IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS WESTERN DIVISION LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT PLAINTIFF y. LR-C-82-866 RECEIVED PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1, ET AL MAY 2 2004 DEFENDANTS MRS. LORENE JOSHUA, ET AL OFHCEOF DESEGREGATION MONITORING INTERVENORS KATHERINE KNIGHT, ET AL INTERVENORS PLAINTIFFS NOTICE OF FILING DOCUMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE COURTS ORDER FILED MAY 12. 2004 Plaintiff Little Rock School District (LRSD) for its Notice of Filing states: 1. In response to the Courts Order filed May 12, 2004, attached is a Glossary of Acronyms and Educational Terms. Respectfully Submitted, LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT Friday, Eldredge & Clark Christopher Heller (#81083) 2000 Regions Center 400 West Capitol Little Rock, AR 72201-3493 (501) 376-2CL1-J-------- BYk Christopher Helh Page 1 of 2 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that a copy of the foregoing has been served on the following people by depositing a copy of same in the United States mail on May 24, 2004: Mr. John W. Walker JOHN W. WALKER, P.A. 1723 Broadway Little Rock, AR 72201 Mr. Mark T. Burnette Attorney at Law 1010 W. 3' Little Rock, AR 72201 Mr. Robert Pressman 22 Locust Avenue Lexington, MA 02173 Mr. Sam Jones Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 2200 Nations Bank Bldg. 200 West Capitol Little Rock, AR 72201 Ms. Ann Marshall Desegregation Monitor 1 Union National Plaza 124 W. Capitol, Suite 1895 Little Rock, AR 72201 Judge J. Thomas Ray U. S. District Courthouse 600 West Capitol Little Rock, AR 72201 Mr. Steve Jones JACK, LYON & JONES, P.A. 425 W. Capitol, Suite 3400 Little Rock, AR 72201-3472 Mr. Mark A. Hagemeier Office of the Attorney General 323 Center Street 200 Tower Building Little Rock, AR 72201 istopher Heller Page 2 of 2GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS AND EDUCATIONAL TERMS Below are identifications and/or definitions of acronyms and other educational terms that appear in exhibits. While most of the acronyms and terms are generically defined and equally applicable to most school districts in Arkansas, many are defined specifically in relation to the Little Rock School District. ACSIP (Arkansas Comprehensive School Reform Improvement Plan) - Plan required by State which specifically sets steps for school improvement AFRAMER (African-American) ALP (Alternative Language Program) - Another name for ESL ALT (Achievement Level Tests) - Tests the LRSD developed, with the assistance of a commercial testing firm, for the purpose of measuring student achievement growth within a school year. The test items were selected from a menu in the test firm's item bank, so all the questions had been used numerous times in schools across the country. Students in grades 3-11 took these tests in the fall and spring of each year. The LRSD discontinued the ALTS in September 2002. ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance) ANOVA (Analysis of variance) - Statistical test with one outcome AP (Advanced Placement) - High-level courses with curriculum developed by College Board which allows students to test for earned college-level credit while in high school. AR (Accelerated Reader) - A program based on the premise that students become more motivated to read if they are tested on the content of the books they have read and are rewarded for conect answers. Students read books at predetermined levels of difficulty, individually take a test on a computer, and receive some form of reward when they score well. AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) - Amount of improvement in proficiency required each year to reach total proficiency under NCLB (2013). Benchmark Examination - One of the criterion-referenced examinations implemented by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) for all Arkansas public schools in the 4th, 6th, Sth, and 11th grades and in selected high school courses. The tests are based on the state's curriculum as outlined in the curriculum frameworks. Test results are categorized as Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. BL (Balanced Literacy) - An approach to literacy instruction that focuses on providing instruction that addresses students individual strengths and needs through whole group and flexible grouping to enhance student development in all of the language arts areasreading, writing, spelling, listening, and speaking.CAP (Concepts about Print) - One of the assessments included in the Observation Survey Assessment which assesses childrens knowledge of book concepts. CAT (Collaborative Action Team) - A process designed to increase stakeholders involvement in schools. CBL (Calculator-based Laboratories) - Probes used to collect data for classrooms. CLT (Campus Leadership Teams) - A term used to refer to school-based leadership committees CMP (Connected Mathematics Project) - Mathematics curriculum resource used in Grades 6- 8 in Little Rock School District CREP (Center for Research in Educational Policy) - This is an organization based at the University of Memphis that conducts program evaluations for educational organizations. Dr. Steve Ross and Dr. John Nunnery are two researchers for CREP. CRT (Criterion Referenced Tests) - Tests that LRSD curriculum specialists, teachers, and other staff developed using the state's curriculum frameworks and the district's curriculum to guide item development. CSR (Comprehensive School Reform) - A whole school reform model DI (Direct Instruction) - A reading program that uses very explicit instructional language and follows a highly prescriptive program of instruction that is implemented according to a predetermined scope and sequence of skills DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) - This is a system utilizing a variety of assessments to monitor a childs progress in developing specific literacy skills which have predictive value for future reading achievement. The assessments include, but are not limited to, letter identification, phoneme segmentation, and oral reading fluency. DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) - The second of two assessments given to LRSD students in grades K-2. This assessment consists of stories that increase in difficulty as the child's reading ability increases. Students are evaluated on a variety of reading skills, including comprehension. DSA (Developmental Spelling Assessment) - An assessment to monitor student progress along a spelling developmental continuum ELLA (Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas) - A statewide three-year staff development process designed to assist teachers in grades K-2 in implementing instructional techniques that support emergent learners. ELLA helps enhance teachers' understanding of how students learn to read and encourages them to use a balanced literacy approach in the classroom. EOC (End-of-course exam) - State-developed criterion-referenced tests implemented in Arkansas schools as part of the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program (AT AAP). Currently, end-of-course exams are administered only in Algebra I and geometry. EXPLORE  An American College Testing (ACT) program designed to help Sth and 9th graders examine a broad range of options for their future. EXPLORE helps prepare students for their high school course work as well as their post-high school choices. ESL (English as a Second Language) - Refers to students for whom English is not their native language EYE (Extended Year Education) - Applies to schools with atypical school calendars without a long summer break. FEPE (Fluent English Proficient Exited) - students who are released from ESL program due to proficiency in English GT (Gifted and Talented) HBE (Home-based Educators) - employees of the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Program HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) - A parent-involvement readiness program for young children The program, which has been operating in the United States since 1984, offers home-based early childhood education for three-year-old children, working with their parent(s) as their first teacher. The HIPPY program provides parents with carefully developed materials, curriculum, and books designed to strengthen their children's early literacy skills and their social, emotional, and physical development. HLM (Hierarchical Linear Model) HSCP (Home, School, and Community Partnership) - A precursor to the Collaborative Action Team (CAT) HSTW (High Schools That Work) - A school-wide reform model for high schools that is based on the key practices of successful high schools IRC (Instructional Resource Center) - Offices of cuniculum staff for LRSD. ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) - Norm-referenced assessment currently used by LRSD replacing Stanford Achievement TestJR TEAMS (Joint Recruiting and Teaching for Effecting Aspiring Minorities in Science)  A two week multidisciplinary pre-college science and engineering program offered through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock aimed at increasing the number of minority students pursuing degrees in science and engineering. LEP (Limited English Proficient) - Identifies students not proficient in English LPAC (Language Proficiency Assessment Committee) LPTQ - Literacy Program Teacher Questionnaire MANOVA (Multiple Analysis of Variance) - Statistical tests with multiple outcomes MSS - (Middle School Survey) - A survey completed by teachers and students on the implementation of the middle school model. NALMS (Not Assessed Language Minority Students) NCE (Normal Curve Equivalent) - A type of standard score, NCE scores are normalized standard scores on an equal interval scale from 1 to 99, with a mean of 50. The NCE was developed by RMC Research Corporation in 1976 to measure the effectiveness of the Title I Program across the United States. An NCE gain of 0 means that the Title I Program produced only an average gain or the expected gain if there was no Title I Program. (Students must answer more items conectly on the posttest than on the pretest in order to maintain the same NCE.) All NCE gains greater than 0 are considered positive. NCLB (No Child Left Behind) - Federal legislature requiring vast assessment and increased standards for American public schools NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) - An organization of math teachers and specialists that has provided the standards for K-12 mathematics NPR (National Percentile Rank) - National percentile ranks indicate the relative standing of a student in comparison with other students in the same grade in the norm (reference) groups (in this case, the nation) who took the test at a comparable time. Percentile ranks range from a low of 1 to a high of 99, with 50 denoting average performance for the grade. The percentile rank conesponding to a given score indicates the percentage of students in the same grade in the norm group obtaining scores equal to or less than that score. For example, a student earning a percentile rank of 62 achieved a score that was equal to or better than the scores earned by 62% of the students in the national sample. NSES (National Science Education Standards) - The standards established for K-12 science educationNSF (National Science Foundation) - A government entity created in 1950 to promote excellence in science and to fund research. The LRSD received funds from NSF through a multiyear grant to improve mathematics and science instruction and achievement, naming the program Comprehensive Partnerships for Mathematics and Science Achievement (CPMSA). Grant funding ended August 31, 2003.' NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) - A company that developed the Achievement Level Tests OTE (Onward to Excellence) - A whole school restructuring model PD (Professional Development) - Term used to describe the training provided to teachers to enhance their instructional or classroom management skills. PHLOTE (Primary Home Language other than English) PLAN - An American College Testing (ACT) guidance resource for 10th graders. PLAN helps students measure their current academic development, explore career or training options, and make plans for the remaining years of high school and post-graduation years. As a pre-ACT test, PLAN is a good predictor of success on the ACT. Typically, PLAN is administered in the fall of the sophomore year. PRE (Planning, Research, and Evaluation) - A department of the Little Rock School District Pre-AP (Pre-Advanced Placement) - Courses designed for middle school and high school to prepare students for success in Advanced Placement level courses. Pre-K-3 (Pre-kindergarten through Grade) RIT (Rausch Unit) - a type of scaled score. RR (Reading Recovery) - An intensive early-intervention literacy