RECORDS AND
PROCEDURES
ANNUAL
REPORT TO THE PUBLIC
The Annual Report to the Public of the
Brinkley School District 48-01 was held at the C.B. Partee
Elementary School Cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. on the 8th day of September, 2008. Present were a number of Board members,
community members, members of the school staff and the media.
Mrs. Betty McGruder, Superintendent,
welcomed those present and expressed that she was very pleased with what she
sees at the school; that good people and good staff were working diligently
every day to educate the children of Brinkley.
C. B. PARTEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Linda Hamilton, Principal, presented the C.
B. Partee Elementary School report.
Partee Elementary School has 379 students
enrolled in grades K-6 and 20 preschoolers.
Partee Elementary received an Arkansas Better
Chance Grant for its preschool program this year for the first time. This helps with funding and is monitored to
make certain that the program is of the highest quality.
This
year Partee’s students have met Adequate Yearly
Progress on the state Augmented Benchmark Exam.
This means that Partee school will remain in
year two school improvement. If Partee had not met AYP it would have been labeled by the
state as a school needing improvement for the third year. We are very proud of our students and
staff. As a team we have made great
improvement in our test scores over the past two years.
Partee is implementing the following
programs or strategies to help remediate students not achieving the proficient
level on the state benchmark exam for grades 3-8 or the SAT 10 test given in
grades K-2.
·
All
students in grades K-6 are served in Partee’s
computer lab.
·
Partee has participated in the Reading
Recovery program for at least 11 years and now has one teacher fully trained
with this model. Reading Recovery is a
one-on-one approach to teaching first graders reading strategies that make them
stronger readers. The Reading Recovery
teacher is also involved in teaching intervention groups in grades K and 2.
·
Our
staff has written and received an Arkansas Reading First Grant for
$90,000. We are beginning our sixth year
of grant implementation. These funds are
used to create a comprehensive literacy program in grades (K-3) and employ our
literacy coach. This program is closely
aligned with the Reading Recovery program and teaches explicit reading and
writing strategies.
·
Our
teachers will participate in identifying and assisting individual students
based on test scores making sure that they receive interventions in both small
groups and one-on-one. Research has shown that great improvements can be made
when students have targeted interventions at an early age and continue through
6th grade. These
interventions have helped our students become stronger writers, readers and
math students on the benchmark exam. This year our teachers and instructional
coaches will be asked to divide students into small groups six weeks prior to
the Benchmark Exam and work to review previously taught skills as they continue
to address the state framework.
·
Our
math curriculum includes the Investigations math program at grades K-6. This program is designed to help students
make sense of numbers. We have also
purchased a calendar math program for grades K-3, and employed a K-6 math
coach.
·
Our
GT teacher works with students in grades 3-6 on a pull out basis as identified
GT students, and has implemented a strong enrichment program for students in
grades K-4. Our GT students participate
in the local and CO-OP GT project fairs every year and complete other projects
and assignments throughout the year.
·
We
have fully aligned our curriculum in math, literacy and science. This means that each grade level knows
exactly what they are responsible for teaching.
·
This
year we will complete Academic Improvement Plans for students in grades K-6 who
are not proficient on the benchmark exam or the SAT 10 achievement test. We will also complete Intensive Reading
Intervention Plans for students in grade K-2 who were not proficient on the
state kindergarten readiness test or SAT 10 in the area of reading. We will soon begin parent conferences to
share this information with our parents.
·
Our
parent involvement program is in full swing this year. We have had an open house with approximately
150 parents/guardians in attendance. Our
parent center is open two afternoons a week and a parent facilitator works alongside
our parent coordinator.
·
Not
only were our test scores tremendous this year but our school climate in
general is very positive. Every child in
grades 3-6 has been assigned an adult encourager to establish a special
connection with that child to let them know every day that they are special and
valued at Partee.
