Students in the Arkadelphia School District completed state testing in the spring of 2011. Students in Kindergarten – 2nd grade were administered the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, a nationally recognized norm-referenced assessment. Seventy-four percent of Kindergarten students scored at or above the 50th percentile on the Vocabulary subtest, 96% on the Words subtest, and 93% on the Language subtest. 78.9% of Kindergarten students scored at or above the 50th percentile on the Math portion of the test. On the Reading subtest, 60.6% of first grade students scored at or above the 50th percentile, 61.5% on the Language subtest, and 67.3% on the Math section. Sixty-one percent of second grade students scored at or above the 50th percentile in Math, 62.9% in Reading, and 43.4% in Language. Students in grade 9 were administered the Iowa Tests of Educational Development; 57.2% of freshman scored at or above the 50th percentile in Reading, 52.3% in Math.
Arkansas students in grades 3-8 take the Augmented Arkansas Benchmark Exam, a criterion- referenced test, each spring. The tests include multiple-choice and written-response items. Students are assessed in Math and Literacy. Scores are reported as one of four performance levels: below basic, basic, proficient, or advanced. The 3-8 Benchmark results are as follows:
3-8 AUGMENTED BENCHMARK
% OF STUDENTS SCORING PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED IN SPRING 2011
3rd Grade Math
81%
3rd Grade Literacy
71%
4th Grade Math
81%
81%
4th Grade Literacy
84%
5th Grade Math
82%
5th Grade Literacy
81%
6th Grade Math
81%
6th Grade Literacy
72%
7th Grade Math
84%
7th Grade Literacy
73%
8th Grade Math
70%
8th Grade Literacy
82%
“We are pleased with the improvements our students are making across the District,” said Arkadelphia Superintendent Donnie Whitten. “Our faculty and staff are making it happen and I applaud their dedication and commitment. We will continue to work toward improving achievement levels at every school and for every student in the District.”
84%
5th Grade Math
82%
5th Grade Literacy
81%
6th Grade Math
81%
6th Grade Literacy
72%
7th Grade Math
84%
7th Grade Literacy
73%
8th Grade Math
70%
8th Grade Literacy
82%
“We are pleased with the improvements our students are making across the District,” said Arkadelphia Superintendent Donnie Whitten. “Our faculty and staff are making it happen and I applaud their dedication and commitment. We will continue to work toward improving achievement levels at every school and for every student in the District.”
Students are required to take End-of-Course (EOC) Exams in Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology. High school juniors take the 11th Grade Literacy Exam. 100% of the 8th grade Algebra I students scored proficient or advanced on the EOC, 46% of high school Algebra I students were proficient or advanced. Students must pass the Algebra I EOC in order to receive graduation credit. In Geometry, 66% of the students scored proficient or advanced; 35% of Biology students scored at those levels. Of the 11th graders, 59% scored proficient or advanced on the literacy exam.
In addition to these state tests, high school students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes take the AP Exams in May. Students receive a score ranging from 1 to 5. Many universities grant college credit based on qualifying scores. As an AAIMS school, AHS students that score a 3, 4, or 5 on certain AP exams receive a $100 gift card. Arkadelphia High School also participates in the state’s Voluntary Universal ACT Assessment (VUAA) program, meaning that the district pays for each student to take the ACT during the spring semester of their junior year.
