In Three of Five LRSD High Schools, Over 90% of Students Fail to Meet Readiness in Math, Science

How do we know many Little Rock School District’s elementary schools are failing its middle schools, and many middle schools are failing its high schools? One need only compare percentages of students meeting the readiness benchmark on the ACT Aspire to state and district averages.

All LRSD high schools which were in Academic Distress when the state intervened scored in single digits in Math and Science, meaning over 90% of students did not meet the readiness benchmark.

The following are the percentages of students meeting the readiness benchmark on the ACT Aspire exam. Priority Schools are required to submit 45-day reports, which include percentage of students entering a school’s grades two or more grades behind in elementary and three or more grades behind in middle and high schools.

School/District Math English WritingReading Science Enter 3/More
Grades Behind Math
 
Enter 3/More
Grades Behind
English Language Arts
 
Arkansas       
 Ninth Grade 30% 58% 39% 51% 32%  
 Tenth Grade 25% 60% 36% 57% 33%  
LRSD       
 Ninth Grade 22% 43% 39% 37% 20%  
 Tenth Grade 18% 49% 30% 46% 23%  
Fair**       
 Ninth Grade 8% 26% 15% 19% 6% 95% 76%
 Tenth Grade 1% 33% 13% 34% 5% 97% 67%
Hall* **       
 Ninth Grade 5% 19% 10% 13% 4% 92% 86%
 Tenth Grade 3% 23% 12% 14% 4% 90% 71%
McClellan**       
 Ninth Grade 8% 22% 14% 21% 8% 78% 75%
 Tenth Grade 5% 23% 14% 28% 9% 75% 79%


* Academic Distress (Three-year average of less than 49.5% of students proficient)
** Priority School (Lowest 5% Academic Performing in Arkansas)

Even though Fair, Hall and McClellan’s scores were among the state’s lowest in Math and Science, scores increased exponentially over the previous year. And yet, at current rates, it could take as long as 5 – 27 years for grades to meet the state’s average proficiency in Science, and 6 – 13 years in Math. Because of flat or decreasing percentages, some grades will never meet the state’s average.

Fair Math Gain Science Gain At Current Rate,
Years to Catch
State Avg. Math
 At Current Rate,
Years to Catch
State Avg. ELA
 Ninth Grade +3 (+62.5%) +3 (+100%) 8 Years 9 Years
 Tenth Grade -3 (-75%) +1 (25%) Never 27 Years
Hall    
 Ninth Grade +2 (+60%) 0 13 Years Never
 Tenth Grade +2 (+200%) +3 (+300%) 11 Years 10 Years
McClellan    
 Ninth Grade +4 (+100%) +3 (+62.5%) 6 Years 8 Years
 Tenth Grade 0 +5 (+125%) Never 5 Years
School/DistrictMathEnglishWritingReadingScienceEnter 3/More
Grades Behind Math
 
Enter 3/More
Grades Behind
English Language Arts
Arkansas  
 Sixth Grade 62% 74% 47% 59% 49%  
 Seventh Grade 48% 79% 39% 38% 44%  
 Eighth Grade 44% 73% 49% 38% 42%  
LRSD  
 Sixth Grade 47% 61% 34% 52% 31%  
 Seventh Grade 34% 65% 29% 33% 31%  
 Eighth Grade 29% 61% 41% 27% 30%  
Cloverdale* **  
 Sixth Grade 22% 44% 20% 47% 15% 67% 61%
 Seventh Grade 19% 48% 15% 23% 19% 65% 63%
 Eighth Grade 8% 41% 20% 14% 13% 63% 65%
Henderson* **  
 Sixth Grade 27% 47% 19% 40% 15% 77% 43%
 Seventh Grade 17% 59% 15% 16% 18% 79% 35%
 Eighth Grade 10% 53% 35% 16% 11% 78% 29%
Mabelvale* **  
 Sixth Grade 44% 49% 20% 39% 12% 69% 33%
 Seventh Grade 22% 53% 14% 22% 13% 72% 52%
 Eighth Grade 19% 51% 33% 20% 16% 77% 52%

* Academic Distress (Three-year average of less than 49.5% of students proficient)
** Priority School (Lowest 5% Academic Performing in Arkansas)

School/District Math EnglishReading Writing Science  Enter 2/More
Grades Behind Math
 
Enter 2/More
Grades Behind
English Language Arts
 
Arkansas 47% 70% 41% 42% 40%  
LRSD 37% 59% 29% 32% 35%  
Bale*** 23% 41% 12% 6% 10%  
Baseline**       
 Second      14.8% 
 Third      31.2% 13%
 Fourth      31.2% 23%
 Fifth      44.1% 26%
Chicot*** 29% 46% 18% 20% 16%  
King*** 39% 53% 24% 14% 22%  
Pulaski Heights*** 66% 78% 52% 49% 57%  
Rockefeller*** 31% 53% 21% 15% 22%  
Romine*** 27% 45% 16% 17% 20%  
Stephens*** 28% 49% 18% 14% 16%  
Wakefield*** 42% 51% 19% 35% 19%  
Washington*** 30% 44% 15% 16% 15%  
Watson*** 21% 43% 14% 17% 12%  
Western Hills*** 40% 64% 21% 22% 21%  

** Priority School (Lowest 5% Academic Performing in Arkansas)
*** Focus Schools (Lowest 6-10% Academic Performing in Arkansas)

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