We have learned that if our students are to succeed they must be
motivated and know that school is a safe and loving place to learn. All of the Partee
staff members came back to school in August to lots of exciting news. They were presented with T-shirts that
announced that we met AYP. We have
raised money from various individuals and businesses to see that each child in
grades Preschool through 6 will also receive an AYP T-shirt along with money
for those who met their goal of proficient or advanced in grades 3-6. We have also set individual goals as staff
members and students. The students’
goals were set with the instructional coaches concerning their test scores for
this coming school year. The staff set
goals during in-service based on their perceived area of improvement. My personal goal for the school is to use the
test data from chunk testing, DIBELS testing and weekly student assessments to
better help us drive our curriculum. I
have also asked the instructional coaches to create and use an assessment wall
to help track each student’s individual progress this year.
You
can see that growth and school improvement is very important to the staff at Partee. These plans
for the coming year along with active involvement of parents, school staff,
patrons and students will continue to make us a strong school that the
community can take pride in.
BRINKLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Randy Cannon, Principal, gave the Brinkley High
School report.
Brinkley
High School is once again a 7-12 school.
There are currently 357 students enrolled with 36 teachers, each highly
qualified to teach their subject. BHS
has 5 instructional aides, one in special education, one in the distance
learning lab, one in the CEI Literacy Lab, one in the ALE and one in ISS. Additionally we have one part time nurse and
one social worker.
Of
the 36 teachers, 3 are special education teachers. BHS serves its special needs students both in
the resource room and thru inclusion in the regular classroom. Currently there are 39 special needs students
(11%) and 18, 504 students(5%).
Thirty-five
(35) gifted and talented students (9.8%) have been identified in the BHS. These students are served by using a
combination of content trained classroom teachers, pullout, and advanced
classes as well as advanced placement classes.
The
Brinkley Learning Center is an alternative learning environment for students
that cannot be successful in the regular classroom. It is the intention for these students to
transition back into the regular classroom.
BHS has had students graduate and some receive their GED’s from this
program and others moved back to the regular classroom.
BHS
has one parent coordinator. BHS is also
utilizing its EAST lab to help collect information and pictures for the parent
coordinator to use to keep the Brinkley community informed as to what events
are taking place at school. This
information will go to parents as a newsletter and in the local newspaper.
BHS
is still in school improvement and have several interventions in place again
this year, as follows:
·
The
America’s Choice school design is being implemented school wide.
·
BHS
is using the eight period day to expand remediation
programs during the school day. Also BHS
is already blocking periods for math and literacy students that are not scoring
proficient on benchmark and end-of-course exams.
·
BHS
is still using instructional coaches to assist teachers with curricular issues
and to model best practices for others teachers’ classes.
·
The
leadership team meets weekly to develop strategies to help BHS’ students
achieve better test scores.
·
The
entire staff is involved in professional learning communities that help drive
improved instructional techniques, acquire new content knowledge, and implement
school design.
·
BHS
is offering college algebra and college trigonometry to its students during the
day for concurrent credit.
·
BHS
sends students to EACC and Crowley’s Ridge daily for classes that cannot be
offered on this campus.
·
BHS
uses pre-tests and post-tests regularly in all of the core classes to keep up
with student gains.
·
BHS
uses interim assessments in math and literacy to ensure that it is pacing the
learning process and following the curriculum alignment and the state
frameworks.
·
BHS
has more students reading than ever before thru its Twenty-Five Books Campaign.
·
BHS
sends its teachers to content area inservice
throughout the year to help refine the curriculum and learn to teach more
effectively.
·
BHS
double blocks its math lab with algebra I classes, giving these students two
periods of math.
·
BHS
is using its new Literacy Lab to strengthen literacy skills in its English
classes.
FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Judy Hubble, District Federal Programs
Coordinator, gave the following report:
Federal
funds received by Brinkley School District:
Title I:
Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged
Title II-A:
Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs
Title IV:
Safe and Drug-free Schools & Communities
Title V:
Promoting Informed Parental Choice & Innovative Programs
Title VI-B State: Improving Academic Achievement
Title VI-B: Special Education
Brinkley
School District received $1,161,397.00 in federal funding in the 2007-2008
school year. The district’s funding for
2008-2009 has been reduced to $517,940.00 for a loss of $643,457.00 this year. This reduction in funding is primarily due to
student loss, as federal funding is impacted by ADM.
Title
funds support the following programs in the Brinkley School District:
·
Supplemental
Educational Services
·
Professional
Development Expenses, including teacher training, travel, and substitute pay
·
Formative
Assessments – Provided through the Hot Springs Institute. These “Chunk Tests” allow teachers to assess
the extent to which students are proficient in a particular area of a subject
and/or what part of the area the student does not know or understand.
