Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree showed where exactly students in grades 3-10 fall in level of understanding for each course tested in the Arkansas Teaching, Learning & Assessment System (ATLAS) during Monday’s regular board meeting.
The results set a new baseline for Arkansas and scores should not be compared to previous or other assessment results, according to notes Barbaree shared from ATLAS.
Students who score Level 1 demonstrate a limited understanding of knowledge and skills required by the grade-level standards. Students who score Level 2 demonstrate basic understanding, students who score Level 3 demonstrate a proficient understanding, and students who score Level 4 demonstrate an advanced understanding. The Arkansas Department of Education released these scores to districts last week.
In the PBSD, 58% scored Level 1 in ATLAS summative science, 33% reached Level 2, 8% reached Level 3 and 2% scored Level 4. In ATLAS summative mathematics, 71% of PBSD students scored Level 1, 22% reached Level 2, 5% made Level 3 and 1% reached Level 4. In English language arts, 54% scored Level 1, 36% scored Level 2, 8% attained Level 3 and 2% reached Level 4.
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“When we look at our ELA scores, we still have almost over half of our students (in levels 2, 3 and 4),” Barbaree said, calling it a positive.
High school progress
Shawn Carroll of East Harding Construction Co. gave an update on construction of a new Pine Bluff High School campus, scheduled to open in 2026.The public saw an aerial video of ongoing work.
Most of the buildings from the old campus have been demolished, leaving only the Trice Gym, PBHS Academy, Jordan Stadium, Multipurpose Center and track field.
The unusually warm weather for October has helped contractors stay on schedule, Carroll said.
“I know dry weather isn’t great for everybody, but it’s wonderful for construction,” he added.
The board members and Barbaree received their own safety hats with the Pine Bluff Zebras logo and name on each. They will conduct a site walk next Tuesday.
Showing Their Stripes
Staff and community members, along with faculty, were awarded with the superintendent’s Showing Our Stripes Awards for October.
The 34th Avenue Elementary Staff including Principal Tammi Dockett-Wilson, along with Samaritan’s Feet International Regional Director Kyle Alexander, were honored for helping hundreds of elementary-school students receive new shoes and socks from the University of Arkansas men’s basketball team.
Each campus honored its top readers for the first grading quarter:
Broadmoor Elementary — Payton Kennedy, Kylie Glover, Brooklyn Dismuke.
Southwood Elementary — Ronarria Holmes, Cortlynn Reed, Paris McDowell.
34th Avenue Elementary — Jonathan Hilliard, Jerome Price, Kristina Scott.
James Matthews Elementary — Calisha Smith, Edward Arnold, Nasir Collier.
Pine Bluff Junior High — Brielle Oliver, Angel Smith, Navi Goldsmith, Lorin Summons.
Pine Bluff High School — Samaia Bridgeforth.
Five Pine Bluff High School seniors received the highest level of the National Career Readiness Certification, which is Platinum. This indicates the scholars passed the highest-difficulty levels of each assessment they took.
The students include Devin McFadden, James Ento, Keyon Smith, Zamarrian White and Omarrion Tucker.
Personnel moves
The district hired Kena Daniels as a licensed social worker and Rosie Lacy as a special education teacher.
This version CORRECTS the percentage of students scoring Level 2 or higher that Barbaree referenced.