Annual reports

Annual Report for 1990-91 Little Rock School District Board and District Work Toward Achieving Long-range Goals Long-range goals adopted for the District in 1989 by the Little Rock School Board continue to be our focal points for improvement: increasing educational achievement for all students, establishing climates of excellence in all schools and enhancing human relations skills for District employees. Academic Achievement Results of the Metropolitan Achievement Test over a four-year period reflect a pattern of progressively better achievement for students in grades one through 11. However, much work remains to be done to address academic achievement at the junior high level where student growth either remained virtually static or dropped slightly. (See report of MAT-6 scores included as an attachment to this report.} On the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test, scores received over a five-year period also are encouraging. (See report of Minimum Performance Test results included as an attachment to this report.) Eighty-seven percent of Little Rock students tested in grades three and eight passed the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test in reading. Ninety-four percent of the sixth graders passed the reading portion. In the math area, 87 percent, 90 percent and 84 percent passed in grades three, six and eight, respectively. At the eighth grade level, the second administration of the test showed marked improvement in the percentage of students passing the test, with all but two junior high schools having at least an 85 percent passing rate. A third administration of the test given in August resulted in all schools passing the total test and achieving an overall 92 percent pass rate for the District. Strategies to increase performance in the Arkansas minimum performance test include tutoring, increased reading and mathematics assistance, computer assisted instruction, more homework, and cooperative learning. In terms of long-range achievement, the District expects to 1 implement most of the 13 recommendations of the Board-approved curriculum audit performed by the National Curriculum Audit Center of Arlington, Va. Results were reported in January 1991 and serve as the basis for the No More Excuses posture outlined by the superintendent in March. Tliis document will serve as the guide for initiating steps to implement the recommendations from the audit and other steps which we agree will further student progress. The District will continue to emphasize and expand early childhood education, homework programs, extended day activities, restructuring efforts at the junior high level and secondary reading and mathematics assistance programs to address academic achievement issues. In addition, the District has launched a major curriculum review and revision process, under the direction of the associate superintendent for educational programs. Two new magnet schools opened: Washington Basic Skills/Math-Science and Dunbar International Studies/Gifted and Talented. Central High School added an international studies program. Six incentive schools offered extended day, Saturday school, full-time counselors, auxiliary teachers and small classes. McClellan initiated a comprehensive community education program, and Rockefeller opened with an early childhood education magnet program serving infants as young as six weeks of age. Also, as a result of the Districts successful millage election in 1990, major construction projects were started at Geyer Springs, Western Hills, Woodruff and Cloverdale elementary schools and Cloverdale Junior High School. Construction and/or improvement projects are on schedule at virtually every school in the District. Revenues 1990-91 Local Total, $103,123,807 Other, 44.9% State, Other, $46,300,150 0 Local, $56,823,657 2 Expenditures 1990-91 Other Objects, 1.01% Magnets, 3.5% Debt Service, 6.48% Capital Outlay, 3.53% Supplies, Materials, 3.92% - Q B Purchased Services, 10.19% Salaries/Benefits, $73,225,914 Purchased Services $10,457,142 Supplies, Materials, $4,020,746 Capital Outlay, $3,624,884 Debt Service, $6,646,769 Magnets, $3,592,755 Other Objects, $1,040,327 Total: $102,608,537 Salaries/Benefits, 71.37% - Climates of Excellence Declared by the District superintendent as The Year of the School, the 1990-91 school year was a year in which the needs of individual schools received major priority. Restructuring efforts continued at four junior high schools with assistance from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Center for Leadership in School Reform. Academic progress incentive grants of $25,000 each were awarded to area schools for school improvement projects. The focus on the school as the basic unit for the delivery of quality education to students will continue in the 1991-92 school year. A reorganization of central office staff will provide principals closer access to the office of the superintendent. Local school plans will continue to be used to improve instruction and learning in all our schools. Human Relations Through the use of trained employees, the Districts bus drivers and education support personnel received special training in human relations skills. For teachers and principals, minicourses were available through our Staff Development Office. An annual survey of attitudes toward human relations reflected the following
A comparative analysis of the results at each organizational level showed that items ranked as areas of greatest priority did not vary significantly from those identified in 1990, witli 3a slight difference in relative standing. These focus on lack of demonstrated respect among teachers, students, parents and administrators
lack of fairness and consistency relative to school rules and student discipline
and lack of satisfaction by all groups, except junior high parents, relative to student progress. Areas that shifted to a lower grouping in 1991 from 1990, indicating an improvement in perception, were about teachers receiving equal treatment (junior high level)
extra learning time provided for students who need or want it (elementary parents)
parents promotion of the schools instructional program (elementary teachers)
and parents treating principals with respect (elementary teachers). The survey item regarding school safety ranked as a greatest priority area for junior high parents only and collective data from each organizational level (excluding junior high parents) showed that respondents from the majority of the subgroups did not regard safety within the school as a major concern. More work will continue in this area during the 1991-92 school year as the results of the annual surveys are used to improve interaction among our students. Appeals Court Rules in Favor of 1989 Plan On December 13, 1990, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals approved the Settlement Plan agreed on by the Little Rock School District, the North Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District in 1989 for operation of desegregated schools. Reaching a conclusion to this long-running court case allows the District to place its effons in operation and action, rather than hearings and plan development. While there will continue to be adjustments among the parties, the Office of Desegregation Monitoring and the court to assure compliance with our plan, we can now offer parents and patrons stability and predictability in terms of the school assignments and other aspects that affect school choice decisions. 4GKAPK 1222 KUMHER TESTED 1929 1922 1991 TOTAL.. reading__ 1980 1929 1222 1991 _TQ T A II- M A1H EMA' 1292 1929 LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICP METROPOLITAN ACHIEVEMENT TE.STS (MA'r-6) NATIONAL PERCENTILE SCORES 'jjes.l__tq: .122a .122111222 1998, COMPARATIVE DATA , 1989, 1990 AND 1991 AL_I-AN<iy&8___ 1222 122a 1221 _____ 3CTEI.ICE_ 1202 .1902 ,199a 1991 .fiOCIMi. STUDIES___ 1202 JJB9. 129a 1921 TOTAL ___BASIC_DATTERY___ A22a. 1902. - J25>1 TOTAL __COM p 1,6T K_ DAT' im. -im EBY- .laiLt __1__ _.i._ 0 __ 1'... .11 _ ZQ2:: 1921 20} 1 1 ?Qn-i 1?.'Z9 ?066 _12- _.19. _59_ _22- -Ol.. ,_24,. _11_ _12_ _5a_ _.52_ _HAA -MA* -1!M _li.A4 .-49- .52- ._53_ ._21. _i
a! 1A . 22-. .51 - L9 r 1911 117 2 1712 17,90 19.92 17.77 1912 1209 1910 109.2 1127 1812 1 7 > 1129 1206. 19 30 164.9 1927 1951 1959 I 906 17 2 Q 1706 1 7 69 .Ifi.. -.11- 54 5a -.11.. -21.. 54 .11.. _2.1_ .-22- - 19 -12. _5a.. -IL. ._21_ .54 . 04 . -5 a. 55 _01_ .09... _61_. ._51_ -21.. ..54,_ ,ay 64 _01.- _02_. .57-.. -IONA! MA! _ 4 2. .. -.12. -HA! _M.A* .22 . Il.. _52. . .UA.*.. . MA* .6Q. -24- _A1.. _61_ 66 ,7 1292 1610 1668 1610 K'Qo .1490 _4S___4n_ -.26_ .,21.. -.-49- _24_ ._22__ _92._ _22_ ,2Q ...53 -24. -.53- ._5Q_ _21_ .12 _20_ 22. 19 _2Q. -.23_J._22_ .-23- 57_ _23_ -oe.. _oi_ _01_ - o.a. _54.- _.5Q- -5X. _45, _:19_ -29 .49.. -49- '4- -52... ._52- . 19.. .53. . 51 .51. 12. .-.f>a. _.6a_ --5,2. -2a._ .5.1,. _26.- -21- _.29_. .52 . -22- -21 _59_ _59._ _52_. -21- *
9 ..59.- 56 _22_. _42_ -21-. _55_ _22_. -24- -2 ^'L _22_ _16_ _26_ _5a_ _62_ _65_ -21- 66 .-21- _ 57 -22- -52- -fiO- -22_ .. ,9 61 61 .-62_ ._2a_ _21_ _47_ _22_ -23-. 59 52 50 i3_- -22_ _52_ _55.. -22 21 54 50 .21 12. . 2a_ AJ- 12. _22___ .-24_ -26.- 5 .21 _22_ ..61- 61 57 _59. 21 49 1.7 19- _56_ _2X.. -20_. -21- _22_ _55___51_ 22. 21 20. 51. 7.1 .61.. ..60 71 ...02.. 2 67 58 _63_ -29- _21_ 65 -.22.- 22 21 .67 66 62 _2k_ _52_ .11.. -11- .64. 61 .2.0.,. ..49 4 9 49 Students in grades one and two did not take scietico and sod a 1 stud ies in 1908 or 1989. 22, _22. ,49.. ,-.4 9_. ..53 . -54 -22- _22_ -29 _5 ...23 .59 .29- .J 2.. S'd. 51 54 ._22_ _aa. _53_L-22 12.. -29J19 8.7 19 8 8 READING 19 89 1990 LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT ARKANSAS MINIMUM PERFORMANCE TEST RESULTS DISTRICT SUMMARY FIVE YEAR COMPARISON 1987 THROUGH 1991 1.9J7, lJ-08, READING 1989 .1990. J.S11 198.7 MATHEMATICS 1988 1989 1990 1991 GRADE 3 No. Tented No. Passed P e r c e n t_ P a s s e d_ 1191 19871 1988 1274 1103 1044 154 1 1946 1683 1958 1709 1 863 1616 1275 1081 1844 1566 1946 1735 1958 1694 1863 1620 __0 7, __8_4 MATHEMATICS 198.9. 19.9.0 8_6j___87 ___.87. 0 5, ___8.5 09 87 87 19U 1987 1,198 8 I.AHGUAGE ARTS 19.8.?. .1^0 199.1 1987 198.8. SCIENCE 1989 1990 19JX 1987 SOCIAL STUDIES 1988 1989 1990 1991 GRADE 6 No. Tested No. Passed 1202 1063 1765 1533 1799 1590 1709 1542 1722 1615 1202 999 1765 1518 1798 1602 1709 1544 1722 1558 1201 836 1765 1301 1790 1354 1709 1315 1722 1336 1200 799 1765 1135 1799 1196 1709 1223 1722 1255 1200 718 1765 1157 1799 1265 1709 1318 1722 1265 Percent_Pa3Sed._ 88. 87, 0 0 ___9 0 .9.4, ___8 3. .8 6 __0?____.9 0 ___90. 7,0 __74 ___75 12 ___7.8. _|___,67. 64 .66 12 73 J, 60 6.6 7.0 IT. ___13 1987 .19.8 8 READING 1989 .19? 0 -199J, 1987 118.8, MATHEMATICS 1?8? IHQ. 1991 1987 LANGUAGE ARTS 1?J_O .19 8?. ..19?J. ,.19.91 SCIENCE .1987 19.8,8. 1989 1990 1991 1987 SOCIAL STUDIES 1988 1989 19,9Q .19_9 1 GRADE 8 No. Tested No. Passed 1326 1130 1811 1679 1799 1623 1756 1562 1792 1561 1326 1098 1811 1609 1799 1608 1756 1536 1792 1506 1326 945 1811 1560 1799 1537 1756 1478 1792 1467 1326 724 1011 1272 1799 1207 1756 1298 1792 1121 1326 866 1811 1275 1799 1337 1756 1324 1792 1134 Percent Passed 81 93 90 89 87 83 .89 ___8.9J___8.7.)___.841. ___7,1 ___86,1___85. ^BJ.)___02. 5. 1.9 ^7 Ai 65 70 7i 75 ___63.27^J'?? "Sr-nJ 7-1 SEP 2 9 1992 Annual Report for Little Rock School District Board and District Work Toward Achieving Long-range Goals Long-range goals adopted for the District in 1989 by the Little Rock School Board continue to be our focal points for improvement: increasing educational achievement for all students, establishing climates of excellence in all schools and enhancing human relations skills for District employees. Academic Achievement The Stanford Achievement Test was administered in April 1992 to 19,287 students in grades one through 11. Because this is the first year for administering the Stanford, a longitudinal display of data is not given. However, results are encouraging. (See report of Stanford scores included as an attachment to this report.) On the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test (MPT), scores are reported for a five-year period. (See report of MPT results included as an attachment to this report.) Eighty-eight percent of Little Rock students tested in grade three passed the MPT in readin
Ninety-one percent of the third graders passed the math portion. In the reading area, 92 percent and 85 percent passed in grades six and eight, respectively. At the eighth grade level, the third administration of the test showed marked improvement in the percentage of students passing the test, with all but two junior high schools having at least an 85 percent passing rate. The 1992 percent pass rate for the District is 88 percent. Strategies to increase performance in the Arkansas minimum performance test include tutoring, increased reading and mathematics assistance, computer assisted instruction, more homework and cooperative learning. In terms of long-range achievement, the District began to implement recommendations of the Board-approved curriculum audit performed by the National 1 Curriculum Audit Center of Arlington, Va. Results were reported in January 1991 and serve as the basis for the No More Excuses posture outlined by the superintendent in March 1991. The administration was authorized by the Board to design and develop a curriculum specifically for Little Rock students which is comprehensive, relevant, challenging and properly scoped and sequenced in grades K-12. This covered the core areas of the curriculum (reading, language arts. math, science and social studies), as well as gifted/talented, physical education and vocational education. Implementation began in August 1992. The scope of this revised curriculum exceeds required statewide assessment requirements. Local schools have some flexibility in implementing the curriculum as they make decisions regarding teaching strategies, methodologies and resources. Additionally, curriculum guides were sequentially developed and objectives have been correlated to the skills in the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test and the Stanford Eight nonreferenced test. Also in August 1992, an Instructional Management System was implemented to enable teachers, administration and parents to monitor progress of individual students and provide corrective prescriptions to improve learning. It can monitor the effectiveness of instruction through an assessment component aligned with the curriculum, also. The District will continue to emphasize and expand early childhood education, homework programs, extended day activities, restructuring efforts at the junior high level and secondary Revenues 1991-92 Local State, Other, 43.1% State, Other, $49,292,940 B Local, $64,998,181 Total, $114,291,121 2 Expenditures 1991-92 Other Objects, 1.53% Magnets, 3.32% Debt Service, 7.06% Capital Outlay, 3.52% B Supplies, Materials, 3.56% a J Salaries/Benefits, $82,183,954 Purchased Services $9,036,188 Supplies, Materials $4,010,760 Capital Outlay $3,959,731 Debt Service $7,950,100 Magnets $3,738,667 Other Objects $1,724,698 Purchased Services, 8.02% Total: $112,604,098 Salaries/Benefits, 72.99% reading and mathematics assistance programs to address academic achievement issues. Two new magnet schools were planned by e District and approved for opening in the fall of 1992 by the federal court: Henderson Health Science Magnet Junior High and McClellan Business/ Communications Magnet High School. The number of incentive schools was increased to seven with the inclusion of Franklin Elementary. Incentive schools continued to offer extended day, Saturday school, full-time counselors, auxiliary teachers and small classes. The number of elementary schools offering free four-year-old programs was increased from seven to 11. Those schools. Rightsell, Romine, Mitchell and Woodruff, joined the previous schools of Rockefeller, Badgett, Franklin, Garland, Ish, Stephens and Washington. Also, results from the Districts successful millage election in 1990 continued to be evident. Major construction projects were completed at Geyer Springs, Western Hills, Woodruff and Cloverdale elementary schools, Cloverdale Junior High School and McClellan Business/Communications Magnet High School. Remodeling and construction began at Forest Heights Junior High School. Construction and/or site improvement projects are on schedule at approximately 20 other schools in the District. 