·
Positive
Action Curriculum
·
Six
Pillars of Character
·
Parent
Involvement Activities
·
Compass
Software Training
·
Everyday
Calendar Counts Math
·
Reading
Recovery
·
Arkansas
Reading First
·
Step
Up to Writing
·
I
Can Learn Lab
Brinkley
School District currently employs four people whose salaries are funded 100%
from Title monies and five people whose salaries are partially funded by Title
monies.
Letters
have been sent home to the parents of students in grades K-12 who are eligible
for Supplemental Educational Services (SES).
These services are available to low income students in districts in
their second or higher year of school improvement. Provider Fairs have been set for parents who
want their children to receive Supplemental Services to receive information
concerning the different providers available to the Brinkley School
District. The provider fair will be held
on September 15, 2008 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the high school building. Several providers are scheduled to be in
attendance. No parent responses have
been received at this time. The deadline
for applying for SES is October 17th.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Winnie
Wilson, District Special Education Director, made the following report:
For
the 2008-09 school year the Brinkley School District
has one hundred (100) special education direct and indirect students.
These students are served in the resource settings, co-taught classes, speech
therapy classes, and home-bound settings, if necessary. The district presently
has six special educators, which include the speech pathologist. The
district has gone through ADE monitoring of the district special education
programs and all corrective actions have been cleared.
GIFTED
AND TALENTED
Lisa Martin, District Gifted and
Talented Coordinator, made the following report:
The
Gifted and Talented Program of the Brinkley School District is based on Program
Approval Standards set forth by the Arkansas Department of Education. The number of identified Gifted and Talented
students for the 2008-2009 school year at Brinkley
Public Schools is 78.
There
are two pieces to the Gifted Program at Partee
Elementary School. First, a licensed
G.T. teacher pulls all children in Grades K-4 for a whole group Enrichment
lesson 40 minutes per week. Content of these lessons include explicit
vocabulary instruction, comprehension questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy,
critical and creative thinking skills, as well as many learning games. Data is gathered in portfolios for children
in grades K-2 to be used when the formal identification process starts at the
end of 2nd grade. Next, the
Gifted and Talented students from grades 3-6 are pulled to a resource room for
150 minutes of instruction per week.
There are 40 identified G.T. students in this level at Partee Elementary School.
The curriculum for the 1st semester is based on independent
research study. Children complete a
project and attend the local G.T. fair, which is set for December 2, 2008. Children who qualify will also go on to
attend the regional fair in Helena on January 15, 2009. During the 2nd semester, students
will focus on units of studies. Some of
the things being planned are designing yearbook pages in conjunction with our
new librarian and hosting a “family heirloom” student museum.
At
Brinkley High School there are 35 identified Gifted and Talented students in
Grades 7-12. The high school students
are served through Honors, Pre-AP, and AP courses. Act 102 of the 2003 Special Session on
Education requires every high school to offer at least four Advanced Placement
courses by this school year in the core academic areas. Brinkley High School is well above that with
nine AP classes being offered this year in English Language, English
Literature, Statistics, Environmental Science, Chemistry, World History, U.S.
History, Human Geography, and Studio Art.
We also have 7 students enrolled in Concurrent Credit courses through
EACC. The 1st semester students are
taking College Algebra and the 2nd semester students will be taking
College Trigonometry. A licensed G.T.
teacher also meets with high school students one time per month for thirty
minutes.
We
are now in the process of completing the Program Approval Application for the
2008-2009 school year.
This application is due to the Department of Education by October 15,
2008. The district is looking forward to
a productive year with these outstanding students.
DISTRICT TESTING
Comparison of scores from
spring 2007 to spring 2008:
The
Arkansas State Benchmark Exam is given to students in Grades 3 through 8 in the
areas of Math and Literacy (reading and writing). The scores for the spring 2008 administration
of the test show an overall rise in the percentage of students scoring
proficient or advanced in these areas compared to the spring 2007 scores.
Elementary
Math scores (grades 3, 4, &5) showed a higher percentage of students
scoring proficient or advanced.
