Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles on the results from the End-of-course exams that were recently announced.
White Hall School District Superintendent Larry Smith is pleased with the performance of district junior and senior high school students on spring end-of-course examinations.
The recently released score results for students who took the Algebra I, Geometry and Biology end-of-course exams and the 11th grade Literacy exam show strong scores for the White Hall district.
“We’ve had a very good year testing-wise,” Smith said. “We saw some of the highest scores we’ve ever had. We saw a huge jump in literacy scores, scoring higher in every area of literacy. We made tremendous gains in other areas as well, with the highest end-of-course Algebra and Geometry scores ever. Just tremendous gains.”
“Overall we are very, very pleased with all of the results that we had,” Smith said. “The White Hall school district had no schools on the Needs Improvement Focus Schools or the Needs Improvement Priority Schools lists released by the Arkansas Department of Education.”
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“Our teachers, staff and kids worked very, very hard and we are pleased with the results,” Smith said.
Test results
The end-of-course exams are criterion-referenced tests that are taken by students at the completion of a course of study to determine whether a student demonstrates attainment of the knowledge and skills necessary for mastery of that subject.
Criterion-referenced tests are customized around the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks, which outline the goals and standards for each subject.
The test results divide students by percentage into four performance levels used to gauge student achievement; including advanced, proficient, basic and below basic.
The Arkansas Department of Education defines advanced as the demonstration of superior performance well beyond proficient grade-level performance; proficient as a demonstration of solid academic performance for the grade tested and being well prepared for the next level; basic as students who show substantial skills but only partially demonstrate the ability to apply these skills; and below basic as failing to show sufficient mastery to attain the basic level.
The score results for the 2011-2012, 2010-2011 and 2009-2010 school years are included here to allow for comparison.
Literacy
The Literacy exam is administered to 11th graders in March of each school year. The scores for White Hall High School are included.
In March, 223 students took the exam, with 22 percent scoring at the advanced level; 48 percent proficient; 27 percent basic and 3 percent below basic.
In March 2011, 218 students took the exam, with 6 percent scoring at the advanced level; 44 percent proficient; 44 percent basic and 6 percent below basic.
In March 2010, 217 students took the exam, with none scoring at the advanced level; 49 percent proficient; 42 percent basic and 9 percent below basic.
Algebra I
The Algebra I end-of-course exam is administered in May of each school year. The scores for White Hall Junior High School and Redfield Junior High School are included. The scores for White Hall High School were not offered for public review because 10 or fewer students took it and ADE regulations prohibit score releases that may inadvertently reveal a student’s identity.
In May, 169 White Hall Junior High School students took the exam, with 56 percent scoring at the advanced level; 36 percent proficient; 6 percent basic and 2 percent below basic.
In May, 38 Redfield Junior High School students took the exam, with 45 percent scoring at the advanced level; 39 percent proficient; 13 percent basic and 3 percent below basic.
In May 2011, 205 White Hall Junior High School students took the exam, with 53 percent scoring at the advanced level; 32 percent proficient; 14 percent basic and 1 percent below basic.
In May 2011, 29 students took the exam, with 41 percent scoring at the advanced level; 52 percent proficient; 3 percent basic and 3 percent below basic.
In May 2010, 191 White Hall Junior High School students took the exam, with 51 percent scoring at the advanced level; 37 percent proficient; 9 percent basic and 3 percent below basic.
In May 2010, 42 Redfield Junior High School students took the exam, with 40 percent scoring at the advanced level; 40 percent proficient; 14 percent basic and 5 percent below basic.
Geometry
The Geometry end-of-course exam is administered in April of each school year. The scores for White Hall High School and White Hall Junior High School are included. The scores for Redfield Junior High School were only provided by the ADE for the 2010-2011 school year.
In April, 172 White Hall High School students took the exam, with 24 percent scoring at the advanced level; 55 percent at the proficient level; 16 percent at the basic level and 5 percent below basic level.
In April, 56 White Hall Junior High School students took the exam, with 91 percent scoring at the advanced level; 9 percent at the proficient level; none at the basic level and none below basic level.
In April 2011, 179 White Hall High School students took the exam, with 28 percent scoring at the advanced level; 47 percent proficient; 20 percent basic and 4 percent below basic.
In April 2011, 33 White Hall Junior High School students took the exam, with 73 percent scoring at the advanced level; 27 percent proficient; none scoring at the basic level and none at below basic level.
In April 2011, 11 Redfield Junior High School students took the exam, with 64 percent scoring at the advanced level; 36 percent at the proficient level; none at the basic level and none at the below basic level.
In April 2010, 199 White Hall High School students took the exam, with 18 percent scoring at the advanced level; 43 percent proficient; 29 percent basic and 11 percent below basic.
In April 2010, 43 White Hall Junior High School students took the exam, with 98 percent scoring at the advanced level; 2 percent at the proficient level; none at the basic level and none at the below basic level.
Biology
The Biology end-of-course exam is administered in April of each school year. The scores for White Hall High School are included.
In April, 235 students took the exam, with 19 percent scoring at the advanced level; 36 percent at the proficient level; 29 percent basic and 15 percent below basic.
In April 2011, 216 students took the exam, with 18 percent scoring at the advanced level; 32 percent at the proficient level; 38 percent basic and 13 percent below basic.
In April 2010, 241 students took the exam, with 10 percent scoring at the advanced level; 38 percent at the proficient level; 30 percent basic and 22 percent below basic.