3Positive School Climate On April 30, 1991, the City of Little Rock, the LRSD and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arkansas announced a program to help in the battle against the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. This unique program is an insurance policy which covers all children enrolled in the LRSD and provides coverage for treatment of problems arising from substance abuse. It is the only one of its kind in the nation. During 1991-92, 264 students were refemed for assessment, 75 percent of whom had no private insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment. Various restructuring efforts for improved organization and delivery of instruction and services continued, including work at four junior high schools under the umbrella of the New Futures for Little Rock Youth program. Funding assistance for the restructuring in the four schools continued from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Center for Leadership in School Reform. Also, the collaborative work between the District and the Arkansas Health Department continued at two school-based health clinics for improved health services to students . The Johnson and Johnson Community Health Foundation continued its commitment to the effort with the award of an additional $20,000 grant to the clinic at Forest Heights Junior High School. A third clinic, to open in tlie fall of 1992 at McClellan High School, was approved by the Board. Academic progress incentive grants of $25,000 each were awarded to area schools for school improvement projects. Safety and security continued to be a priority. In February 1992, the use of hand-held scanning devices to detect metal was begun and frequent, random searches at secondary schools continue. This was part of the continuing response to needs identified in the Safety and Security Task Force Report in 1989 and to the 53-point action plan for safe schools developed in 1991. Dr. Ruth Steele announced in October 1991 her resignation as superintendent, effective July 1, 1992. The LRSD Board of Directors formed a search committee and Dr. Mac Bernd was hired in May 1992. The focus on the school as the basic unit for the delivery of quality education to students will continue in the 1992-93 school year. A reorganization of central office staff will provide principals closer access to the office of the superintendent. Local school plans will continue to be used to improve instruction and learning in aU schools. Twenty-six schools are in 4the first or second year of the five-year rotating cycle of the Comprehensive Outcomes Evaluation (COE) effort begun in 1990. COE is the evaluation process designed by the state to accredit schools which combines state and North Central Accreditation criteria. Human Relations During 1991-92, the primary mission of the Districts Staff Development Department was to provide District employees with professional growth experiences that support the Districts goal of educational excellence and equity for all students. These experiences were designed and implemented according to the (1) mandates of the desegregation plan
(2) specific identified needs as reflected in the local schools annual improvement plans
and (3) district-wide expectations. Areas addressed included effective teaching, teacher expectations and student achievement, classroom management, cooperative/team learning, learning styles, self-esteem for students, at-risk students, classroom discipline, stress management, thinking skills, prejudice reduction training, new teacher/mentor program and subject area mini-courses. In the annual survey of attitudes toward human relations in LRSD schools, a comparative analysis of the results at each organizational level showed that items ranked as areas of greatest priority varied from those identified in 1991, with several differences in relative standing. The 1992 data revealed new areas of priority, including the need for voluntary visits by parents at the junior high and senior high levels
parent promotion of the instructional program
and involvement of parents and community members in school decisions through advisory committees. Improvement was noted relative to respect among teachers, students, parents and administrators
and fairness and consistency relative to school rules and student discipline. Although the perception of junior high parents relative to school safety improved, the area remains a concern for junior high parents. As reported in 1991, collective data from each organizational level (excluding junior high parents) showed at respondents from the majority of the subgroups did not regard safety within the school as a major concern. More work will continue in this area during the 1992-93 school year as the results of the annual surveys are used to improve interaction among our students. 5Progress Made on Desegregation Plan Implementation On December 13, 1990, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals approved the Settlement Plan agreed on by the Little Rock School District, the North Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District in 1989 for operation of desegregated schools. Following the court ruling, timelines in the 1989 plan were revised and necessary modifications were made to reflect the status of programs that had been implemented and were being retained. While there will continue to be adjustments to details in the plan among the parties, the Office of Desegregation Monitoring and the court to assure compliance, the District continues to improve its ability to offer students, parents and patrons stability and predictability in terms of school assignments and other aspects that affect school choice decisions. 6LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANNING, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST, EIGHTH EDITION NATIONAL PERCENTILE RANK/NORMAL CURVE EQUIVALENT SCORES (PR/NCE) DISTRICTWIDE SUMMARY 1992 ENVIRONMENT* GRADE/RACE NUMBER TESTED TOTAL READING TOTAL MATHEMATICS LANGUAGE SCIENCE SOCIAL SCIENCE B.^SIC BATTERY COMPLETE * BATTERY 1 TOTAL B W o 2094 1330 697 2 4 42/45.8 35/41.9 63/57.0 66/58.8 48/49.0 40/44.6 70/61.1 74/63.3 41/45.1 32/40.2 63/57.2 68/60.1 37/42.9* 27/37.3 59/55.0 49/49.5 A 45/47.5 36/42.4 67/59.5 74/63.5 39/44.0 31/39.5 64/57.8 67/59.1 2 TOTAL B X W 0 1883 1173 672 28 39/44 . 1 29/38 . 1 62/56.2 63/56.9 57/53.8 46/47.7 77/65.6 87/73.6 49/49.7 39/43.9 70/60.9 64/57.4 43/46.3* 32/40.0 65/58.0 67/59.3 A 45/47.4 34/41.3 69/60.3 73/62.6 45/47.3 33/40.8 70/61.2 74/63.5 3 TOTAL B W 0 1783 1131 632 18 39/44.2 27/36.9 63/57.0 57/53.8 58/54.1 46/47.8 76/65.1 80/68.0 50/50.0 38/43.8 70/60.9 68/59.6 43/46.1 30/38.8 67/59.1 63/57.1 46/48.0 35/41.6 67/59.2 61/55.9 49/49.2 36/42.4 70/61.1 69/60.4 47/48.2 34/41.0 70/61.0 68/59.7 4 TOTAL B W 0 1867 1211 632 23 44/47.0 33/40.9 67/59.2 60/55.4 57/53.9 49/49.2 73/63.0 76/65,1 46/47.6 35/42.1 65/58.0 64/57.4 46/47.6 34/41.5 68/60-0 66/50.7 48/49.0 38/43.5 68/59.7 69/60.3 48/49.0 38/43.6 68/59.7 67/59.0 47/48.2 36/42.2 68/60.0 67/59.0 5 TOTAL B W 0 1922 1288 612 22 38/43 .3 26/36.6 63/56.8 58/54.1 53/51.7 43/46.5 71/61.9 83/69.9 48/48-7 38/43.7 67/59.1 66/58.7 45/47.4 33/40.6 70/61.2 74/63.6 46/48.1 37/43. 1 65/58.2 70/60.8 44/46.8 34/41.1 65/58.3 71/61.5 44/46.7 32/40.4 67/59.2 72/62.4 6 TOTAL B W 0 1843 1209 609 25 50/49.9 37/42.8 74/63.6 67/59.2 57/53.8 48/48.7 74/63.3 75/64.3 51/50.3 41/45.4 68/59.9 64/57.7 54/52.0 43/46.0 74/63.5 75/64.0 59/54 . 5 48/49.0 76/65.0 72/62.0 54/52.1 43/46.4 73/63.1 72/62.2 54/52.1 43/46.0 75/64.0 73/62.6 7 TOTAL B W O 1694 1122 550 21 42/45.5 31/39.3 70/61.0 72/62.2 45/47.4 36/42.2 64 /57.3 75/64.3 43/46. 1 33/40.7 64/57.7 70/61.1 42/45.6 31/39.7 65/57.9 75/64.5 47/48.6 35/42.1 72/62.0 80/67.8 46/47.9 35/41.7 69/60.6 75/64.5 46/47.7 33/40.9 71/61.5 78/66.0 8 TOTAL D W 0 1573 1060 493 19 43/45.2 29/38.5 67/59.4 73/62.6 39/4 4.0 30/38.8 59/54.7 87/73.6 48/49.1 38/43.6 69/60.7 81/68.5 45/47.4 34/41.3 68/60.1 77/65.7 46/48.0 34/41.3 72/62.1 83/70.0 43/46.2 32/40.0 66/58.6 84/71.2 4 3/46. 1 30/39.2 68/59.8 86/72.6 9 TOTAL B W O 1554 995 536 23 44/46.6 30/39.2 68/60.1 63/57.2 34/41.2 23/34 . 1 57/53.9 68/59.6 54/51.9 42/45.9 73/63.0 69/60.6 50/50.2 38/43.4 72/62.5 69/60.7 49/49.6 36/42.5 73/62.6 71/61.4 47/48.2 34/41.1 70/61.0 71/61.7 48/48.8 34/41. 1 73/62.6 73/62.9 10 TOTAL B W O 1602 949 609 41 49/49.2 3 5 / 4 3.. 8 72/62.3 64/57.4 37/43.2 26/36.7 56/53.1 58/54.0 47/48.6 34/41.5 68/60.0 59/54.6 45/47.3 32/39.9 67/59.0 64/57.3 43/46.2 30/38.7 66/58.4 57/53.8 47/48.4 34/41.2 68/60.1 64/57.7 47/48.5 32/40.4 70/61.2 65/58.2 11 TOTAL D W O 1472 825 612 35 50/49.8 34/41.4 69/60.7 66/58.4 43/46.5 32/40.1 59/54.6 62/56.4 48/49.1 35/41.9 66/58.5 61/56.1 47/48.6 32/40.2 63/59.7 58/54.4 51/50.6 36/42.7 69/60.7 72/62.3 51/50.4 36/42.3 70/60.8 69/60.5 51/50.4 34/41.3 72/62.1 70/61
0 At Grades 1 and 2 the SCIENCE and SOCIAL SCIENCE objectives are combined and refl noted an on*^ nrnrn undnr ENVIRONMENT.1255 1252. READIHG 1220 1221 GR.A!)E_6 No. Tested llo. Prtssetl 1765 15 13 ?eESIl^..tS.9ied_ J___ft2. 12.63 1799 159 0 00 1262 1709 15 12 .23. 1722 1615 21 READING 1223 1221 LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT ARKANSAS MINIHUM IERIOHMANCE TEST RESULTS UI STH I CT SUHMAHY FIVE YEAR COnrARISOH FIROT ADMINIOTRATION 1900 'I'HROUGII 1992 ISQfi 1252 REAUIUC 1225 1221 12 22 1235 1252 MATHEMATICS 1223 122.1 122? QB.ade, s No. No. Tus t ed Passed 10)1 1679 1 ^99 1623 1756 1562 PtCfent_Ea95e.'d_J___2lJ__30___eg. 17 9 2 1561 __32 i No. Tested No. Passed I9reDt_ Fa33ed_ 122? 1875 1725 1222 170 1 1505 _35. 1255 17 65 1518 104 1 154 1 __8 4 "iiATii'EMATICS 1236 lull 1 609 12 S2 1220 194 6 1603 -12 21 ...6 1950 1709 __07 -122J 1063 16 16 _,0L 128 5 1003 1503 __0 8 1044 1 566 19 4 6 1 7 35 ___0 5 1___0? iahguage'arts*'' 1232 1223 1221 17 90 1602 1 709 15 14 1722 1 550 _.32L_..23L-._2 0 1232 MATHEMATICS 1223. 1221 1 075 167 1 ... 9.1 1222 1765 1301 ___24 1265 1799 ) 600 17 56 1536 17 9 2 1 506 __311___31J_J2.|__34 170 1 1 523 _.63 I 0 1 1 1560 1798 1 354 22 19 50 16 9 4 1221 &2. 1063 1620 __fi? 1280 1 803 1635 1.232 2 1 SCIENCE 1223 1221 1222 1256 SOCIAL STUi)JE, 1262 1220 12 2 1 ij22 1709 1315 1722 1336 .12___IS. lANGUAGE ARTS 1232 17 9 9 153 7 1223 1 4 70 ___84 199 1 1792 14 67 ___02 1875 14 4 6 1765 1 135 1799 1 196 1709 1223 17 2 2 1255 - W_71J___2,1 1221 1701 1 4 35 31 1233 18 11 1272 70 1232 SCIENCE 1223 1221 1 /yy 1 20? IL 17 5 6 1290 1792 112 1 1875 1410 __2.2 1222 1701 1110 421__31 17 65 1157 1238 18 11 127) ...IS I 299 I 265 . 7<i 1709 1110 1 7 .! . I B75 1 )0 ! .21 .. 2 2 SOCIAL STUDIES 1262 17 9 9 13 3/ 71 12 2,0 I ?j .._.251. 122 1 1 / 9 1 1 J 4 f i 12 2? I 70 I 11/2 ....44LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND EVALUATION ARKANSAS MINIMUM PERFORMANCE TEST GRADE EIGHT SUMMARY THIRD ADMINISTRATION 1 9 9 2. SCHOOL/NO. TESTED* STUDENTS PASSING TOTAL TEST PASSING SCORE = 4204 STUDENTS FAILING BLACK WHITE OTHER TOTAL CLOVERDALE/219 Number Percent DUNBAR/242 Number Percent FOREST HEIGHTS/218 Number Percent HENDERSON/211 Number Percent MABELVALE/175 Number Percent MANN/273 Number Percent PULASKI HEIGHTS/228 Number Percent SOUTHWEST/199 Number Percent ELIZ. MITCHELL/9 Number Percent PINNACLE POINT/5 Number Percent DISTRICT/1779 Number Percent 198 90 222 92 181 83 179 85 153 87 257 94 202 89 162 81 5 56 1559 88 10 48 10 50 24 65 21 66 12 55 7 44 10 38 15 41 109 50 10 48 6 30 13 35 11 34 9 56 16 62 15 41 1 25 1 20 88 40 2 10 2 10 3 14 5 14 2 50 2 40 11 5 1 25 2 40 12 5 21 10 20 8 37 17 32 15 22 13 16 6 26 11 37 19 4 44 __5 100% 220 12 M F M 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 1 5 0 0 M 0 0 0 0 F 0 0 0 0 6 21 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * The number of students tested has been revised to reflect students moving into and out of the district since the second administration and to exclude special education students who may have been included in the second administration summary.Little Rock School District RECE!Er> OCT 6 1992 Office of Desegregation Monitoring DATE: October 1, 1992 TO: Ann Brown Office of Desegregation Monitoring FROM: Marie A. Parker, Associate Superintendent for Organizational and Learning Equity SUBJECT: Annual Report for 1991-92 The enclosed State Report was submitted to the LRSD School Board on September 24, 1992. The report will be submitted to Arkansas State Department of Education on/or before October 15, 1992. If you have any questions regarding this report, please call me at 324-2270. rjg: 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501)374-3361 Annual Report for 1991-92 Little Rock School District Board and District Work Toward Achieving Long-range Goals Long-range goals adopted for the District in 1989 by the Little Rock School Board continue to be our focal points for improvement: increasing educational achievement for all students, establishing climates of excellence in all schools and enhancing human relations skills for Dis-trict employees. Academic Achievement The Stanford Achievement Test was administered in April 1992 to 19,287 students in grades one through 11. Because this is the first year for administering the Stanford, a longitudinal display of data is not given. However, results are encouraging. (See report of Stanford scores included as an attachment to this report.) On the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test (MPT), scores are reported for a five-year period. (See report of MPT results included as an attachment to this report.) Eighty-eight percent of Little Rock students tested in grade three passed the MPT in reading. Ninety-one percent of the third graders passed the math portion. In the reading area, 92 percent and 85 percent passed in grades six and eight, respectively. At the eighth grade level, the third administration of the test showed marked improvement in the percentage of students passing the test, with all but two junior high schools having at least an 85 percent passing rate. The 1992 percent pass rate for the District is 88 percent. Strategies to increase performance in the Arkansas minimum performance test include tutoring, increased reading and mathematics assistance, computer assisted instruction, more homework and cooperative learning. In terms of long-range achievement, the District began to implement recommendations of the Board-approved curriculum audit performed by the National 1 Curriculum Audit Center of Arlington, Va. Results were reported in January 1991 and serve as the basis