program developed in New Zealand and used in this country for many years. The program is based on helping children with poor reading readiness skills develop the skills common to proficient readers. SAIP (Student Academic Improvement Plan) - A personalized plan required by State for lower-achieving students on ACTAAP Benchmark tests Includes both areas of deficiencies and plans for remediation. SAT 9 (Stanford Achievement Test, 9tb Edition) - A general education test used widely across the United States. It compares a student's performance on the test to a representative national norm group of students. For many years, the publisher of SAT-9 has had a contract with the ADE to provide tests to all students in the state's public schools in grades five, seven, and ten. The results are widely reported for every school district in the state, and each district receives data in varying formats to allow analysis of student performance by school, class, gender, race, or wealth.(Beginning in the 2003-04 school year, the state will require a similar nationally-normed test, the Iowa Tests, rather than the SAT.) SEDL (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory) - A private, not-for-profit education research and development corporation based in Austin, Texas. SEDL works with educators, parents, commimity members, and policymakers in the southwestern states to develop and implement effective strategies to address pressing educational problems. SEM (Science, Engineering, and Mathematics) SFA (Success for All) - A school-based achievement-oriented program for disadvantaged students in pre-K through grade five. The program is designed to prevent or intervene in the development of learning problems in the early years by effectively organizing instructional and family support resources within the regular classroom. Specifically, the goal of Success for All is to ensure that virtually every student in a high-poverty school will finish the 3rd grade with grade-level reading skills. SLET (Secondary Literacy Evaluation Team) SMART (Summer Mathematics Advanced Readiness Training) - This is a two-week halfday summer program for rising 8**' and 9* grade students who will be enrolled in Algebra I during the upcoming school year. SMART provides opportunity for students to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed in Algebra I. SpEd - Special Education SREB (Southern Regional Educational Board) - A private, not-for-profit education research and development corporation based in Atlanta, GA SREB works with schools, educators and policymakers in the southern states to develop and implement effective strategies to address pressing educational problems. One school-wide reform model, developed and sustained by SREB, is High School That Work (HSTW). SS (Scaled Score) - A type of standard score. Scaled score is calculated based on the difficulty of the questions and the number of correct responses. Scaled scores are useful for comparing student performance over time and across grades. All norm referenced scores are derived from the Scaled Score. Standard Score - Standard scores are a universally understood score system. Standard scores are used to place raw scores in context. For example, a raw score on a test doesnt mean much because it isn't compared to anyone or not compared to any scale. Standard scores offer two advantages to the student over conventional "raw scores."  standard scores take into account the relative difficulties of various exams and assignments  standard scores make it possible to measure improvementTAP (Teacher Advancement Program) - A strategy to attract, retain, motivate, and develop talented people to the teaching profession by rewarding good teachers with higher salaries. THRIVE - (Project THRIVE, a follow-up component to SMART) - This is a Saturday academy for students who are enrolled in Algebra I. Students participate in ten (10) Saturday sessions during the school year. Two primary goals of Project THRIVE are 1) to strengthen mathematical skills required to be successful in Algebra I, and 2) to prepare students for the State End-of-Course examination in Algebra I. URM (Underrepresented Minority Populations) - Includes American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black or African-American, and Hispanic or Latino. VOC - (Writing vocabulary) - One of the assessments included in the Observation Survey Assessment which WRAT (Wide Range Achievement Test) Z-scores - A test score that is converted to a common scale wherein scores from sets of data with different units can be compared.bnurt Rctc.'ul no if4-t'cn tn O 1 Sec. s dunt 3^ I3'?'i pizjis 43 TERMINOLOGY Some terms used in this report are specific to the field of personnel services (such as relevant labor market). Other terms we use may be familiar to the general public (teacher, for example), bitt have specialized meanings in the context of human resources or the operations of an individual school district. Below we have alphabetized and defined several terms that are frequently used in this report. We drew the definitions from interviews with PCSSD personnel administrators, the district's Professional Negotiations Agreement 1997-2000, and publications of the Society for Human Resource Management. .Building administrators: Certified employees who have supervisory or evaluative responsibility and who are assigned full time to schools. Principals and assistant principals are the two positions in this category. Central office administrators: Administrators who have districtwide rather than building-specific responsibilities. These include the superintendent, assistant superintendents, directors, supervisors, and coordinators. Support staff (secretaries, clerks, etc.) who work at the central office are not counted as part of the central administration in this report. Certified staff: Individuals holding positions that require valid Arkansas teaching certification as a condition of employment. At the building level, certified staff includes administrators, teachers, counselors, and various specialists. Full-Time Equivalency (FTE): A method of calculating and recording the amount of time for which an employee is assigned to a certain position. The PCSSD expresses positions in terms of FTEs when determining staffing requirements for each school. For example, in a secondary school, a full-time teacher is counted as 1.00 FTE if he or she teaches six periods a day