Elementary Literacy scores were significantly higher for grades 3, 4 and
5.
Middle
School Math scores for grades 6 and 8 showed a higher percentage of students
scoring proficient or advanced while grade 7 math scores were only 3%
lower. Middle School Literacy (grades 6,
7 and 8 ) scores were all higher for the 2008
administration.
Students
enrolled in High School Algebra I, Geometry, and Grade 11 Literacy are required
to take an Arkansas End of Course Exam.
The spring 2008 scores showed a 7% decrease in the number of students
scoring proficient or advanced in Algebra I and a 28% decrease in the number of
students scoring proficient or advanced in Geometry. However, there was a 16% increase in the
number or students scoring proficient or advanced on the Grade 11 Literacy
Exam.
New
to operational tests in the spring of 2008 included Biology and ADP Algebra II
End of Course Exams. On the spring 2008
administration of the End of Course Biology Exam, 8% scored Proficient or
Advanced.
In
reviewing our school’s report from the ADP Algebra II test, our results were
lower than expected. Given the goals and
rigor of the ADP Algebra II exam, this is expected for the first
administration. The exam is designed to
accomplish 3 goals:
·
To improve high school Algebra II curriculum
and instruction.
·
To serve as an indicator of readiness for
first-year college credit-bearing courses; and
·
To provide a common measure of student
performance across states over time.
Scores
from the 2008 testing are reported as percent correct. One year from now, standard setting will be
completed, and scale scores, instead of percent correct scores, will be
reported for the spring 2009 administration.
Only 3% of students taking the ADP Algebra II test scored above 50%
correct on this administration.
Three year trend –
comparing 2005-2006/2006-2007/2007-2008 :
In
Elementary math (grades 3, 4 ,&5), the percentage
of students scoring proficient or advanced has steadily increased each year for
the past three years.
In
Elementary literacy, 3rd and 5th grades have shown a
steady gain in the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced. Although 4th grade showed a slight
(2%) drop last year, they increased this year by 11%.
In
Middle School math, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced
in 6th and 8th steadily increased over the three year
period. The percentage of students
scoring proficient or advanced in 7th grade math dramatically
increased from year one to year two but fell slightly (3%) this year.
In
Middle School literacy, the percentage of students scoring proficient or
advanced in grade 6 dropped 4% from year one to year two but regained and
increased another 5% in the third year.
The percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in grade 7 has
stayed very close in the past three years going from 31% to 28% to 29%. The percentage of students scoring proficient
or advanced has steadily increased in 8th grade literacy.
In
End of Course Algebra I, there was a 6% decrease in the percentage of students
scoring proficient or advanced from year one to year two, and again decreased
by 7% from year two to year three.
In
End of Course Geometry, after a 6% gain in students scoring proficient or
advanced from year one to year two, there was a 28% decrease in the students
scoring proficient or advanced.
In End of Course Grade 11 Literacy,
there has been a gain over the three year period of students scoring proficient
or advanced, with this year being a 16% gain over last year.