for the No More Excuses posture outlined by the superintendent in March 1991. The -- administration was authorized by the Board to design and develop a curriculum specifically for Little Rock students which is comprehensive, relevant, challenging and properly scoped and sequenced in grades K-12. This covered the core areas of the curriculum (reading, language arts, math, science and social studies), as well as gifted/talented, physical education and vocational education. Implementation began in August 1992. The scope of this revised curriculum exceeds required statewide assessment requirements. Local schools have some flexibility in implementing the curriculum as they make decisions regarding teaching strategies, methodologies and resources. Additionally, curriculum guides were sequentially developed and objectives have been correlated to the skills in the Arkansas Minimum Performance Test and the Stanford Eight non-referenced test. Also in August 1992, an Instructional Management System was implemented to enable teachers, administration and parents to monitor progress of individual students and provide corrective prescriptions to improve learning. It can monitor the effectiveness of instruction through an assessment component aligned with the curriculum, also. The District will continue to emphasize and expand early childhood education, homework programs, extended day activities, restructuring efforts at the junior high level and secondary Revenues 1991-92 Local State, Other, 43.1% State, Other, $49,292,940 H Local, $64,998,181 Total, $114,291,121 2 Expenditures 1991-92 Other Objects, 1,53% Magnets, 3.32% Debt Service, 7.06% Capital Outlay, 3.52% a Supplies, Materials, 3.56% a Salaries/Benefits, $82,183,954 Purchased Services $9,036,188 Supplies, Materials $4,010,760 Capital Outlay $3,959,731 Debt Service $7,950,100 Magnets $3,738,667 Other Objects $1,724,698 Purchased Services, 8.02% Total: $112,604,098 Salaries/Benefits, 72.99% reading and mathematics assistance programs to address academic achievement issues. Two new magnet schools were planned by the District and approved for opening in the fall of 1992 by the federal court: Henderson Health Science Magnet Junior High and McClellan Business/ Communications Magnet High School. The number of incentive schools was increased to seven with the inclusion of Franklin Elementary. Incentive schools continued to offer extended day, Saturday school, full-time counselors, auxiliary teachers and small classes. The number of elementary schools offering free four-year-old programs was increased from seven to 11. Those schools. Rightsell, Romine, Mitchell and Woodruff, joined the previous schools of Rockefeller, Badgett, Franklin, Garland, Ish, Stephens and Washington. Also, results from the Districts successful millage election in 1990 continued to be evident. Major construction projects were completed at Geyer Springs, Western Hills, Woodruff and Cloverdale elementary schools, Cloverdale Junior High School and McClellan Business/Communications Magnet High School. Remodeling and construction began at Forest Heights Junior High School. Construction and/or site improvement projects are on schedule at approximately 20 other schools in the District. 3Positive School Climate On April 30, 1991, the City of Little Rock, the LRSD and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arkansas announced a program to help in the battle against the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. This unique program is an insurance policy which covers all children enrolled in the LRSD and provides coverage for treatment of problems arising from substance abuse. It is tlte only one of its kind in the nation. During 1991-92,264 students were referred for assessment, 75 percent of whom had no private insurance coverage for substance abuse treatment. Various restructuring efforts for improved organization and delivery of instruction and services continued, including work at four junior high schools under the umbrella of the New Futures for Little Rock Youth program. Funding assistance for the restructuring in the four schools continued from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Center for Leadership in School Reform. Also, the collaborative work between the District and the Arkansas Health Department continued at two school-based health clinics for improved health services to students . The Johnson and Johnson Community Health Foundation continued its commitment to the effort with the award of an additional $20,000 grant to the clinic at Forest Heights Junior High School. A third clinic, to open in the fall of 1992 at McClellan High School, was approved by the Board. Academic progress incentive grants of $25,000 each were awarded to area schools for school improvement projects. Safety and security continued to be a priority. In February 1992, the use of hand-held scanning devices to detect metal was begun and frequent, random searches at secondary schools continue. This was part of the continuing response to needs identified in the Safety and Security Task Force Report in 1989 and to the 53-point action plan for safe schools developed in 1991. Dr. Ruth Steele announced in October 1991 her resignation as superintendent, effective July 1, 1992. The LRSD Board of Directors formed a search committee and Dr. Mac Bernd was hired in May 1992. The focus on the school as the basic unit for the delivery of quality education to students will continue in the 1992-93 school year. A reorganization of central office staff will provide principals closer access to the office of the superintendent. Local school plans will continue to be used to improve instruction and learning in aU schools. Twenty-six schools are in 4the first or second year of the five-year rotating cycle of the Comprehensive Outcomes Evaluation (COE) effort begun in 1990. COE is the evaluation process designed by the state to accredit schools which combines state and North Central Accreditation criteria. Human Relations During 1991-92, the primary mission of the Districts Staff Development Department was to provide District employees with professional growth experiences that support the Districts goal of educational excellence and equity for all students. These experiences were designed and implemented according to the (1) mandates of the desegregation plan
(2) specific identified needs as reflected in the local schools annual improvement plans
and (3) district-wide expectations. Areas addressed included effective teaching, teacher expectations and student achievement, classroom management, cooperative/team learning, learning styles, self-esteem for students, at-risk students, classroom discipline, stress management, thinking skills, prejudice reduction training, new teacher/mentor program and subject area mini-courses. In the annual survey of attitudes toward human relations in LRSD schools, a comparative analysis of the results at each organizational level showed that items ranked as areas of greatest priority varied from those identified in 1991, with several differences in relative standing. The 1992 data revealed new areas of priority, including the need for voluntary visits by parents at the junior high and senior high levels
parent promotion of the instructional program
and involvement of parents and community members in school decisions through advisory committees. Improvement was noted relative to respect among teachers, students, parents and administrators
and fairness and consistency relative to school rules and student discipline. Although the perception of junior high parents relative to school safety improved, the area remains a concern for junior high parents. As reported in 1991, collective data from each organizational level (excluding junior high parents) showed that respondents from the majority of the subgroups did not regard safety within the school as a major concern. More work will continue in this area during the 1992-93 school year as the results of the annual surveys are used to improve interaction among our students. 5Progress Made on Desegregation Plan Implementation On December 13, 1990, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals approved the Settlement Plan agreed on by the Little Rock School District, the North Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District in 1989 for operation of desegregated schools. Following the court ruling, timelines in the 1989 plan were revised and necessary modifications were made to reflect the status of programs that had been implemented and were being retained. While there will continue to be adjustments to details in the plan among the parties, the Office of Desegregation Monitoring and the court to assure compliance, tlie District continues to improve its ability to offer students, parents and patrons stability and predictability in terms of school assignments and other aspects that affect school choice decisions. 6LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANNING, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST, EIGHTH EDITION NATIONAL PERCENTILE RANK/NORMAL CURVE EQUIVALENT SCORES (PR/NCE) DISTRICTWIDE SUMMARY 1992 ENVIRONMENT* GRADE/RACE NUMBER TESTED TOTAL READING TOTAL MATHEMATICS LANGUAGE SCIENCE SOCIAL SCIENCE BASIC BAITERY COMPLETE BATTERY 1 TOTAL B W 0 2094 1330 697 2 4 42/45.8 35/41.9 63/57.0 66/58.8 48/49.0 40/44.6 70/61.1 74/63.3 41/45.1 32/40.2 63/57.2 68/60.1 37/42.9* 27/37.3 59/55.0 49/49.5 45/47,5 36/42.4 67/59.5 74/63.5 39/44.0 31/39.5 64/57.8 67/59.1 2 TOTAL B \ W O 1883 1173 672 28 39/44.1 29/38.1 62/56.2 63/56.9 57/53.8 46/47.7 77/65.6 87/73.6 49/49.7 39/43.9 70/60.9 64/57.4 43/46.3* 32/40.0 65/58.0 67/59.3 45/47.4 34/41.3 69/60.3 73/62.6 45/47.3 33/40.8 70/61.2 74/63.5 3 TOTAL B W 0 1783 1131 632 18 39/44.2 27/36.9 63/57.0 57/53.8 58/54.1 46/47.8 76/65.1 80/68.0 50/50.0 38/43.8 70/60.9 68/59.6 43/46.1 30/38.8 67/59.1 63/57.1 46/48.0 35/41.6 67/59.2 61/55.9 49/49.2 36/42.4 70/61.1 69/60.4 47/48.2 34/41.0 70/61.0 68/5S: . 7 4 TOTAL B W 0 1867 1211 632 23 44/47.0 33/40.9 67/59.I 60/55.4 57/53.9 49/49.2 73/63.0 76/65.1 46/47.6 35/42.1 65/58.0 64/57.4 46/47.6 34/41.5 68/60.0 66/58.7 48/49.0 38/43.5 68/59.7 69/60.3 48/49.0 38/43.6 68/59.7 67/59.0 47/48.2 36/42.2 68/60.0 67/59.0 5 TOTAL B W 0 1922 1288 612 22 38/43.3 26/36.6 63/56.8 58/54.1 53/51.7 43/46.5 71/61.9 83/69.9 48/48.7 38/43.7 67/59.1 66/58.7 45/47.4 33/40.6 70/61.2 74/63.6 46/48.1 37/43.1 65/58.2 70/60.8 44/46.8 34/41.1 65/58.3 71/61.5 44/46.7 32/40.4 67/59.2 72/62.4 6 TOTAL B W o 1843 1209 609 25 50/49.9 37/42.8 74/63.6 67/59.2 57/53.8 48/48.7 74/63.3 75/64.3 51/50.3 41/45.4 68/59.9 64/57.7 54/52.0 43/46.0 74/63.5 75/64.0 59/54.5 48/49.0 76/65.0 72/62.0 54/52.1 43/46.4 73/63.1 72/62.2 54/52.1 43/46.0 75/64.0 73/62.6 7 TOTAL B W O 1694 1122 550 21 42/45.5 31/39.3 70/61.0 72/62.2 45/47.4 36/42.2 64/57.3 75/64.3 43/46.1 33/40.7 64/57.7 70/61.1 42/45.6 31/39.7 65/57.9 75/64.5 47/48.6 35/42.1 72/62.0 80/67.8 46/47.9 35/41.7 69/60.6 75/64.5 46/47.7 33/40.9 71/61.5 78/66.0 8 TOTAL B W O 1573 1060 493 19 41/45.2 29/38.5 67/59.4 73/62.6 39/44.0 30/38.8 59/54.7 87/73.6 48/49.1 38/43.6 69/60.7 81/68.5 45/47.4 34/41.3 68/60.1 77/65.7 46/48.0 34/41.3 72/62.1 83/70.0 43/46.2 32/40.0 66/58.6 84/71.2 43/46.1 30/39.2 68/59.8 86/72.6 9 TOTAL B W 0 1554 995 536 23 44/46.6 30/39.2 68/60.1 63/57.2 34/41.2 23/34.1 57/53.9 68/59.6 54/51.9 42/45.9 73/63.0 69/60.6 50/50.2 38/43.4 72/62.5 69/60.7 49/49.6 36/42,5 73/62,6 71/61.4 47/48.2 34/41.1 70/61.0 71/61.7 48/48.8 34/41.1 73/62.6 73/62.9 10 TOTAL B W 0 1602 949 609 41 49/49.2 35/41.8 72/62.3 64/57.4 37/43.2 26/36.7 56/53.1 58/54.0 47/48.6 34/41.5 68/60.0 59/54.6 45/47.3 32/39.9 67/59.0 64/57.3 43/46.2 30/38.7 66/58.4 57/53.8 47/48.4 34/41.2 68/60.1 64/57.7 47/48.5 32/40.4 70/61.2 65/58.2 11 TOTAL B W O 1472 825 612 35 50/49.8 34/41.4 69/60.7 66/58.4 43/46.5 32/40.1 59/54.6 62/56.4 48/49.1 35/41.9 66/58.5 61/56.1 47/48.6 32/40.2 68/59.7 58/54.4 51/50.6 36/42.7 69/60.7 72/62.3 51/50.4 36/42.3 70/60.8 69/60.5 51/50.4 34/41.3 72/62.1 70/61i 0 * At Grades 1 and 2 the SCIENCE and SOCIAL SCIENCE objectives are combined and reflected ar. r.corn nndnr ENVIRONMENT..?BAJ>t*_9 No. Tested No. Passed 120 8 1765 1513 19 8? readThg 1799 1 59 0 SInt._ES.ia.4_i._ill___SS. ills i6 1220 1709 1542 lA 1991 1722 1615 n KEADIIIG UO ISi LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT ARKANSAS MINIMUM PERIOIUIANCE TEST RESULTS OISTniCT SUMMARY FIVE YEAH COMPARISON FIROT ADMINISTRATION 1908 TIiROUGlI 1992 1-215 1292 READING 1229 1221 1212 1229 1292 MATHEMATICS 1220 1211 122? i No. Tested Uo. Passed percent Passed 122? 1875 1725 m? 1299 17 65 1518 ..9A 188 184 1 1541 8 4 HATliEMATT<:S 1212 1220 1790 1602 1 709 154 4 19 4 6 1603 86 .1221 1722 1558 IU. 1950 1709 87 1212 1875 1671 ... fj. MATHEMATICS ISfi. mi i22 1863 1616 _^.ei 1199 17 65 1301 ___Ll. 1 803 1503 00 1044 1566 1946 1735 19 58 16 9 4 1063 1620 .1___85____811___07 J__0 7 ITkUGUAGE ARTS llfil 1220 1121 1221 1199. 12SS 1803 1635 __9 1 1.29.2 SCIENCE 12 22 1221 1221 1299 SOCIAL SrUDH..', 1292 1 229 1 ? 3 1 1 798 1354 1709 1315 1722 1336 1875 1446 1765 1135 1799 1196 1709 1223 1722 1255 1 875 1410 17 65 1157 I 199 1 265 1 709 1 H 8 1 7 . 1 2. 187 5 1 )8 Z li ._21L__2A lAHGUAGE ARTS ill ISO mi 71 mi _ ttl 7jJ 7.J _ { T) .22 . li 2i mi ill SCIENCE 128 121 1221 i 28 a SOCIAL STVJOIES 18 1 ?p 12! OB.AIJE. S No. Tested No. Passed mil 1679 r? teaat-EassslJ.__11. 1 7 99 1623 __29 i 7 5 & 1562 __82. 1792 1561 .17 170 1 1505 _..15. lull 1 609 1799 1 608 __llL.-.Sl 1756 1536 11 1792 1506 11 170 1 1 523 _-.91 18 11 1560 11 it 99 1537 11 1756 1478 1792 1467 b
1701 1 4 35 __Bl 1811 1 272 11 1 /99 1 207 1 7 56 1 290 ill. 11 1792 1121 ii 1781 1110 ___ 18 11 127) ...ip 1 ?9'J 13)1 ...7 i 112 1 1 />- I I J 4 I za I .7} 11 IfLITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND EVALUATION ARKANSAS MINIMUM PERFORMANCE TEST GRADE EIGHT SUMMARY THIRD ADMINISTRATION 1 9 9 2. TOTAL TEST PASSING SCORE = 4204 STUDENTS FAILING SCHOOL/NO. TESTED* STUDENTS PASSING BLACK WHITE OTHER TOTAL CLOVERDALE/219 Number Percent DUNBAR/242 Number Percent FOREST HEIGHTS/218 Number Percent HENDERSON/211 Number Percent MABELVALE/175 Number Percent MANN/273 Number Percent PULASKI HEIGHTS/228 Number Percent SOUTHWEST/199 Number Percent ELIZ. MITCHELL/9 Number Percent PINNACLE POINT/5 Number Percent DISTRICT/1779 Number Percent 198 90 222 92 181 83 179 85 153 87 257 94 202 89 162 81 5 56 1559 88 10 48 10 50 24 65 21 66 12 55 1 44 10 38 15 41 109 50 10 48 6 30 13 35 11 34 9 56 16 62 15 41 1 25 1 20 88 40 3 14 2 50 2 40 11 5 2 10 5 14 1 25 2 40 12 5 21 10 20 8 37 17 32 15 22 13 16 6 26 11 37 19 4 44 __5 lOQ! 220 12 0 M F M 0 2 0 0 0 0 F 1 5 0 0 M 0 0 0 0 F 0 0 0 0 6 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 o, .X 0 0 * The number of students tested has been revised to reflect students moving into and out of the district since the second administration and to exclude special education students who may have been included in the second administration summary.Annual Report for 1992-93 Little Rock School District Board and District Work Toward Achieving Long-range Goals Long-range goals adopted for the District in 1989 by the Little Rock School Board continuf to be our focal points for improvement