and also has a preparation period. If another teacher at the same school teaches three periods a day and has one preparation, he or she is counted as working 4/7 time, or .57 FTE (4 assigned periods divided by 7 possible periods equals the FTE). Unless otherwise noted, we have reported positions in the PCSSD by full-time equivalency. Relevant labor market: The number of individuals who have a specific type of training or certification and who are located within a specified geographic area from which a potential employer might recruit. Special needs positions: Certain certified positions, designated by PCSSD, in which blacks have historically been under-represented, such as math and science teachers. Teacher: Any certified person employed by the district in an instructional position who has no evaluative or supervisory responsibility over other certified instructional personnel. Page 4GLOSSARY The extracurricular activities we examined in this report are defined below. Some explanations include not only the activitys function in the PCSSD, but also relevant background information. Athletics are competitive interscholastic team sports. All PCSSD high schools have boys teams in baseball, basketball, football, and track and girls teams for basketball, track, and volleyball. With the exception of baseball, the districts junior high schools provide all of the same team sports as do the high schools. Some individual schools sponsor teams in such sports as golf, swimming, cross country, and tennis, but not all PCSSD schools offer these sports to students. The interscholastic sports program in the PCSSD operates under the auspices of the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA), which establishes and enforces rules and regulations for athletic competition in the state. Arkansas high schools compete with each other within classifications assigned by the AAA based on enrollment. For example, within the PCSSD, Jacksonville, Mills, and Sylvan Hills compete against the states other large high schools in class 5 A. North Pulaski High School is a 4A school, and Oak Grove and Robinson compete at the 3A level. Spirit teams incorporate both cheerleaders and drill or dance teams. All PCSSD secondary schools sponsor both cheerleading and drill teams. Cheerleaders are a team of students who elicit and direct organized cheering in support of school athletic teams and other activities. According to the book Cheer! Fight! Win!, cheerleaders select yells to rally crowd support or to signify success at various times during a game or contest. They help to interpret the progress of the game to the crowd and elicit responses from the crowd that will benefit the team. Unlike cheerleading, the drill team is not directly involved in the ongoing events of a game or contest. Drill teams perform lengthy, set routines to music. The team performance is visual and requires the full attention of the audience to be appreciated. Drill team performances are usually presented as part of halftime entertainment. The term drill team is actually a misnomer in many high schools. Traditionally, drill team choreography was based on precision marching and repetition, like that of the well-known Kilgore Rangerettes ofKilgore, Texas. Because their performances consist of high- energy dance routines set to popular music rather than precision marching, modern drill teams can be more aptly called dance teams, a designation that is becoming common throughout the country, as it is in the PCSSD. During the last two decades, the worldwide performance standards of cheerleading and drill team have changed significantly with the growth of camps, clinics, and competitions. Increasingly, the general public has begun to recognize cheerleading as an athletic activity as skill levels have increased in areas such as gymnastics, pyramids, and advanced jumps. Colleges and universities frequently offer Report. ' The PCSSD began using the term dance team instead of drill team in its 1998-99 Non-Athletic Activities Page 7 particularly talented high school cheerleaders and drill team members scholarships, tuition reductions, grants for textbook purchase, or course credit to attend their institutions. Like the districts athletic teams, PCSSD spirit teams operate under AAA regulations regarding eligibility, conduct, and competition. The Arkansas Cheerleading Coaches Association (ACCA) and the Arkansas Drill/Dance Team Association (ADTA), sub-groups of the AAA, disseminate spirit team information to member schools, coordinate skill development and safety clinics, and sponsor regional and state competitions. Along with the sports teams, Arkansas high school cheerleading and drill teams compete for state championships in classifications based on school enrollment PCSSD schools have proved formidable in recent state competition. The Sylvan Hills High School cheerleading squad won the 1999 Class 5 A state championship and the Jacksonville High School cheerleaders placed third in Class 5A. Non-athletic activities that we examined consist of Beta Club, National Honor Society, and student government. Beta Club and National Honor Society serve the purpose of recognizing and promoting academic excellence. These organizations generally invite students to join based on prerequisites such as a certain grade point average, teacher recommendations, and a record of leadership in the school. Student government is a body of student-elected representatives who exercise leadership in varied school affairs. Beta Club The National Beta Club was founded in 1934 by a group of U.S. educators who wanted to recognize and encourage academic achievement, leadership, character development, and community service among high school students. In 1961, the National Beta Club developed the National Junior Beta Club to foster the same type of growth in younger children. Schools that include any of grades 5 throughl2 are eligible to apply for a chapter of the National Beta Club. The Beta Club provides members with opportunities to develop leadership skills through the Broyhill Leadership Conference, the Harris Leadership Program, and the annual state Beta conferences. The national Beta organization strongly encourages local chapters to exemplify the clubs motto, Let Us Lead By Serving, through undertaking service projects in their schools and local communities. Beta Club members pay a one-time membership fee. All Beta club members must be