6/2008
|
|
2004-05 |
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
|
%
of Students (Number
of Students) |
%
of Students (Number
of Students) |
%
of students (Number
of students) |
%
of students (Number
of students) |
Grade 3
Math
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
6
(4) 31 (21)
37% |
12 (7) 25 (15)
37% |
25 (14) 36 (20)
61% |
50 (34) 32 (22)
83% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
43
(29) |
39 (23) |
31 (17) |
15 (10) |
|
Below
Basic |
19 (13) |
24 (14) |
7
(4) |
3
( 2 ) |
Grade 3
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
10 (7) 19 (13)
29% |
19 (11) 24 (14)
43% |
24 (13) 29 (16) 53% |
28 (19) 46 (31)
74% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
39 (26) |
29 (17) |
31 (17) |
16 (11) |
|
Below
Basic |
31 (21) |
29 (17) |
16 (9) |
10 ( 7 ) |
Grade 4
Math
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
10 (6) 37 (22)
47% |
13 (8) 39 (24)
52% |
30 (16) 28 (15)
58% |
39 (22) 26 (15)
65% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
25 (15) |
25 (15) |
26 (14) |
25 (14) |
|
Below
Basic |
27 (16) |
23 (14) |
15 ( 8) |
11 ( 6 ) |
Grade 4
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
7
(4) 29 (17)
36% |
7 (4) 34
(21) 42% |
6 (
3) 34 (18)
40% |
21 (12) 30 (17)
51% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
47 (28) |
48 (29) |
43 (23) |
44 (25) |
|
Below
Basic |
17 (10) |
11 (7) |
17 ( 9) |
5
( 3 ) |
Grade 5
Math
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
2 (2) 20 (17)
22% |
3
(2) 30 (19)
33% |
12 ( 6) 35 (18)
47% |
29 (14) 38 (18)
67% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
22 (19) |
17 (11) |
33 (17) |
21 (10) |
|
Below
Basic |
56 (48) |
50 (32) |
20 (10) |
13 ( 6 ) |
Grade 5
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
3
(3) 41 (35)
44% |
5
(3) 33 (21)
38% |
12 ( 6) 37 (19)
49% |
23 (11) |
|
Proficient |
44 (21)
67% |
|||
|
Basic |
45 (39) |
47 (30) |
45 (23) |
19 ( 9 ) |
|
Below
Basic |
10 (9) |
16 (10) |
6
( 3) |
15 ( 7 ) |
Grade 6
Math
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
3
(2) 15 (10)
18% |
19 (15) 27 (22)
46% |
10 ( 6) 25 (15)
35% |
28 (16) |
|
Proficient |
41 (24)
69% |
|||
|
Basic |
31 (21) |
33 (27) |
41 (24) |
21 (12) |
|
Below
Basic |
51 (35) |
21 (17) |
24 (14) |
10 ( 6 ) |
Grade 6
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
3
(2) 31 (21)
34% |
11 (9) 31
(25) 42% |
7 (
4) 31
(18) 38% |
9 (
5) |
|
Proficient |
38 (22)
47% |
|||
|
Basic |
56 (38) |
51 (41) |
39
(23) |
36 (21) |
|
Below
Basic |
10 (7) |
7 (6) |
24
(14) |
17 (10) |
6/2008
|
|
2004-05 |
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
|
%
of Students (Number
of Students) |
%
of Students (Number
of Students) |
%
of Students (Number
of Students) |
%
of Students (Number
of Students) |
Grade 7
Math
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
5
(4) 5
(4) 10% |
1 (1) 15
(10) 16% |
12 (10) 22 (19)
34% |
2 (1) 28 (15)
31% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
15 (11) |
28 (19) |
20 (17) |
28 (15) |
|
Below
Basic |
75 (56) |
56 (38) |
46 (39) |
42 (22) |
Grade 7
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
0 (0) 17
(13) 17% |
6 (4) 25 (17)
31% |
7 ( 6) 21 (18)
28% |
6 (3) 23 (12)
29% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
55
(41) |
53 (36) |
53
(45) |
55 (29) |
|
Below
Basic |
28
(21) |
16 (11) |
19 (16) |
17 ( 9) |
Grade 8
Math
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
7 (5) 22
(16) 29% |
4 (3) 10 (7)
14% |
1 (
1) 26 (18)
27% |
9 (8) 34 (29)
44% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
29 (21) |
12 ( 8) |
24 (17) |
20 (17) |
|
Below
Basic |
42 (30) |
74 (51) |
49 (34) |
36 (31) |
Grade 8
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
7
(5) 40 (29)
47% |
4 (3) 23
(16) 27% |
6 (
4) 34
(24) 40% |
9 (8) 36 (31)
46% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
33 (24) |
54 (37) |
30 (21) |
40 (34) |
|
Below
Basic |
19 (14) |
19 (13) |
30 (21) |
14 (12) |
EOC Algebra
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
8 (
5) 37 (24)
45% |
17 (12) 35 (25)
52% |
4 (
2) 41
(19) 46% |
7 (6) 32 (27)
39% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
40 (26) |
34 (24) |
39 (18) |
45 (38) |
|
Below
Basic |
15 (10) |
14 (10) |
15 ( 7) |
15 (13) |
EOC Geometry
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
7
(4) 19 (10)
26% |
4
(3) 37 (28)
41% |
12 ( 7) 34 (20)
47% |
0 (0) 19 (9)
19% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
43 (23) |
35 (26) |
36 (21) |
65 (31) |
|
Below
Basic |
31 (17) |
24 (18) |
17 (10) |
17 (8) |
EOC Biology
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
2
(1) 4
(2) 6% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