increasing educadonai achievement for all students, establishing climates of excellence in ail schools, and enhancing human relations skills for o District employees. Academic Achievement The Stanford Achievement Test was administered in April 1993 to 18,777 students in grades one through 11. In comparison to the 1991-92 districtwide percentile, scores show that at the primary and intermediate grade levels scores for total reading, total mathematics, and language increased from the previous year. There was an increase in science and social studies as well. (See report of Stanford scores included as an attachment to this report.) The percentile ranking for the secondary levels showed increases or stability in reading, mathematics, and English, with the exception of grade eleven. A representative sampling of principals across organizational levels reported that numerous strategies were being employed to reduce the disparity that still remains between black and white students. Some of the strategies mentioned were peer tutoring, teaching reading two times a day, accuracy of placement, flexible assignments, an early morning tutorial program, and remediation of students through the use of Academic Skills Development Plans. The Arkansas Minimum Performance Test (MPT) scores are reported for a five-year period. The test was admimstered in grades three, six, and eight. (See report of MPT results included as an attachment to this rer'on.) In the 1992-93 academic year, 86 percent of ail students tested in third grade passed reading
1 88 percent passed mathematics. Passing percentages for third grade black students were 81 percent in reading and 8 j percent in mathematics. Ninety-six percent of third grade white J students passed both of these areas. At the sixth grade level, passing percentages for all tested students ranged from 91 percent in reading to 76 percent in language ans and social studies. Eighty-seven percent of third grade white students passed reading
ninety-nine percent of the sixth grade white students passed in this area. Eighty-seven percent of the eighth grade students who were tested passed the total test. At the eighth grade level, passing percentages for black students ranged from 82 percent in reading to 51 percent in science. The range for white students was 95 percent passing reading to 85 percent passing social studies. A slightly greater percentage of black students passed reading an in the previous year. The 1993 Arkansas Legislature passed a bill which allows eighth grade students to be promoted to the ninth grade without passing the MPT, as was previously required. This bill was implemented in 1993
therefore, no eighth grade students were retained solely on the basis of their failure to pass the 1993 MPT. Strategies to increase performance in the Arkansas Minimum Performance test include tutoring, increased reading and mathematics assistance, computer assisted instruction, more homework, and cooperative learning. State, 2 Expenditures 1992-93 Debt Services, 8.52% Services, Supplies, Equipment, 18.54% Services, Supplies, Equipment, $20,795,262 Salaries/Benefits, 72.94% a Salaries/Benefits, $81,820,303 Debt Services, $9,554,535 Total: $112,170,100 The District will continue to emphasize and expand early childhood education, homework programs, extended day activities, restructuring efforts at the junior high level, and secondary reading and mathematics assistance programs to address academic achievement issues. Two new magnet schools opened in the fall of 1992: Henderson Health Science Magnet Junior High and McClellan Business/Communications Magnet High School. Incentive schools continued to offer extended day, Saturday school, full-time counselors, auxiliary teachers, and small classes. The number of elementary schools offering free four-year-old programs was increased from 11 to 16, making them available in Badgett, Bale, Cloverdale, Franklin, Garland, Geyer Springs, Ish, Mitchell, Rightseil, Rockefeller, Romine, Stephens, Washington, Watson, Wilson, and Woodruff schools. Also, during the 1992-93 school year, the most significant building projects completed were the addition to Forest Heights Junior High and the construction of the Martin Luther King Jr. Interdistrict Elementary School. To date, the District has expended approximately 80 percent of the bond issues and completed 132 projects which include building improvements as well as new facilities. Twenty-five projects are scheduled for the 1993-94 school year. 3Positive School Climate In the annual survey of attitudes toward human relations in LRSD schools, a comparative analysis of the results at each organizational level showed that items ranked as areas of greatest priority varied from those identified in 1992, with several differences in relative standing. The 1993 data revealed new areas of priority including the need for more student respect for teachers and other students and a need for students to be more excited about learning. A concern was that slow learners did not receive as much praise as more advanced students. Another concern was that pupils felt that the school rules were not fair. Improvement was noted relative to involvement of parents and community members at the elementary and high school levels in school decisions through advisory committees. Safety and security continued to be apriority. In February 1992, the use of hand-held scanning devices to detect metal was begun and frequent, random searches at secondary schools continue. This was part of the continuing response to needs identified in the Safety and Security Task Force Report in 1989 and to the 53-point action plan for safe schools developed in 1991. Curriculum and Staff Development The Little Rock School District was authorized by the Board of Directors to design and develop a written curriculum that is comprehensive, relevant, challenging, and developmentally appropriate for kindergarten through twelfth grade. With this charge, a revised curriculum was developed in the 1991-92 school year and implemented beginning with the 1992-93 school year. The board also approved the installation and use of a technology system to monitor and assess student progress in mastering the revised curriculum. This new system, the Abacus Instructional Management System, was piloted in twenty-two elementary schools and two junior high schools during the 1992-93 school year. Implementation of the revised curriculum and its computer management system was moni- tored throughout the 19^-93 school year, and a curriculum debriefing meeting was held with a committee of teachers and administrators at the end of the 1992-93 school year. Feedback from 4monitoring and the debriefing meeting suggested that the curriculum was being used by teachers at all levels and was viewed by teachers, principals, and parents as a strong document that has to the potential to make a marked difference in student achievement. Teachers reponed that the curriculum is closely correlated to the LRSD standardized testing program and reflects the latest initiatives in curriculum development at the national level. Staff development provided for the revised curriculum was reported by teachers as a positive experience. Although curriculum implementation and training for multiple subject areas all at one time was not always viewed by teachers as the ideal method for curriculum renewal, the end result was positive. A "trainer of trainers" curriculum workshop was conducted in August 1992. One teacher for each subject area from each school received initial training about the revised curriculum. These trainers provided curriculum training for all teachers at each local building during the 1992-93 pre-school conference. In addition, elementary curriculum grade level to^ cluster meetings were held throughout the first semester of 1992-93. Each elementary teacher attended four sessions: language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Secondary traimng sessions were held through subject area cluster meetings and secondary council meetings. A large scale training program for the Abacus Instructional Management System was also undertaken in 1992-93. Training sessions for curriculum supervisors were followed by sessions for the principals and teachers at 24 pilot schools. Trainees learned to access curriculum objectives in the computer, make tests from a test item bank correlated to the objectives, and use teacher observation records and teacher-made tests to assess student mastery of curriculum objectives. During the summer of 1993, teacher committees worked to add items to the test item bank and to revise existing test items. Abacus will continue at the pilot schools and will be expanded to include the remainder of the elementary schools during the 1993-94 school term. Student and class reports generated from Abacus will give teachers, principals, and parents an up-to-date record of how well an individual student or group of students is mastering the objectives in the revised curriculum. This data will give parents, teachers, principals, curriculum supervisors, and admimstrators a basis for effecting change at the district, school, classroom, and family level.Desegregation Audit and Review During the 1992-93 school year, the LittleRock School District initiated a Desegregation Audit/Review. The purpose of the audit, as commissioned by the Superintendent, was to determine the degree to which each program of the Desegregation Plan had been implemented. What began as an assessment of implementation evolved into the formation of a system for monitoring, reporting, and determining the level of success of the Desegregation Plan. 6SLIP SHEET TO AGENDA 09-22-94 Annual Report for 1993-94 Little Rock School District NEW DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS Of major importance to the Little Rock School District (LRSD) in the coming years, is the review of LRSDs mission statement and goals. Dr. Henry P. Williams, superintendent, requested a day-long planning session to review the direction the school district should take. The group developed a new mission statement and listed six major goals for the district. The group consisted of members of the board of directors, district administrators, Classroom Teachers Association and Parent Teachers Association members. Office of Desegregation Monitoring representatives, Joshua Intervenors, and a variety of community members. Both the goals and mission statement printed below provide direction for the district s educational and academic focus
insures equity for students, parents, and staff
guides budget planning
and emphasizes staff development and school safety. LRSD Mission Statement The mission of the Little Rock School District is to provide a quality, integrated educational program which encourages all children to achieve their optimum academic, social, and emotional development. To that end, the students in the Little Rock School District will develop skills in problem solving and conflict resolution, and demonstrate mastery of the Districts curriculum.This will be achieved through the collaborative efforts of a Board, a dedicated and competent staff, and of parents and citizens committed to fairness, racial equity and adequate support for education. LIHLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT GOALS 1. Implement integrated educational programs that will ensure that all students grow academically, socially and emotionally with emphasis on basic skills and academic enrichment while closing disparities in achievement. 2. Develop and maintain a staff that is well-trained and motivated. 3. The Little Rock School Board, administration, staff, and students will demonstrate in their day-to-day behavior that they accept each individual as a valued contributor to society and view cultural diversity among students, staff and community as a valued resource upon which our community and nation can draw as we prepare for the 21st Century. 4. Solicit and secure financial and other support our schools, including our desegregation plan. resources that are necessary to fully 5. Provide a safe and orderly climate that is students. conducive to learning for all 6. Ensure that equity occurs in all phases of school activities and operations. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT The Stanford Eight Achievement Test was administered during the spring of 1994, to more than 18,000 students in grades one through 11. A Complete 2Battery was used to assess student achievement mathematics, English, science, and social in the areas of reading, reviewed separately for the diagnostic results of individual. science. When scored, subtests may be strengths and weaknesses. class, or grade level The 1994, districtwide average percentile totals showed that percentile ranks at the school level remained fairly stable. (Percentile points ranae from a low of one to a high of 99 with 50 being (Percentile points range from average.) Grades 4, 5, 6, and 10 scored at or above the fiftieth percentile on the complete battery test district level. However, from Spring 1992 scores at the indicated some increase to Spring 1994, seven of 11 grades complete battery at the district level. in the average percentile rank of the Stanford 8 A sample of principals reported that strategies were being developed and Will be implemented to focus on reducing achievement disparity. Some of the strategies shared were team teaching, individualized tutoring in mathematics and science, smaller classes, a program entitled Math-Plus, Reading Clubs for at- risk students, test taking skills, an after school homework and tutoring program, and a Reading and Language Direct Instruction Program. Arkansas Minimum Performance Test The Arkansas Minimum Performance Test (MPT) five-year period. In.1993-94, the scores are reported for a Third-grade students test was administered in grades six and eight. were not tested, as was previously required. The 1993-94 school year was the last year of administration of the MPT. 3At the sixth grade level, passing percentages for all tested students ranged from 91 percent in reading to 78 percent in language arts. Ninety-seven percent of sixth grade white students passed reading
eighty-eight percent of the sixth grade black students passed in this area. Passing percentages for eighth grade students who were tested ranged from 83 percent in reading to 60 percent in science. At the eighth grade level, passing percentages for black students ranged from 76 percent in reading to 47 percent in science. The range for white students was 96 percent passing reading to 88 percent passing science. A slightly greater percentage of eighth grade students improved their scores in social studies over the previous year. Some strategies to enhance learning and increase achievement for all students based on areas of need identified on the Arkansas Minimum Performance test include Academic Skills Development Plans, Math-Plus, Language Arts-Plus, tutoring
