLE
Eighth graders at Carlisle had a mean math score of 713,
with 11 percent meeting expectations and another 21 percent approaching goals.
More than 30 percent did not meet expectations. In literacy, the mean score was
715, with no students exceeding expectations, 9 percent meeting them and 25
approaching expectations, while the same amount, 25 percent, failed to meet the
goals.
Seventh graders had a mean score of 722 in math, with 12
percent meeting goals, 38 percent approaching and 23 percent failing to meet
expectations. In literacy, the mean score was 731, with 4 percent exceeding
expectations, 23 meeting them, 35 percent approaching and 23 percent not
meeting expectations.
Sixth graders had a mean math score of 736, with 37 percent
meeting expectations, 33 percent approaching them and just 2 percent not making
the cut.
ENGLAND
Eighth graders at England High School had a mean score of
709 in math, with 16 percent of the students meeting expectations and another
13 percent approaching, but 40 percent were listed as not meeting expectations
in any manner. In literacy, the mean score was 707, with 1 percent exceeding
expectations, another 10 percent meeting them and 20 percent approaching
expectations, but 48 percent did not meet expectations.
Seventh graders had a 712 mean math score, and 3 percent met
expectations, 28 percent were in the approaching category and another 28
percent did not meet expectations. In literacy, the mean score was 706, with 5
percent of the students meeting the state-mandated goals, 31 percent
approaching and 41 percent failing to meet expectations.