|
|
|
25 (13) |
|
Below
Basic |
|
|
|
69 (36) |
Grade 11
Literacy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced |
1
(1) 25 (18)
26% |
0 (0) 27
(17) 27% |
1 (
1) 32
(25) 33% |
0 (0) 49 (30)
49% |
|
Proficient |
||||
|
Basic |
43 (31) |
60 (38) |
39
(31) |
41 (25) |
|
Below
Basic |
31 (22) |
13 ( 8) |
28
(22) |
10 ( 6 ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Achievement
Gap Data Report
September
8, 2008
Data
collected over four year period (2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008)
Elementary:
In
Elementary math, the achievement gap between the percentage of Caucasian
students scoring proficient or advanced and the percentage of African-American
students scoring proficient or advanced fluctuates among grade levels. In third grade, the gap is dramatically
decreased this year as compared to last year
In fourth grade, the gap increased each year
for three years but was cut by more than fifty percent this year. In fifth grade, the gap closed to zero
percent but increased the following year to 47 percent. This year the gap decreased by almost twenty
percent.
In
Elementary literacy, the achievement gap between the percentage of Caucasian
students scoring proficient or advanced and the percentage of African-American
students scoring proficient or advanced also fluctuates among grade levels but
continues to decrease. In third grade,
the gap continues to slowly decrease. In
fourth grade, the gap jumped from 8 percent to 42 percent but decreases in the
next two years. In fifth grade, the gap
decreased by 2 percent but then more than doubled in the next year and
decreased substantially this year.
Middle School:
In
Middle School math, the achievement gap between the percentage of Caucasian
students scoring proficient or advanced and the percentage of African-American
students scoring proficient or advanced fluctuates among grade levels. In sixth grade, the gap increased by 13
percent but dropped down to 1% difference. This year’s group of sixth grade
students had a 35% gap between Caucasian and African-American students which
shows the gap closing from 47% gap last year with these very same students in 5th
grade. In seventh grade, the gap
increased each year over the past three years but dramatically closed this year
down 24% to 6%. In eighth grade, the gap
was 23% between Caucasian and African-American students. This is closing in eighth grade when
comparing last year’s percentage to this year’s percentage. However, when looking at this same group of
students for the past three years, the gap has remained in the 23 to 28 percent
range.
In
Middle School literacy, the achievement gap between the percentage of Caucasian
students scoring proficient or advanced and the percentage of African-American
students scoring proficient or advanced also fluctuates among grade
levels. In sixth grade, the gap steadily
decreased over a three year period but jumped back up to a 64% gap in
2008. In seventh grade, the gap
increased 7 percent but decreased the next year by 8 percent and continued to
decrease by 8% this year. In eighth
grade, the gap decreased by 12 percent but increased again by 9 percent. The
gap did take a turn and decrease slightly from 2007 to 2008.
End of Course Exams:
In
End of Course Algebra I exams, the achievement gap between the percentage of
Caucasian students scoring proficient or advanced and the percentage of
African-American students scoring proficient or advanced has steadily decreased
over a three year period but slightly increased (3%) in 2008.
In
End of Course Geometry exams, the achievement gap between the percentage of
Caucasian students scoring proficient or advanced and the percentage of
African-American students scoring proficient or advanced decreased, rose again,
then significantly decreased in 2008 by 21%.
In
End of Course Grade 11 literacy exams, the achievement gap between the
percentage of Caucasian students scoring proficient or advanced and the
percentage of African-American students scoring proficient or advanced
increased by 15 percent from year one to year two but decreased by 32 percent
from year two to year three. In 2008,
the achievement gap greatly increased by 40% for grade 11 literacy
students.
In
the first year of operational testing in Biology, the achievement gap between
the percentage of Caucasian students’ scoring proficient or advanced and the
percentage of African-American students scoring proficient or advanced was 13%.
For
the ADP Algebra II exam the numbers are reported in average percent correct on
total questions presented on the exam.