homework centers, use of Abacus (the districts instructional management system), and implementing a variety of teaching methods and educational programs. Principals also identified the need to continue staff development in human relations to improve student performance. Climate/Hu man Relations Sun^'ey A School Climate\Human Relations Survey is conducted each year by the LRSD. The purpose of the survey is to gather opinions concerning teacher- student relations, instruction, school security, student-peer relations. parent- school relations, etc. The results are used to develop plans to capitalize on the strengths and remedy weaknesses. 4Data from the 1994 survey indicated that at least two-thirds of parents, students, and teachers surveyed agreed on several items: They were knowledgeable about their rights and responsibilities at their respective schools, and all three groups agreed that teachers treat one another with respect. The following items were among those that received the highest percentage of always and usually answers by each group: Students were knowledgeable about their rights and responsibilities, and also answered positively concerning the treatment of librarians and secretaries at schools. Among the items receiving the highest percentage of always and usually answers from teachers were that parents were welcome at school, received reports of student progress at conferences, and that principals treated parents with respect. Items to which parents most frequently responded always and a usually indicated that they agreed with the above findings. Answers to survey items also pointed to weaknesses. Some of the areas of concern identified indicated that: Students, teachers, and parents held the opinion that students did not treat other students with respect, and teachers expressed the opinion that students did not treat teachers with respect. Additionally, the survey indicated that it is the perception of parents that teachers do not expect low achievers to respond as often as other students. Information derived from the School Climate\Human Relations Survey will serve as a useful tool in reinforcing those positive aspects of parental awareness and planning for better communications for the 1994-95 academic year. 5Curriculum and Staff Development The Little Rock School District (LRSD) educational program which provides a quality, integrated children to achieve their optimum academic, social, and emotional development. established for each subject and grade level. Curriculum objectives have been the elementary level and subject areas. The objectives are introduced at are expanded as students advance toward mastery of In order to meet the National Education establishment of new learner Goals, Act 236 of 1991 called for assessment, and professional development. outcomes linked to new curriculum frameworks. The State Board of Education adopted the Arkansas Learner Outcomes in October 1991, and in May of 1992, the State Board adopted a schedule for the rievpinnm.^, curriculum a schedule for the development of frameworks. Frameworks in developed. English, Language Arts, and Mathematics were The Districts current Course Content Guides in . English, Language Arts, and athematics were used for instruction until the 1994-95 school the 1993-94 school local curriculum guides K-12 in year the District used the state frameworks year. During to revise the the following years, LRSD curriculum English, Language Arts, and Mathematics. During frameworks for remaining will be revised in accordance with state course content areas. LRSD offers 18 challenging advanced placement students assuring that all students will be allowed courses for high school to prepare for the future at their own level of learning. A Youth Apprenticeship Program is offered at 6 t IMetropolitan VoTech Education Center, and it provides students with on-the-job training and related classroom instruction. LRSD offers Tech Prep which is designed to guide students into higher level academic and vocational courses giving them the strong technical and academic foundations on which to build their future. Quality staff development was executed in 1992 to support the implementation of the revised District curriculum through the trainer of trainers model for administrators and teachers. (975) workshops were conducted during the 1993-94 school Nine hundred and seventy-five thousand eight hundred and year, and nine received Professional Growth Training and ninety-seven (9,897) educators enrolled and programs and teaching methods: training credits in the following PET, TESA, Classroom Management, Cooperative learning, Learning Styles, and Thinking SkiUs. staff development training was well received by administrators and by the Staff Development teachers. The hands-on computer training, and implementaUon of the Abacus instructional Management System by the Staff Development and Media/Instructional Technology Departments instructional management tool. ensured the use of this viable Training for the Abacus Instructional Management for all teachers in 14 additional elementary schools this System was provided classes were offered year, and refresher at the districts Instructional Resource Center. sessions were held in the evenings for principals. During the Special year, 72 sessions of Abacus training were held for a total of 810 1993-94 school The training will equip teachers with the skills participants. and knowledge to use Abacus to 7monitor on a regular basis individual student students strengths and needs, ability to generate reports for growth as well as diagnosis of Additional features of the Abacus system are its parent conferences, obtain immediate feedback of test results, identify supplementary objectives, and to develop individual lesson resources correlated to curriculum plans for students. During the summer of 1994, objectives were added revised mathematics and language to the Abacus system along with additional correlated to the revised objectives. arts Abacus as the record-keeping system of the All elementary schools will test items I now use District. DESEGREGATION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION The Desegregation Plan to by the Little Rock School District, the North was approved in May 1992. The plan was agreed Pulaski County Special School District for Little Rock School District, and the operation of desegregated schools. During the 1993-94 school year, the Little Rock School District identified all Obligations, within our plan, within our court orders, and within monitoring reports from the Office of Desegregation Monitoring and Little Rock School The Little Rock School is updated by Program District Planning, Research and Evaluation Department. District has incorporated a living document which Managers on a Quarterly basis. obligations. This living document called the PROGRAM BUDGET DOCUMENT is used to monitor progress in meeting our defined The Little Rock School District has students to their Attendance Zone schools. undertaken a major effort to assign all unless other choices were approved. 8The district is following our obligation to phase out Grandfathering, whereby students were allowed to remain in their current school, whether or not the school was the Attendance Zone school. Because of this effort, many Incentive School students have elected to go to their Attendance Zone school. This effort resulted in a total increase of 165 students in our incentive schools in August of 1994 over the October 1993 student count. This increase occurred with one (1) less Incentive School in 1994-95 than in 1993-94. The Little Rock School District also has moved toward actively and aggressively recruiting students to our district. During the 1993-94 school year, a districtwide recruitment plan was written to address requirements in the desegregation plan, court orders, as well as monitoring reports. The document includes plans for incentive, area, magnet and interdistrict schools. As part of the districtwide recruitment plan, each school is required to have an individual recruitment plan and a school recruitment team to implement activities in their plan. Recruitment efforts for Clinton Elementary, Pulaski County Special School Districts new mterdistrict elementary school, were extremely successful. More than 200 Little Rock School District students were part of the desegregation exchange and will now attend Clinton Elementary. LRSDs four-year-old program continues to grow and serve parents of preschool children in preparing them for kindergarten. With the addiUon of eight more classes, the district enrolled 695 students in the program for the 1994-95 school year, an increase of 203 students over last year. The Little Rock School District wUl continue to comply with every aspect of our Desegregation Plan. 9LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Little Rock School District is to provide a quality, integrated educational program which encourages all children to achieve their optimum academic, social, and emotional development. To that end, the students in the Little Rock School District will develop an appreciation for ethnic and cultural diversity, develop skills in problem solving and conflict resolution, and demonstrate mastery of the District's curriculum. This will be achieved through the collaborative efforts of a Board, a dedicated and competent staff, and of parents and citizens committed to fairness, racial equity and adequate support for education.URSD Annual eport r, A Progress Report on the Little Rock School District 2003-2003 School Year advertising supplement i fall 2003 | Little Rock School District This is the fifth annual report that the Little Rock School District has prepared as an insert to inform the community about the highlights of the prior school year. Despite many challenges, the 2002-03 school year was successful in terms of growth in many academic indicators. Student learning is, and will always be, the primary focus in our schools. classes have been relocated during the process at some campuses, but the end result is worth the disorder as upgraded facilities contribute to a more appropriate and functional teaching and learning environment. The declaration last fall by U.S. District judge Bill Wilson that the Little Rock School District is unitary in all areas except program evaluation was appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments have been held, and the district awaits the courts decision. Work continues in the final area in which the district must comply with its Revised Desegregation and Education Plan. That piece, program evaluations, is being finalized and will be submitted to judge Wilson in the spring of 2004. Teachers continue to monitor closely student performance on key state and national achievement tests. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, schools analyze student performance data based on specific subgroups, including race, limited-English-proficient, free/reduced lunch qualification and special education. While many schools experienced double-digit growth on the state Benchmark Exams, in some cases a subgroup performance might have resulted in a school being placed on school improvement. In other cases, if a school made its required improvement during the year, it remained on the school improvement list because two consecutive years of mandated growth are required for a school to be removed from the list. We are working diligently with schools that are on school improvement in order to provide the necessary resources for teachers and administrators to improve students academic achievement. The district has updated its Strategic Plan. This work, done by more than loo community residents working in six major areas, will help to guide the districts direction in the next five years. I look forward to assisting district staff, business and civic leaders, parents and others this school year. The challenges facing our students are great and cannot be overstated. However, I believe that this community has put its support into our schools, and teachers, staff and students will benefit from knowing that public education is highly valued in our city. Morris Holmes, Ed.D. Interim Superintendent r I i: On the Inside Construction continues at schools throughout the city. Many major projects, such as Hall High, are complete, while others, such as Williams, are just beginning. Students, teachers and parents have been patient as they have lived through renovations in their buildings. Entire Performance LRSD News Page 2-3 Page 4-5 Honors & Achievements . . .Page 6-7 Construction Zone Page 8 Page 2 I advertising supplement State Benchmark Exams Our Performance A Grade 4 Literacy 1 o LRSD Arkansas Grade 4 Math LRSD Arkansas 1 -&s o African-Arne ri can 53 46 African-Arne ri can 35 38 Grade 6 Literacy LRSD Arkansas Grade 6 Math LRSD Arkansas White 90 77 White 82 76 African-American 13 14 African-American 8 12 Grade 8 Literacy LRSD Arkansas Grade 8 Math LRSD Arkansas White 49 37 White 54 50 1 Academic Achievement One of the primary issues facing school districts across the state and nation is student academic achievement as measured by accepted examinations. There are two types of exams administered to studentscriterion-referenced exams and norm-referenced exams. Criterion-referenced exams measure student achievement on a specific curriculum or base of knowledge. In the case of students in the Little Rock School District, the Arkansas Benchmark Exam is the criterion-referenced test that students take. It measures how well students are learning the mandated Arkansas standards. As of the 2002-03 school year, the Benchmark Exam was required for students in grades 4, 6 and 8. It also is required as an End-of-Course test for students who take Algebra and Geometry, and all 11th grade students must take the End-of-Course Literacy Benchmark Exam. LRSD students recorded some significant increases at many schools on the Benchmark Exams. Benchmark results presented here indicate the percentage of students who perform at the proficient and advanced levels. There are no national comparisons on the Benchmark Exam since it an Arkansas-developed and -administered test. Algebra African-American 28 25 African-American 45 White 68 57 White 52 33 5 I What steps are being taken to assist students in schools on the school improvement list? LRSD Arkansas Geometry LRSD Arkansas African-Arne ri can 15 18 African-American 17 11 Grade 11 Literacy LRSD Arkansas African-Arne rican 20 19 White 6o 54 White 63 47 White 71 57 Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, students in schools on school improvement receive supplemental services and school choice options, depending on which year of school improvement the school is placed. The LRSD offers supplemental services, which consists of tutoring by a provider selected by the Arkansas Department of Education, to students in year two of school improvement. All schools in alert status or on the school improvement list develop their school improvement plan to include proven strategies to help students build skills and knowledge in literacy and mathematics. Professional development activities in these schools are geared toward improving teacher preparation to address identified student needs. Principals of LRSD schools on the improvement list are encouraged to work with principals of schools that have scored well on the Benchmark Exam in order to duplicate successful strategies. Our Performance Page 3 I advertising supplement Stanford Achievement Exam & ACT Norm-referenced exams compare student academic performance to that of a national norm group of students who took the same test. This allows a district to see how its students are doing compared to others, regardless of the specific curriculum taught in school. Students in Arkansas must take the Stanford Achievement Test, ninth edition, as a norm-referenced exam. Stanford Achievement Exam results are stated as a percentile. For example, a percentile rank of 72 means that these students did as well or better than 72 percent of the students in the norm group who took the same exam, African-American students in the LRSD were within 1 or 2 points of their counterparts in the state at every grade