performing at or above grade level and meet the grade requirements set by the local chapter. The national organization does not establish a specific academic requirement for membership, because systems of grading vary in different schools. Among the PCSSD junior highs. Fuller, Jacksonville-South, Jacksonville-North, and Robinson have maintained chapters of Beta Club during the period of time examined in this report. With the exception ofNorth Pulaski, all of the PCSSD high schools have sponsored Beta Club chapters during the same period. Page 8National Honor Society In 1919, a principal in Omaha, Nebraska proposed the idea of an organization committed to placing the regular and faithful performances of academic work in its proper place in the estimation of the student body. Based on his vision, in 1921 the first chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) was formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Now more than 30,000 chapters of NHS are active in both public and private schools across the United States, recognizing and honoring the importance of outstanding scholarship by both junior high and high school students. The national organization requires all NHS chapters to perform a service project for the school or community. In addition, each member must develop an individual service project. According to the national NHS constitution, membership selection is based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. To fulfill the scholarship requirement, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 85%, B, 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), or the equivalent standard of excellence. That scholastic requirement is the minimum scholastic average. An individual school chapter may raise the scholarship average needed to be eligible for membership at that school. Eligible students are selected for NHS by a vote of the school faculty council based on the four criteria. The faculty council develops working definitions of those criteria and provides some objective measure of a students qualifications in each of the areas. Fuller, Northwood, and Sylvan Hills are the PCSSD junior high schools with NHS chapters. All PCSSD high schools have an NHS chapter. Student Government Often called student council, this school organization provides an avenue for students to develop leadership skills and gain a better understanding of basic democratic principles and processes. Student councils serve as an outlet for students to express their opinions, concerns, and ideas regarding the life of the school. Through student councils, students may become involved in planning and coordinating a wide range of activities, from school dances and special assemblies to community projects such as a canned food drive. More than 18,000 secondary school student councils in the United States are members of the National Association of Student Councils (NASC), which was founded in 1931 to nurture the development of student councils and student leadership programs and to provide support and technical assistance to member schools. The structure and size of student government may differ from school to school, but generally the main body of the student council is comprised of student-elected representatives who are elected at-large, by classes or grade level (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior), or by homerooms. The organization is usually led by an executive board consisting of a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer who are elected by the entire student body. The NASC does not establish standards for student council officers or representatives. Each student council establishes its own constitution that describes the qualifications for all elected offices and outlines the electoral process. All junior and senior high schools in the PCSSD have student councils. Page 9Acronyms and Terminology ACTAAP (Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program) - ACTAAP is a comprehensive process that encompasses high academic standards, professional development, student assessment, and accountability for schools and students. ACTAAP is the fulfillment of Act 999 of 1999 by the legislature that mandated that all students in the public schools of this state demonstrate grade-level academic proficiency through the application of knowledge and skills in the core academic subjects consistent with state curriculum frameworks, performance standards, and assessments. ACSIP Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan - is a five-year self-study and school improvement plan required by Standard XIX of the Arkansas Standards for Accreditation. It requires schools to collect data and involve staff parents, students, and community in developing a school improvement plan. ALE (Alternative Learning Environment) - Educational facility designed to serve students who, for some reason (behavior, age, absenteeism, etc ), are having difficulty achieving in a regular classroom setting. ALT (Achievement Level Test) - is a criterion-referenced test based on the LRSD curriculum. Test items were selected from a test bank provided by the Oregon firm that developed the ALT. Students in grades 2-8 take these tests in the spring of each year. Prior to 2001-02, the ALT was administered in both fall and spring. AP (Advanced Placement) - a program provided by The College Board that gives students opportunities to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. The College Board offers 35 courses and exams in 19 subject areas. Animated Literacy - program used in LRSD kindergartens introduces students to letters and sounds. Benchmark Exams - are the ACTAAP tests. Benchmarks - specific examples of the academic standards at each grade level or in each academic course. Example: In grade 3 students will learn the parts of a letter and will write a thank you letter, a personal letter, and a letter to the editor. CPMSA (Comprehensive Partnership for Mathematics and Science Achievement) - is the LRSD initiative to improve math and science curriculum and instruction which is funded largely by the NSF grant. CRT (Criterion Referenced Test) - a test customized around a state curriculum. The Primary Benchmark (Grade 4) is a CRT. The test items are based on the academic standards in the Arkansas Curriculum frameworks and are developed by committees of Arkansas teachers with the support of the ADE.CSRD (Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program) - a discretionary grant program designed to support school improvement planning and school reform initiative, particularly in reading and math. Grants are awarded for one year with the option of renewal for two additional years based on demonstration of successful implementation practices and evaluation results. DRA (Developmental Readiness Assessment) - the second of the two assessments given to LRSD students in grades K-2. This assessment consists of stories that increase with difficulty as the childs reading ability increases. Students are evaluated on a variety of reading skills including comprehension. This too is administered in both fall and spring. Direct Instruction - A method of reading instruction that relies heavily on phonics skills taught in a very controlled and scripted manner. ECE (Early Childhood Education) - this term is used by many to refer to pre-school age children, but professionals in the field recognize the early childhood years as being from birth to age 8. EYE (Extended Year Education) - is commonly called year-round school. LRSD has three extended year elementary schools
Mabelvale, Stephens, and Woodruff. These schools have a school year that is the same length as all other schools, but the schedule is spread out over 11 months. ELLA (Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas) - a three-year staff development process designed to assist teachers in grades K-2 in implementing instructional techniques which support emergent learners. ELLA helps teachers to enhance literacy to students by understanding how students learn to read and by practicing a balanced literacy approach in the classroom. ELOB (Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound) - a model for comprehensive school reform for elementary, middle, and high schools. ELOB emphasizes learning by doing, with emphasis on character growth, teamwork, reflection, and literacy. Teachers connect academic learning to adventure, service, and character development through interdisciplinary projects. GT - Gifted and Talented - program designed for students in LRSD identified as above average based on norm reference and criterion reference tests and classroom performance. Program provides classroom activities designed to promote accelerated learning and higher levels of performance. IB - International Baccalaureate - a rigorous pre-university course of studies that leads to examinations for secondary students. IB is a two-year comprehensive curriculum that allows students to fulfill requirements for various national education systems. IB diploma holders gain admission to universities throughout the world.lEP (Individual Education Plan) - primarily developed for special ed students by committee consisting of special ed teacher, counselor, parent, student, building administrator and any other person with direct contact with student who can facilitate learning process, such as a physical therapist or psychologist. Joint Committee on Standard for Education Evaluation - a coalition of major professional associations concerned with the quality of personnel, program, and student evaluation in education. The Joint Committee has published two sets of widely used standards for personnel evaluation and educational program evaluations. LEP (Limited English Proficiency) - a legal term for students who were not born in the United States or whose native language is not English and who cannot participate effectively in the regular curriculum because they have difficulty speaking, understanding, reading, and writing English. NCE - Normal Curve Equivalent - an equal-interval normalized standard score, which makes different kinds of comparisons possible. Converting from a percentile to an NCE does not change a students rank. NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) - is a professional organization that often makes recommendations regarding mathematics instruction and curriculum NRT (Norm Referenced Test) - test items are built around a test vendors set of curricular objectives. The test provides information that compares the performance of students against the performance of a sample of students from across the United States. The SAT-9 is the NRT currently given in Arkansas at grades 5, 7, and 10. NSF (National Science Foundation) - is a government entity created in 1950 to promote excellence in science and fund research. The LRSD is currently receiving in multi-year grant from NSF that funds improvements in mathematics and science. Newcomers Centers - are secondary schools that offer special services or assistance to LEP students. LEP students may transfer to these schools rather than attend their assigned school. The newcomer centers are Dunbar and Hall. LRSD discontinued the elementary newcomer centers. Observation Survey - one of two early literacy assessments used in the LRSD in grades K-2. It consists of five sub-tests (letter identification, word test, concepts about print, writing vocabulary, hearing and recording sounds in words) and is administered in both the fall and the spring. Pathwise - is the name of the states training program for first year teachers. It is based on the standards the state uses for teacher licensing.PIF (Pupil Information Form) - is the basic student record form. It is completed by the parents and has all basic information. It is sometimes called the green sheet by school workers, due to its color. PIP (Priority Intervention Procedures) - is the new name given to what has previously been called a school improvement plan. These plans are generated by the Campus Leadership teams at each school and they address areas in which the school needs to make improvements, for example achievement or school climate. Percentile - scores that are expressed in terms of the percentage of persons in the standardization sample who fall below a given raw score. A percentile indicates the individuals relative position in the standardized sample (the lower the percentile, the poorer the individuals standing). Percentiles are non-equal interval numbers. (Note - Do not confuse with percentages which are raw scores expressed in terms of the percentage of correct items) Reading Recovery - an intensive early-intervention literacy program developed in New Zealand. The program is based on helping children with poor reading/readiness skills develop the skills common to proficient readers. Refrigerator Curriculum - grade-level curriculum documents published by the LRSD for parents to delineate the requirements of each grade level and to outline the assessment program. SAT - 9 (Stanford Achievement Test - ninth edition) - the norm referenced test given in Arkansas. LRSD administers it at grades 5, 7, 9. SEP (Student Education Plan) - generally used as discipline or behavior plan for students experiencing difficulty in the classroom. Persons involved in SEP development include: building administrator, counselor, student, classroom teacher, and parents. SFA (Success for All) - an instructional program that features a schoolwide reading curriculum, highly structured lessons, frequent assessments of student progress, and ongoing teacher training. Scaled Scores -percentage of persons passing an item expresses item difficulty in terms of an ordinal scale