In this first reporting year, the achievement gap between the average
percent correct of Caucasian students as compared with the average percent
correct of African-American students is a 6% gap.
Achievement
Gap Data
Elementary
Math
Shown in % of students
proficient or advanced
|
Grade 3 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
37% |
37% |
61% |
83% |
|
Caucasian |
67% |
50% |
80% |
84% |
|
African
American |
24% |
24% |
54% |
82% |
|
GAP |
43% |
26% |
26% |
2% |
|
Grade 4 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
47% |
52% |
58% |
65% |
|
Caucasian |
50% |
73% |
87% |
73% |
|
African
American |
47% |
41% |
39% |
61% |
|
GAP |
3% |
32% |
48% |
12% |
|
Grade 5 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
22% |
33% |
47% |
67% |
|
Caucasian |
35% |
33% |
77% |
82% |
|
African
American |
15% |
33% |
30% |
54% |
|
GAP |
20% |
0 |
47% |
28% |
Achievement
Gap Data
Elementary
Literacy
Shown in % of
students proficient or advanced
|
Grade 3 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
29% |
43% |
53% |
74% |
|
Caucasian |
57% |
60% |
66% |
80% |
|
African
American |
18% |
24% |
47% |
68% |
|
GAP |
39% |
36% |
19% |
12% |
|
Grade 4 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
36% |
42% |
40% |
51% |
|
Caucasian |
41% |
68% |
59% |
66% |
|
African
American |
33% |
26% |
26% |
42% |
|
GAP |
8% |
42% |
33% |
24% |
|
Grade 5 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
44% |
38% |
49% |
67% |
|
Caucasian |
58% |
25% |
82% |
82% |
|
African
American |
36% |
45% |
30% |
54% |
|
GAP |
22% |
20% |
52% |
28% |
Achievement
Gap Data
Middle School Math
Shown in % of
students proficient or advanced
|
Grade 6 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
18% |
46% |
35% |
69% |
|
Caucasian |
27% |
64% |
36% |
91% |
|
African
American |
12% |
36% |
35% |
56% |
|
GAP |
15% |
28% |
1% |
35% |
|
Grade 7 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
10% |
16% |
34% |
31% |
|
Caucasian |
22% |
30% |
50% |
34% |
|
African
American |
06% |
09% |
26% |
28% |
|
GAP |
16% |
21% |
24% |
6% |
|
Grade 8 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
29% |
14% |
27% |
44% |
|
Caucasian |
57% |
29% |
48% |
59% |
|
African
American |
03% |
09% |
12% |
36% |
|
GAP |
54% |
20% |
36% |
23% |
Achievement
Gap Data
Middle School Literacy
Shown in % of
students proficient or advanced
|
Grade 6 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
34% |
42% |
38% |
47% |
|
Caucasian |
54% |
61% |
27% |
86% |
|
African
American |
21% |
32% |
44% |
22% |
|
GAP |
33% |
29% |
17% |
64% |
|
Grade 7 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
17% |
31% |
28% |
29% |
|
Caucasian |
35% |
52% |
46% |
38% |
|
African
American |
10% |
20% |
22% |
22% |
|
GAP |
25% |
32% |
24% |
16% |
|
Grade 8 |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
47% |
27% |
40% |
46% |
|
Caucasian |
69% |
48% |
62% |
70% |
|
African
American |
28% |
19% |
24% |
34% |
|
GAP |
41% |
29% |
38% |
36% |
Achievement
Gap Data
End of
Course
High
School
Shown in % of
students proficient or advanced
|
Algebra |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
45% |
52% |
46% |
39% |
|
Caucasian |
73% |
74% |
65% |
62% |
|
African
American |
23% |
30% |
34% |
28% |
|
GAP |
50% |
44% |
31% |
34% |
|
Geometry |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
26% |
41% |
47% |
19% |
|
Caucasian |
47% |
56% |
63% |
29% |
|
African
American |
04% |
27% |
26% |
13% |
|
GAP |
43% |
29% |
37% |
16% |
|
Gr. 11 Literacy |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
26% |
27% |
33% |
49% |
|
Caucasian |
47% |
54% |
43% |
77% |
|
African
American |
14% |
06% |
27% |
21% |
|
GAP |
33% |
48% |
16% |
56% |
|
Biology |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
|
|
|
6% |
|
Caucasian |
|
|
|
15% |
|
African
American |
|
|
|
2% |
|
GAP |
|
|
|
13% |
Data shown in this table is Average %
correct on entire exam.