level. White students in the LRSD scored 9-17 percentile points ahead of their peers on the Stanford Achievement Test. Another exam that allows comparisons with students across the nation is the ACT college entrance exam. The districts composite ACT score climbed from 19.0 in 2001-02 to 19.5 in 2002-03. Students in the LRSD showed significant progress in many areas of all of these exams in 2002-03. When scores are disaggregated and comparisons made both within Arkansas and to other students nationally, LRSD students perform quite well. Looking at the scores for the district, state and nation on all three exams, there is an achievement gap that can be accounted for, in part, by poverty. With more than 50 percent of its students who qualify for the free/reduced lunch program, the LRSD continues to focus on methods to help students who are not performing well on standardized exams. Academic achievement remains the LRSDs top priority. Stanford Achievement Exam Grade 5 LRSD Arkansas LRSD Arkansas African-American 35 37 Grade 7 African-American 35 37 White 72 62 White 73 64 What About Schools on the School Improvement List? Readers of the local newspaper may wonder why, with LRSD student scores ahead of the state and nation in many areas on required exams, there are several schools on the states school improvement list. There are several answers to this question. There are some schools in the LRSD which have shown significant improvement on the Benchmark Exam, but they have not reached the level of improvement (Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP) required by the state. Not only must the entire school meet the AYP, but subpopulations, such as limited-English-proficient students, students who qualify for free/reduced lunch and special education students, must meet the same AYP as all other students. Also, once a school is on the school improvement list, it must meet AYP for two consecutive years to be removed from the list. Some LRSD schools did meet AYP this year, but remain on the list until they meet AYP for a second year. All schools on school improvement, indeed all LRSD schools, continue to look closely at test results to determine areas in which to concentrate lessons in order to help students learn the necessary course material and to improve academic performance in the future. I L Grade 10 LRSD Arkansas LRSD Arkansas Nation African-American 30 31 ACT Exam White 72 55 J African-American White 17.1 16.7 16.9 23.0 21.1 21.7 Page 4 I advertising supplement LRSD News J Grants The Little Rock School District is committed to having all of its students reading at or above grade level by the end of the third grade. The district received a three-year Arkansas Reading First grant from the Arkansas Department of Education in the amount of $4,412,184. This grant money will be used to implement a comprehensive, research-based reading program in 12 elementary schools that were determined by 1999-2002 literacy data and other factors to have the greatest need. The Reading First project will build on the districts current literacy plan and will provide human and financial resources to more fully implement that plan. Other new grants implemented in 2002-03: Hall High and Henderson Middle School received 21st Century Community Learning Center grants to establish after-school and summer academic enrichment programs for the next five years. The schools will share a total of up to $1 million over five years. The U. S. Department of Education selected the LRSD to receive funding under the Professional Development for Music Educators Program in the amount of $706,785 over three years to provide ongoing professional development support for LRSD music teachers. The LRSD received the Teaching American History Grant in the amount of $995,953 over a three-year period. The district and its partners will provide professional development for all American history teachers in grades 5, 8 and 11. Paulette Martin, Director of Adult Education, accepts the Adult Education Week Proclamation from Governor Mike Huckabee. Adult Ed Celebrates Milestone The Little Rock Adult Education Center marked 25 years of service to the community. During the past 25 years, the Little Rock Adult Education Center has served nearly 65,000 adults with over 7,000 receiving their Arkansas GED diplomas. The main center and its 18 satellite programs serve over 2,500 adults a year. Classes offered include refresher courses in reading, math and English
GED preparation
computer-assisted instruction
computer literacy
family literacy
and English as a second language. Foundation Provides $100,000 in Teacher Grants It wasnt Ed McMahon delivering the Publishers Clearing House grand prize, but it was just as exciting for many teachers and principals in the Little Rock School District. April 2 was the day the Public Education Foundation of Little Rock delivered 32 grants totaling nearly $100,000 throughout the district. Foundation members, donors, city dignitaries, LRSD School Board members and others boarded three school buses to personally deliver balloon bouquets and grant checks to surprised teachers! Each grant met certain criteria, whether it was targeting student achievement, parent involvement or improving teacher quality. kJ A Foundation Board of Directors member Larry Lichty gives Fair Park Elementary's Margaret Isum a hug as she receives her $5,000 grant. -4 I LRSD News Page 5 I advertising supplement SREB Training The Little Rock School District was selected from an elite group of ten urban districts across the nation by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to be the first to participate in a new national leadership initiative. The goal of the SREB Leadership Initiative is to prepare school and teacher leaders to lead a comprehensive school improvement effort that will result in increased student achievement. All five LRSD high schools as well as four middle schools (Cloverdale, Henderson, Mabelvale and Southwest) are participating in the program. The leadership initiative will provide school leadership teams an intensive three-year curriculum program beginning with the 2002-03 school year. I High schools and several middle schools receive SREB training. 1 Volunteers Give 400,000 Hours Parents and other community residents continue their longstanding practice of serving schools in the LRSD. In 2002-03, volunteer hours climbed above 400,000. This huge commitment of time and energy helps to bolster the work that teachers and other staff do to help students achieve. The growth in volunteer hours has been phenomenal. In the past five years, the number of hours has grown from 187,580 in 1997-98 to 400,031 during the last school year. c o o ZEJ Volunteer Hours iiSO,ooo^^ . 4OO,OCX3 350,000 300,000 250.000 200,000 J 150,000 r 100,000 i. 50,000 0 Bi Uh3fiS0 I II xaM>^ Advanced Placement Enrollment 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 >4i. H t f i MM! t In order to improve academic achievement, the LRSD encourages students to take challenging courses. One way to do this is through enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) classes at the high school level. AP courses are very rigorous and meet national guidelines in terms of curriculum and college preparation. Students in AP classes may take the national AP exams in the spring. Those students who earn at least a 3 on the national AP exam may, in most cases, earn college credit for these classes. The LRSD has worked with teachers, counselors, students and parents to increase student enrollment in AP classes. To that end, we have been successful. The accompanying chart shows the increase in AP class enrollment in LRSD high schools during the past few years. Since the 1997-98 school year, there has been more than 20 percent annual growth in the number of students enrolled in AP classes and a total growth during that time of more than 100 percent. We expect these students to demonstrate higher levels of academic performance based on the more challenging courses they take, and their success in high school should continue at the college level. Honors & Achievements * a Page 6 I advertising supplement Yang Dai scored a perfect 36 on the ACT exam. Katherine Wright Knight was named Arkansas 2003 Teacher of the Year and received the national NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. Sharon Boyd-Struthers of Rockefeller Elementary
Timothy Eubanks of Parkview High
Ruth Eyres of J.A. Fair High
Catherine Koehler of Baseline Elementary
and ' Judy Meier of Rockefeller Elementary earned National Teacher Certification from @ the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. National Board Certification is a credential attesting that a teacher has been judged by his or her peers as one who is accomplished and makes sound professional judgments about student learning. Gillian Glasco and Earnest Sweat, seniors at Parkview Magnet High School, were elected to office at Boys and Girls State. Gillian was elected Governor at Arkansas Girls State, and Earnest was elected Lieutenant Governor at Arkansas Boys State. s<i Five students from Central High School were Semifinalists this year in the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science & Technology. p \ The Siemens Competition recognizes remarkable talent all over the country and fosters individual growth for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves through science research. The students were Daniel Liu, Satish Mahalingam, Mark Mazumder, Ananth Ranganathan and Xiazhong (Jeff) Wang. Jeff Fuell and Kenneth Patterson, students at Parkview Magnet High School, had artwork selected for use on commemorative stamps that were issued in 2003 by the U. S. Postal Service celebrating the life of civil rights leader Daisy Bates. Dr. Linda Brown, principal of Parkview Magnet High School, was named 2003 Principal of the Year by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. 2 Oariane Mull recieves her award for best essay in the U.S. Rice Producers Association Essay Contest. 3 Patterson and Fuell display their stamp artwork at a Board of Directors meeting. Central Fed Challenge team? from left-KevIn Luneau. David Mitchell, Jessica Marshall, Chris Burks, Shep 5 Russell, Daniel liu and team sponsor Sam Stueart. Katherine Wright Knight (left) and Dr. Linda Brown meet with First Lady Laura Bush during a reception at the White House honoring recipients of NEA teaching excellence awards. Nineteen LRSD students were named National Merit Semifinalists in 2002-03, two were named National Achievement Semifinalists, and three were named National Merit Commended Students. The National Merit Semifinalists are: Kyla Achard, Adva Biton, Fredrick Brantley, Kevin Burns, David Gutierrez, Catherine Keisler, Daniel Liu, Mark Mazumder, Colin McAlister, Joseph McDonnell, Stephanie Nielson, Nadia Patel, Rachel Rouby, Brennan Taylor and Benjamin Wells, all from Central High School, and Alison Boland, Benjamin Carson, Jessica Lovelace-Chandler and Lorinda Peoples from Parkview Magnet High School. The National Merit Commended students are Annie B. Bauman and Mary Orsini from Central High School and Dori Scallett from Parkview Magnet High School. The National Achievement Semifinalists are Everette Callaway from J. A. Fair High School and Lorinda Peoples from . Parkview Magnet High School. David Simmons Henrywinner of the John W. Harris Leadership Award. The MathCounts team from Pulaski Heights Middle School captured the state championship. The J.A. Fair basketball team captured the Arkansas state 4-A championship. The Central High chess team earned the title of Chess Association of Arkansas Schools State Champions for the 3A-5A Division. Honors & Achievements^H A Central High sophomore scored a perfect 36 on the ACT exam. Yang Dai was one of only three students in Arkansas, and 58 nationally, who achieved this distinction. Thirty-nine students were recognized by the Duke Talent Search State Recognition program. The seventh graders took either the SAT or the ACT assessment to qualify for recognition (the same exams administered to college-bound high school students). ______ The Dunbar PTA was one of only three schools in Arkansas to receive the Certificate of Excellence from the National PTA, and it was named the Arkansas PTA Outstanding Local Unit. Students at Metropolitan Career-Technical Center took away 26 medals from the 2002 Skills USA competition in Hot Springs. 8 Central High Schools Fed Challenge team bested the defending two-time champion to win the state Fed Challenge championship. The Fed Challenge involves researching the status of the national economy and making recommendations for actions as if the team members were the actual Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System. t Page/ I advertising supplement The Central High School Lady Tigers varsity womens soccer team won WjkLI the womens 5-A state soccer championship. Dariane Mull, a 5th grade student at Terry Elementary, won the 5th grade category of the U.S. Rice Producers Association Essay Contest. The contest was open to students in grades 4 to 12 in the rice-producing states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. JOJ 9 j<. / ' The Central tennis team won this years state 5-A state title. The womens team compiled an 'impressive record of 5-A conference and state championships in 2001 and 2003. The mens team has been 5-A conference and state champs every year from 2000 to 2003. JI Utik Five LRSD teachers and two students were honored with the 2003 Stephens Award. Jackson T. Stephens and the late W. R. Witt Stephens formed this program in 1985 to provide scholarships to outstanding students and cash awards to exceptional educators in Little Rock. The award-winning students were Mark M. Mazumder and Nadia A. Patel of Central High School. The outstanding teachers were: Kimberly Dade, Kirby Shofner and Amy Snodgrass of Central High
Vannessa Pace-Hampton, Parkview High