that is, it correctly indicates the rank order or relative difficulty of an item. Section 504 - a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability in any program receiving federal funds. Under 504, a student meets the definition of handicapped if he or she has had a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of or is regarded as handicapped by others. Smart Start - an Arkansas state initiative based on the premise that all children will meet or exceed grade-level requirements in reading and math by grade 4. Smart Start focuses on accountability and well-defined educational standards in reading and math.Smart Step - an Arkansas state initiative based on the premise that all children will meet or exceed grade level requirements in reading and math by grade 8. Again, as with Smart Start, the focus is on accountability and clearly-defined standards in reading and math for grades 5-8. TIMMS (The Third International Mathematics and Science Study) - whose findings indicated that the mathematics curriculum in the U.S. is much broader and has less depth than the curriculum in other countries where students have greater mathematics achievement. VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) - is the LRSD office of school volunteers. This same office also coordinates school and community partnerships. Individual volunteers are sometimes referred to as a VIP. Whole Language - a philosophy of teaching and learning based on the assumption that children learn to read and write best using real text (stories) rather than sets of practice exercises (worksheets). Whole language can include the teaching of phonics.Revised 12-7-01 ACRONYMS AND TERMINOLOGY ACTAAP (Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program) - ACTAAP is a comprehensive process that encompasses high academic standards, professional development, student assessment, and accountability for schools and students. ACTAAP is the fulfillment of Act 999 of 1999 by the legislature that mandated that all students in the public schools of this state demonstrate grade-level academic proficiency through the application of knowledge and skills in the core academic subjects consistent with state curriculum frameworks, performance standards, and assessments. ACSIP Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan - is a five-year self-study and school improvement plan required by Standard XIX of the Arkansas Standards for Accreditation. It requires schools to collect data and involve staff, parents, students, and community in developing a school improvement plan. ALE (Alternative Learning Environment) - Educational facility designed to serve students who, for some reason (behavior, age, absenteeism, etc.), are having difficulty achieving in a regular classroom setting. ALT (Achievement Level Test) - is a criterion-referenced test based on the LRSD curriculum. Test items were selected from a test bank provided by the Oregon firm that developed the ALT. Students in grades 2-8 take these tests in the spring of each year. Prior to 2001-02, the ALT was administered in both fall and spring. AP (Advanced Placement) - a program provided by The College Board that gives students opportunities to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. The College Board offers 35 courses and exams in 19 subject areas. Animated Literacy - program used in LRSD kindergartens introduces students to letters and sounds. Benchmark Exams - the ACTAAP tests including tests of literacy and math at the fourth, sixth, and eighth grade plus literacy at the eleventh grade and end of course exams in algebra and geometry. They are based on the states curriculum as outlined in the curriculum frameworks. Benchmarks - specific examples of the academic standards at each grade level or in each academic course. Example: In grade 3 students will learn the parts of a letter and will write a thank you letter, a personal letter, and a letter to the editor. CPMSA (Comprehensive Partnership for Mathematics and Science Achievement) - is the LRSD initiative to improve math and science curriculum and instruction which is funded largely by the NSF grant. I jCRT (Criterion Referenced Test) - a test customized around a state curriculum. The Primary Benchmark (Grade 4) is a CRT. The test items are based on the academic standards in the Arkansas Curriculum frameworks and are developed by committees of Arkansas teachers with the support of the ADE. CSRD (Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program) - a discretionary grant program designed to support school improvement planning and school reform initiative, particularly in reading and math. Grants are awarded for one year with the option of renewal for two additional years based on demonstration of successful implementation practices and evaluation results. DRA (Developmental Readiness Assessment) - the second of the two assessments given to LRSD students in grades K-2. This assessment consists of stories that increase with difficulty as the childs reading ability increases. Students are evaluated on a variety of reading skills including comprehension. This too is administered in both fall and spring. Direct Instruction - A method of reading instruction that relies heavily on phonics skills taught in a very controlled and scripted manner. ECE (Early Childhood Education) - this term is used by many to refer to pre-school age children, but professionals in the field recognize the early childhood years as being from birth to age 8. EYE (Extended Year Education) - is commonly called year-round school. LRSD has