|
Algebra II |
04-05 |
05-06 |
06-07 |
07-08 |
|
Combined population |
|
|
|
23% |
|
Caucasian |
|
|
|
26% |
|
African
American |
|
|
|
20% |
|
GAP |
|
|
|
6% |
DISTRICT
REPORT
Betty S. McGruder, Superintendent,
gave the following report on district matters:
COKE CONTRACT: The Brinkley School District is in the 7th
year of a ten year contract with the Coca-Cola soft drink company. Last year
the district received a $6,000 commission off of its drink sales. This money
was used to fund scholarships, professional development activities for the staff,
student reward activities, physical education equipment, drama/stage production
equipment, and to support the Arkansas Activities Association.
BOARD TRAINING: Arkansas Law requires that each board member
receive six hours of board training per year. As of this meeting date, this
school board has compiled a total of 36 hours of annual school board training
in just the 2008 calendar year. Hours
completed for the 2007 calendar year were as follows: Jon Carroll, 23 hours; Larry Loewer, 23.5
hours; Dean Nash, 0 hours; Cyndi Doepel, 19.5 hours; Lovie
Wofford, 0 hours; Ken Harvey, 17.75 hours; and Willie
Oxner, 22.25 hours.
ACTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS: The following are changes that have been
implemented by the Brinkley School District during the last few years
specifically to increase student achievement, particularly those who struggle
to meet state standards:
·
Double-blocked
Math and Literacy for struggling students in the 8th through 12th
grades.
·
Continued
the “Chunk Testing” program in conjunction with the Learning Institute of Hot
Springs to focus teachers on the state frameworks and standards based
instructional practices.
·
Maintained
instructional coaches in critical academic areas.
·
Continued
the pre-kindergarten program.
·
Limited
professional development activities held during the school day to out-of-school
activities only.
·
Increased
or added the number of advanced, concurrent, and Advanced Placement course
offerings.
·
Maintained
after-school tutoring programs through the 21st Century program in
both high school and elementary school.
·
Focused
all professional development activities to standards driven instruction.
·
Focused
teacher evaluation content on the appraisal of the presence of standards based
instructional practices and methods.
·
Have
secured grants for increasing resources to district teachers and students; high
school 21st Century, elementary 21st Century, Gear-up
Grant, Reading First, and Library Grant.
·
Have
partnered with EACC and ASU Math and Science Center for enhancing math and science
instructional practices.
·
Provide
supplemental educational services at no cost to parents including after-school
tutoring, enrichment in math and literacy, credit recovery, and ACT enhancement
programs.
·
Incorporated
the latest technology to improve instruction with programs and equipment such
as A+, CEI Literacy lab, Elmo projectors, I Can Learn Lab, smart boards,
Compass Learning, Vantage Writing Software, and the Read 180 program.
·
Maintained
the accelerated reading program into the 1st through 8th grades.
·
Used
the A+ program to pre and post test students in order to assign students a
pathway to work on areas of need.
·
Use
a variety of test results (Benchmark, ACT, Compass, End-of Course, chunk, and
tests) to drive district and school level decisions concerning practices.
·
Incorporated
grade-level and subject specific pacing guides to assure that all state
standards and frameworks would be taught by the time the benchmark test is
given.
·
Continued
the “America’s Choice” program developed by the state to aid in overall school
improvement initiatives.
FUTURE CHANGES: The requirements placed on the school
district by the Department of Education, compel the district to make some of
these changes in a timely manner, as defined by the state. The district will
endeavor to maintain the steady progress in test score improvement that has
been seen over this time period, while being careful to constantly evaluate the
effectiveness of the programs that are in place.
With the continued loss of students, the
district has had to become leaner. However, it is proud of the fact that
although it has had to trim the budget for staff, it has not had to reduce
course offerings or programs for the students. As Brinkley School District moves
forward, it will continue to monitor the progress of the students in order to
provide them with the best education possible.
Mrs. McGruder thanked the participants
and the audience for attending and the meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President Secretary