and Hosea D. Malone, Hall High. (9) Anne Ye, a 7th grade student at Dunbar Magnet Middle School, won the Arkansas state spelling bee championship and represented Arkansas in the National Spelling Bee in Washington. David Simmons Henry, an 8th grade student at Dunbar Magnet Middle School, received the John W. Harris Leadership Award from the National Beta Club. Only 50 students nationwide (25 senior high and 25 junior high/middle school) are recognized each year. Anne Ye-state spelling bee champion. Central Chess Team: From left-johnson Wong, Coach Joe Gray, Joe Liu, Victor Harris. Barbara Luke (president of CAAS) and Coach Chuck West. MathCounts Team from Rilaski Heights Middle School. Dunbar PTSA president lana Hunter Geft) and principal )ohn Bacon with national PTA president Linda Modge at the national PTA convention in Charlotte. NC. National Merit and National Achievement Semifinalists. Central High seniors Adva Biton, Fredrick Brantley and Stephanie Nielson and Parkview senior Kristen Olson received Achievement Awards in Writing from the National Council of Teachers of English. They were judged as being among the best student writers in the country. t. ( I I 1 ) I I I Page 8 I advertising supplement Construction Zone q A Construction Progress at LRSD Schools Improvements continue on many LRSD schools, thanks to the millage increase approved by Little Rock voters in 2000. While work wraps up on a few schools and continues on some, it is just beginning on others. During the summer of 2003, Wakefield Elementary held a groundbreaking for a building to replace the school that was accidentally destroyed by fire in 2002. Things are progressing rapidly at Mann Magnet Middle School where students will be in the new multi-story building next semester. Central High Schools exterior renovations are complete. The interior refurbishment of classrooms and offices continues. Major construction work continues at Williaips Elementary and Mabelvale Middle School. Construction has begun at Dunbar, while Hall Highs new gymnasium and classrooms are complete. o Central High School Construction. I- 6 I - 8 1 9 0 Terry Elementary School Media Center Construction. Construction Outside Dunbar. A Brady Elementary Classroom Construction. s Mabelvale Middle School Construction. Wakefield groundbreaking: From left-parent Ron Harrington, LRSD Interim Superintendent Morris Holmes, former Board president Judy Magness. Wakefield principal Les Taylor. Wakefield student lazmlne Coleman and UALR Share America representative Cheryl Chapman take part in the groundbreaking for the new Wakefield Elementary building. Dunbar Classroom Construction. Mabelvale Middle School Construciton. Hall High Construction. 5 1 Board of Directors: Dr. Katherine Mitchell, Mike Daugherty, Bryan Day, Baker Kurrus, Larry Berkley, Tony Rose, Sue Strickland How much of the 2000 millage bond proceeds has been spent? As of the printing of this annual report, more than $98 million has been invested in the voter-approved school and technology improvements. That total includes expended and encumbered (contracted) projects. Contracts for building additions and renovations at Parkview Magnet High School and Brady Elementary will be awarded this fall. Design plans are almost complete for improvements at Mitchell Elementary. Little Rock School District 8io West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 447-1000 www.LRSD.org 11 'I LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 WEST .MARKHAM LITTLE ROCK, .ARKANSAS 72201 DATE: October 23, 2003 RECEIVED TO: Little Rock School District Board of Directors OCT 2 2 2003 FROM: Suellen Vann, Director of Communications OmCEOF DESEGREGATION MONITORING THROUGH: Morris L. Holmes, Interim Superintendent Title/Subject: 2002-03 Annual Report Summary: Objectives: Expected Outcomes: Arkansas Department of Education (.ADE) Rules Governing Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools, Standard 7.02.2, requires each school district to publish an annual report in a newspaper with general circulation in the district before November 15 of each school year, a report to the public detailing progress toward accomplishing program goals, accreditation standards, and proposals to correct deficiencies. Further, Standard 7.03.3.1 requires each school board, prior to November 15, to hold a public meeting to review and discuss its annual report. To provide a summary of the information that will be included in the published 2002-03 annual report. To raise public awareness of the districts activities and performance during the 2002-03 school year and to comply with ADE directives. Budget Amt.: Cost of publishing the annual report is about $8,600. Additional copies are printed for district use as a recruitment tool and information brochure during the school year. The summary of the annual report is provided. Major information categories in the report include academic performance and student discipline
both areas have been previously reported to the Board. Other information included relates to program/grant information and achievements/honors.Annual Report 2002-03 Superintendents Message to the Community an This is the fifth annual report that the Little Rock School District has prepared as insert to inform the community about the highlights of the prior school year. Despite many challenges, the 2002-03 school year was successful in terms of growth in many academic indicators. Student learning is, and will always be, the primary focus in our schools. Teachers continue to monitor closely student performance on key state and national achievement tests. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, schools analyze student performance data based on specific subgroups, including race, limited-English- proficient, free/ reduced lunch qualification and special education. While many schools experienced double-digit growth on the state Benchmark Exams, in some cases subgroup performance might have resulted in a school being placed on school a improvement. In other cases, if a school made its required improvement during the year, it remained on the school improvement list because two consecutive years of mandated growth are required for a school to be removed from the list. We are working diligently with schools that are on school improvement in order to provide the necessary resources for teachers and administrators to improve students academic achievement. Construction continues at schools throughout the city. Many major projects, such as Hall High, are complete, while others, such as Williams, are just beginning. Students, teachers and parents have been patient as they have lived through renovations in their buildings. Entire classes have been relocated during the process at some campuses, but the end result is worth the disorder as upgraded facilities contribute to a more appropriate and functional teaching and learning environment. The declaration last fall by U.S. District Judge Bill Wilson that the Little Rock School District is unitary in all areas except program evaluation was appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments have been held, and the district awaits the courts decision. Work continues in the final area in which the district must comply with its Revised Desegregation and Education Plan. That piece, program evaluations, is being finalized and will be submitted to Judge Wilson in the spring of 2004. The district has updated its Strategic Plan. This work, done by more than 100 community residents working in six major areas, will help to guide the districts direction in the next five years. I look forward to assisting district staff, business and civic leaders, parents and others this school year. The challenges facing our students are great and cannot be overstated. However, I believe that this community has put its support into our schools, and teachers, staff and students will benefit from knowing that public education is highly valued in our city. Morris Holmes, Ed.D. Interim SuperintendentAcademic Achievement One of the primary issues facing school districts across the state and nation is student academic achievement as measured by accepted examinations. There are two types of exams administered to studentscriterion-referenced exams and norm- referenced exams. Criterion-referenced exams measure student achievement on a specific curriculum or base of knowledge. In the case of students in the Little Rock School District, the Arkansas Benchmark Exam is the criterion-referenced test that students take. It measures how well students are learning the mandated Arkansas standards. As of the 2002-03 school year, the Benchmark Exam was required for students in grades 4, 6 and 8. It also is required as an End-of-Course test for students who take Algebra and Geometry, and all 11* grade students must take the End-of-Course Literacy Benchmark Exam. LRSD students recorded some significant increases at many schools on the Benchmark Exams. Benchmark results presented here indicate the percentage of students who perform at the proficient and advanced levels. There are no national comparisons on the Benchmark Exam since it an Arkansas-developed and -administered test. Grade 4 Literacy LRSD Arkansas Grade 4 Math LRSD Arkansas Grade 6 Literacy LRSD Arkansas Grade 6 Math LRSD Arkansas Grade 8 Literacy LRSD Arkansas Grade 8 Math LRSD Arkansas Algebra LRSD .Arkansas Geometry LRSD Arkansas 11 * Grade Literacy LRSD Arkansas African-American 53 46 African-American 35 38 African-American 13 14 .African-American 8 12 African-American 28 25 African-.American 4 5 African-American 15 18 African-American 17 11 African-American 20 19 While 90 77 White 82 76 White 49 37 White 54 50 White 68 57 White 52 33 White 60 54 White 63 47 White 71 57Norm-referenced exams compare student academic performance to that of a national norm group of students who took the same test. This allows a district to see how its students are doing compared to others, regardless of the specific curriculum taught in school. Students in Arkansas must take the Stanford Achievement Test, ninth edition, as a norm-referenced exam. Stanford Achievement Exam results are stated as a percentile. For example, a percentile rank of 72 means that these students did as well or better than 72 percent of the students in the norm group who took the same exam. African-American students in the LRSD were within 1 or 2 points of their counterparts in the state at every grade level. White students in the LRSD scored 917 percentile points ahead of their peers on the Stanford Achievement Test. Grade 5 LRSD Arkansas Grade 7 LRSD Arkansas Grade 10 LRSD .Arkansas African-American 35 37 African-American 35 37 African-American 30 31 White 72 62 White 73 64 White 72 55 Another exam that allows comparisons with students across the nation is the ACT college entrance exam. The districts composite ACT score climbed from 19.0 in 2001-02 to 19.5 in 2002-03. Disaggregated scores are
LRSD Arkansas Nation African-American 17.1 16.7 16.9 White 23.0 21.1 21.7 Students in the LRSD showed significant progress in many areas of all of these exams in 2002-03. When scores are disaggregated and comparisons made both within Arkansas and to other students nationally, LRSD students perform quite well. Looking at the scores for the district, state and nation on all three exams, there is an achievement gap that can be accounted for, in part, by poverty. With more than 50 percent of its students who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program, the LRSD continues to focus on methods to help students who are not performing well on standardized exams. Academic achievement remains the LRSDs top priority.What About Schools on the School Improvement List? Readers of the local newspaper may wonder why, with LRSD student scores ahead of the state and nation in many areas on required exams, there are several schools on the states school improvement list. There are several answers to this question. There are some schools in the LRSD which have shown significant improvement on the Benchmark Exam, but they have not reached the level of improvement (Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP) required by the state. Not only must the entire school meet the AYP, but subpopulations, such as limited-English-proficient students, students who qualify for ffee/reduced lunch and special education students, must meet the same AYP as all other students. Also, once a school is on the school improvement list, it must meet AYP for two consecutive years to be removed from the list. Some LRSD schools did meet AYP this year, but remain on the list until they meet AYP for a second year. All schools on school improvement, indeed all LRSD schools, continue to look closely at test results to determine areas in which to concentrate lessons in order to help students leam the necessary course material and to improve academic performance in the future. What steps are being taken to assist students in schools on the school improvement list? Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, students in schools on school improvement receive supplemental services and school choice options, depending on which year of school improvement the school is placed. The LRSD offers supplemental services, which consists of tutoring by a provider selected by the Arkansas Department of Education, to students in year two of school improvement. All schools in alert status or on the school improvement list develop their school improvement plan to include proven strategies to help students build skills and knowledge in literacy and mathematics. Professional development activities in these schools are geared toward improving teacher preparation to address identified student needs. Principals of LRSD schools on the improvement list are encouraged to work with principals of schools that have scored well on the Benchmark Exam in order to duplicate successful strategies. Advanced Placement Enrollment In order to improve academic achievement, the LRSD encourages students to take challenging courses. One way to do this is through enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) classes at the high school level. AP courses are very rigorous and meet national guidelines in terms of curriculum and college preparation. Students in AP classes may take the national AP exams in the spring. Those students who earn at least a 3 on the national AP exam may, in most cases, earn college credit for these classes. The LRSD has worked with teachers, counselors, students and parents to increase student enrollment in AP classes. To that end, we have been successful. The accompanying chart shows the increase in AP class enrollment in LRSD high schools during the past few years. Since the 1997-98 school year, there has been more than 20 percent annual growth in the number of students enrolled in AP classes and a total growth during that time of more than 100 percent. We expect these students to demonstrate higher levels of academic performance based on the more challenging courses they take, and their success in high school should continue at the college level. Foundation Provides 5100,000 in Teacher Grants It wasnt Ed McMahon delivering the Publishers Clearing House grand prize, but it was just as exciting for many teachers and principals in the Little Rock School District. April 2 was the day the Public Education Foundation of Little Rock delivered 32 grants totaling nearly 5100,000 throughout the district. Foundation members, donors, city dignitaries, LRSD School Board members and others boarded three school buses to personally deliver balloon bouquets and grant checks to surprised teachers! Each grant met certain criteria, whether it was targeting student achievement, parent involvement or improving teacher quality. Honors and Achievements Katherine Wright Knight was named Arkansas 2003 Teacher of the Year and received the national NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. Sharon Boyd-Struthers of Rockefeller Elementary
Timothy Eubanks of Parkview High
Ruth Eyres of J. A. Fair High
Catherine Koehler of Baseline Elementary
and Judy Meier of Rockefeller Elementary earned National Teacher Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. National Board Certification is a credential attesting that a teacher has been judged by his or her peers as one who is accomplished and makes sound professional judgments about student learning. Gillian Glasco and Earnest Sweat, seniors at Parkview Magnet High School, were elected to office at Boys and Girls State. Gillian was elected Governor at Arkansas Girls State, and Earnest was elected Lieutenant Governor at Arkansas Boys State. Five students from Central High School were Semifinalists this year in the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science & Technology. The Siemens Competition recognizes remarkable talent all over the country and fosters individual growth for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves through science research. The students were Daniel Liu, Satish Mahalingam, Mark Mazumder, Ananth Ranganathan and Xiazhong (Jeff) Wang. Mark Mazumder also was named a Regional Finalist and competed against nine other entrants in the Southwest Region at the University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, Mark also was named a National Semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search, one of only three Arkansas students to achieve this distinction this year. Often considered the junior Nobel Prize, the Intel Science Talent Search recognizes Americas brightest students for excellence in science and math. Jeff Fuell and Kenneth Patterson, students at Parkview Magnet High School, had artwork selected for use on commemorative stamps that were issued in 2003 by the U. S. Postal Service celebrating the life of civil rights leader Daisy Bates. Dr. Linda Brown, principal of Parkview Magnet High School, was named 2003 Principal of the Year by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Nineteen LRSD students were named National Merit Semifinalists in 2002-03, two were named National Achievement Semifmalists, and three were named National Merit Commended Students. The National Merit Semifinalists are: Kyla Achard, Adva Biton, Fredrick Brantley, Kevin Bums, David Gutierrez, Catherine Keisler, Daniel Liu, Mark Mazumder, Colin McAlister, Joseph McDonnell, Stephanie Nielson, Nadia Patel, Rachel Rouby, Brennan Taylor and Benjamin Wells, all from Central High School, and Alison Boland, Benjamin Carson, Jessica Lovelace-Chandler and Lorinda Peoples from Parkview Magnet High School. The National Merit Commended students are Annie B. Bauman and Mary Orsini from Central High School, and Dori Scallett from Parkview Magnet High School. The National Achievement Semifmalists are Everette Callaway from J. A. Fair High School and Lorinda Peoples from Parkview Magnet High School. The MathCounts team from Pulaski Heights Middle School captured the state championship. Team members were: Sho Maymia, Miles McCullough, Albert Speed, Corina Oprescu and their coach Treia Cook. Each team member also placed individually in the top ten. The J.A. Fair basketball team captured the Arkansas state 4-A championship. Team members were: Seniors: Melvin Fisher, Vincent Hunter, Earnest Maxwell and Quen Spencer
Juniors: Lonnie Henry, Shaun Reynolds, Larry Porter and Dwight Watkins
and Sophomores: Quincy Googe, Charles Hayes and Parris Pattillo. The Head Coach was Charlie Johnson, and the Assistant Coaches were Tom Poole and Erik Jackson. The Central High chess team earned the title of Chess Association of Arkansas Schools State Champions for the 3A-5A Division. Teams are limited to four players at the state level, and Centrals team consisted of Victor Harris, Joe Liu, Shep Russell and Johnson Wong. Other team members included David Gutierrez, Daniel Krupitsky, Elizabeth Richardson and Shannon Rodgers. The teams coaches were Joe Gray and Chuck West. A Central High sophomore scored a perfect 36 on the ACT exam. Yang Dai was one of only three students in Arkansas, and 58 nationally, who achieved this distinction. Thirty-nine students were recognized by the Duke Talent Search State Recognition program. The seventh graders took either the SAT or the ACT assessment to qualify for recognition (the same exams administered to college-bound high school students). Students listed were recognized at the State Ceremony
and students denoted with an asterisk also were recognized at the Grand Ceremony-they scored in the top 2 percent of all participating students in the nation. Dunbar Magnet Middle School: Aska Amautovic, Melody Chang, Dylan Frost, Megan Jackson, Scotty Lankford, Peter Liu*', Linsey Miller, Cameron Murray, Melissa Nichols, Hannah Roher, Hannah Smith, Russell Viegas, Samuel Whitehorn, Anne Ye* and Elaine Zhou. Forest Heights Middle School: Jamie Coonce, Stacy Coonce"* and Sasha Ray. Henderson Magnet Middle School: Geoffrey Jackson and Sarita Robinson. Mabelvale Magnet Middle School: Kelicia Hollis and Victoria Kreie. Maim Magnet Middle School: Cyrus Bahrassa, Jillian Carroll, Samuel Clark, Maura Conder, Elizabeth Cox, Abigail Dobson, Patricia Graves, Dillon Hupp, Grace Nam and Jillian Petersen. Pulaski Heights Middle School: Sarah Ball, Ellen Barber, Colton Koehler, Miles McCullough, Colin Rockefeller, David Steward and Kathryn Tull. The Dimbar PTA was one of only three schools in Arkansas to receive the Certificate of Excellence from the National PTA, and it was named the Arkansas PTA Outstanding Local Unit. Students at Metropolitan Career-Technical Center took away 26 medals from the 2002 Skills USA/VICA competition in Hol Springs. Students earning medals and state honors were: Matt Davidson, Jeff Merks, Fabian Marks, Nick Spear, Rolonda Foreman, Veronda Lee, LaToya Jacko, Danyell Boyd, Mary Katherine Knight, Dale Jackson, Georgina Pena, Tonya Bums, Shamika Walker, Lynzzie Cash, Tabitha Clark, Bessie Haygood, Megan Moody, Andrea Sanders, Danny Aaron, Jermond Booze, Steven Spencer, Dustin Ashley, Jeremy Baker, Jason Bredlow, Tim Lingo, Ben Royer, Greg Fundyler, Jordan McElrath, Cole Camhron, Chad Ellis, Ashley Kelly, Tara Womack and Tiffany Neam. Central High Schools Fed Challenge team bested the defending two-time champion to win the state Fed Challenge championship. The Fed Challenge involves researching the status of the national economy and making recommendations for actions as if the team members were the actual Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System. Team members were Kevin Luneau, David Mitchell, Jessica Marshall, Chris Burks, Shep Russell and Daniel Liu. Their sponsor was Sam Stueart. The Central High School Lady Tigers varsity womens soccer team won the womens 5-A state soccer championship. The team members were: Anne Claire Alien, Caroline Allen, Jamie Bandy, Lindsey Barron, Kate Burnett, Lauren Cloud, Camille Cook, Allison Corbin, Sally Cunningham, Riley Duke, Sheffield Duke, Stephanie England, Lizzy Gray, Elizabeth Harrell, Marissa Hayes, Cara Janton, Elizabeth Jones, Jessica Jones, Whitney Maloney, Kendall Polansky, Stephanie Rogers, Megan Russell, Lindsey Short, Rosalind Smith, Becca Vehik, Robin West and Claire Wetzel. Their coach was Keith McPherson, the assistant coach and manager was David Duke, and the teams physical therapist was Bill Bandy. Dariane Mull, a 5* grade student at Terry Elementary, won the 5* grade category of the U.S. Rice Producers Association Essay Contest. The contest was open to students in grades 4 to 12 in the rice-producing states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. The Central tennis team won this years state 5-A state title. The womens team compiled an impressive record of 5-A conference and state championships in 2001 and 2003. The mens team has been 5-A conference and state champs every year from 2000 to 2003. The womens team members were Ashley Batchelor, Dovie Dockery, Ashley Driver, Barrett Jones, Lauren Kamey, Jessica Marshall, Holly McGetrick, Nancy Mitchell, Collins Speed and Presley Thomas. The mens team members were Matthew Angulo, Scott Bacon, Nick Clifford, Andrew Crone, Alex DePriest, Brock Dial, Andrew Humphrey, Daniel Krupitsky, Kevin Luneau, Sam McSpadden, David Mitchell, Jay Murphy, Blake Ross, John Shults and Peter Thomas. The team coach was Joy Thompson, and the team manager was Megan Heard. Five LRSD teachers and two students were honored with the 2003 Stephens Award. Jackson T. Stephens and the late W. R. Witt Stephens formed this program in 1985 to provide scholarships to outstanding students and cash awards to exceptional educators in Little Rock. The award-winning students were Mark M. Mazumder and Nadia A. Patel of Central High School. The outstanding teachers were: Kimberly Dade, Kirby Shofner and Amy Snodgrass of Central High
Vannessa Pace-Hampton, Parkview High
and Hosea D. Malone, Hall High. Anne Ye, a 7*' grade student at Dunbar Magnet Middle School, won the Arkansas state spelling bee championship and represented Arkansas in the National Spelling Bee in Washington.David Simmons Henry, an 8* grade student at Dunbar Magnet Middle School, received the John W. Harris Leadership Award from the National Beta Club. Only 50 students nationwide (25 senior high and 25 junior high/middle school) are recognized each year. Central High seniors Adva Biton, Fredrick Brantley and Stephanie Nielson received Achievement Awards in Writing from the National Council of Teachers of English. They were judged as being among the best student writers in the country. Grants The Little Rock School District is committed to having all of its students reading at or above grade level by the end of the third grade. The district received a three-year Arkansas Reading First grant from the Arkansas Department of Education in the amount of $4,412,184. This grant money will be used to implement a comprehensive, researchbased reading program in 12 elementary schools that were determined by 1999-2002 literacy data and other factors to have the greatest need. The Reading First project will build on the districts current literacy plan and will provide human and financial resources to more fully implement that plan. Other new grants implemented in 2002-03: Hall High and Henderson Middle School received 21 Century Community Learning Center grants to establish after-school and summer academic enrichment programs for the next five years. The schools will share a total of up to $1 million over five years. The U. S. Department of Education selected the LRSD to receive funding under the Professional Development for Music Educators Program in the amount of $706,785 over three years to provide ongoing professional development support for LRSD music teachers. The LRSD received the Teaching American History Grant in the amount of $995,953 over a three-year period. The district and its partners will provide professional development for all American history teachers in grades 5, 8 and 11. Adult Ed Celebrates Milestone The Little Rock Adult Education Center marked 25 years of service to the community. During the past 25 years, the Little Rock Adult Education Center has served nearly 65,000 adults with over 7,000 receiving their Arkansas GED diplomas. The main center and its 18 satellite programs serve over 2,500 adults a year. Classes offered include refresher courses in reading, math and English
GED preparation
computer-assisted instruction
computer literacy
family literacy
and English as a second language. SREB Training The Little Rock School District was selected from an elite group of ten urban districts across the nation by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to be the first to panicipate in a new national leadership initiative. The goal of the SREB Leadership Initiative is to prepare school and teacher leaders to lead a comprehensive school improvement effort that will result in increased student achievement. All five LRSD high schools as well as four middle schools (Cloverdale, Henderson, Mabelvale and Southwest) are participating in the program. The leadership initiative will provideschool leadership teams an intensive three-year curriculum program beginning with the 2002-03 school year. Construction Progress at LRSD Schools Improvements continue on many LRSD schools, thanks to the millage increase approved by Little Rock voters in 2000. While work wraps up on a few schools and continues on some, it is just beginning on others. During the summer, Wakefield Elementary held a groundbreaking for a building to replace the school that was accidentally destroyed by fire in 2002. Things are progressing rapidly at Mann Magnet Middle School where students will be in the new multi-story building next semester. Central High Schools exterior renovations are complete. The interior refurbishment of classrooms and offices continues. Major construction work continues at Williams Elementary and Mabelvale Middle School. Construction has begun at Dunbar, while Hall Highs new gymnasium and classrooms are complete.achievement efficiency professionalism service 2004-05 Little Rock School District ANNUAL REPORTMMMktMlik .Is8 1 1 W II . f 25,868 students in 50 schools 34 elementary schools 8 middle schools 5 high schools 1 accelerated learning center 1 alternative learning center 1 career-technical center 4,064 employees One of the top 10 employers in Arkansas Student enrollment increased by 1.5% in 2004-05 87% of the enrollment growth is at the elementary level r Back row, left to right: Micheal Daugherty, Board president. Zone 2
Tony Rose, Zone 6
Baker Kurrus, Board vice president, Zone 4
Bryan Day, Board secretary. Zone 3 Front row, left to right: Larry Berkley, Zone 5
Sue Strickland, Zone 7
Dr. Katherine Mitchell, Zone 1 I The 2004-05 school year was a time of change for the LRSD, changes that were carefully planned and executed with one central goal in mind: student achievement. Public schools are seldom viewed as true businesses. In order to achieve our vision of becoming the highest achieving urban school district in the nation, however, the Little Rock School District has taken a very business-based approach to educating our students. This report will review the LRSD's progress toward meeting its goals and detail the following critical components of its business: Student Achievement Operational Efficiency Employee Professionalism Customer Service We are very happy with the strong foundation we have laid for the future of the Little Rock School District. There is much more work that lies ahead for us, and like most businesses today, we face significant challenges. But if we view these challenges as opportunities and rally the support of our community, we can fulfill our promise of having great schools for a great city. Roy G. Brooks, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools I 1 Student Achievement State LRSD 80 r State Benchmark Exam Grade 4 80 r State Benchmark Exam Grade 6 02 Uc fO D c 02 'y "S ".p 70 - 60 - 50 - 40 - 30 20 - 28 10 - Math 58 62 28 African- American Caucasian i| 4 t Maj Literacy 30 | 31 African- American 60 69 "C OJ u c: 03 'o (X vP 70 - 60 - 50 - 40 - 30 - 20 -I 10 - 20 Math Literacy 79 60 65 16 53 36^37 Caucasian O-" African- American Caucasian African- American Caucasian All Little Rock School District schools met the state standards for accreditation in 2004-05. Every school is reviewing student assessments to determine appropriate measures needed to increase academic achievement for each child. Some schools received additional teaching positions, such as instructional coaches, to provide extra assistance. Other schools are using new tools, such as the Student Online Achievement Report, that will help teachers identify student progress toward mastering required concepts. The state Benchmark exam was administered to all students in grades 3 through 8. Results of the Benchmark exams are difficult to measure against prior year performance, however. The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) changed the scoring on the 2004-05 literacy examinations to reflect additional knowledge that students must possess. Therefore, comparison with prior year performance is not valid, according to the ADE. Iowa Test of Basic Skills Data Comparing LRSD Student Performance to State-wide Student Performance African-American Students Caucasian Students LRSD 3rd Grade State 3rd Grade Reading 41 40 Math Conce
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.

<dcterms_creator>Little Rock School District</dcterms_creator>