three extended year elementary schools: Mabelvale, Stephens, and Woodruff. These schools have a school year that is the same length as all other schools, but the schedule is spread out over 11 months. ELLA (Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas) - a three-year staff development process designed to assist teachers in grades K-2 in implementing instructional techniques which support emergent learners. ELLA helps teachers to enhance literacy to students by understanding how students learn to read and by practicing a balanced literacy approach in the classroom. ELOB (Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound) - a model for comprehensive school reform for elementary, middle, and high schools. ELOB emphasizes learning by doing, with emphasis on character growth, teamwork, reflection, and literacy. Teachers connect academic learning to adventure, service, and character development through interdisciplinary projects. GT - Gifted and Talented - program designed for students in LRSD identified as above average based on norm reference and criterion reference tests and classroom performance. Program provides classroom activities designed to promote accelerated learning and higher levels of performance. IB - International Baccalaureate - a rigorous pre-university course of studies that leads to examinations for secondary students. IB is a two-year comprehensive curriculum that allows students to fulfill requirements for various national education systems. IB diploma holders gain admission to universities throughout the world.lEP (Individual Education Plan) - primarily developed for special ed students by committee consisting of special ed teacher, counselor, parent, student, building administrator and any other person with direct contact with student who can facilitate learning process, such as a physical therapist or psychologist. Joint Committee on Standard for Education Evaluation - a coalition of major professional associations concerned with the quality of personnel, program, and student evaluation in education. The Joint Committee has published two sets of widely used standards for personnel evaluation and educational program evaluations. LEP (Limited English Proficiency) - a legal term for students who were not bom in the United States or whose native language is not English and who cannot participate effectively in the regular curriculum because they have difficulty speaking, understanding, reading, and writing English. NCE - Normal Curve Equivalent - an equal-interval normalized standard score, which makes different kinds of comparisons possible. Converting from a percentile to an NCE does not change a students rank. NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) - is a professional organization that often makes recommendations regarding mathematics instruction and curriculum NRT (Norm Referenced Test) - test items are built around a test vendors set of curricular objectives. The test provides information that compares the performance of students against the performance of a sample of students from across the United States. The SAT-9 is the NRT currently given in Arkansas at grades 5, 7, and 10. NSF (National Science Foundation) - is a government entity created in 1950 to promote excellence in science and fund research. The LRSD is currently receiving in multi-year grant from NSF that funds improvements in mathematics and science. Newcomers Centers - are secondary schools that offer special services or assistance to LEP students. LEP students may transfer to these schools rather than attend their assigned school. The newcomer centers are Dunbar and Hall. LRSD discontinued the elementary newcomer centers. Observation Survey - one of two early literacy assessments used in the LRSD in grades K-2. It consists of five sub-tests (letter identification, word test, concepts about print, writing vocabulary, hearing and recording sounds in words) and is administered in both the fall and the spring. Pathwise - is the name of the states training program for first year teachers. It is based on the standards the state uses for teacher licensing. PIF (Pupil Information Form) - is the basic student record form. It is completed by the parents and has all basic information. It is sometimes called the green sheet by school workers, due to its color. 1PIP (Priority Intervention Procedures) - is the new name given to what has previously been called a school improvement plan. These plans are generated by the Campus Leadership teams at each school and they address areas in which the school needs to make improvements, for example achievement or school climate. Percentile - scores that are expressed in terms of the percentage of persons in the standardization sample who fall below a given raw score. A percentile indicates the individuals relative position in the standardized sample (the lower the percentile, the poorer the individuals standing). Percentiles are non-equal interval numbers. (Note - Do not confuse with percentages which are raw scores expressed in terms of the percentage of correct items) Reading Recovery - an intensive early-intervention literacy program developed inNew Zealand. The program is based on helping children with poor reading/readiness skills develop the skills common to proficient readers. Refrigerator Curriculum - grade-level curriculum documents published by the LRSD for parents to delineate the requirements of each grade level and to outline the assessment program. SAT - 9 (Stanford Achievement Test - ninth edition) - the norm referenced test given in Arkansas. LRSD administers it at grades 5,1, 9. SEP (Student Education Plan) - generally used as discipline or behavior plan for students experiencing difficulty in the classroom. Persons involved in SEP development include: building administrator, counselor, student, classroom teacher, and parents. SFA (Success for All) - an instructional program that features a schoolwide reading curriculum, highly structured lessons, frequent assessments of student progress, and ongoing teacher training. Scaled Scores -percentage of persons passing an item expresses item difficulty in terms of an ordinal scale
that is, it correctly indicates the rank order or relative difficulty of an item. Section 504 - a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability in any program receiving federal funds. Under 504, a student meets the definition of handicapped if he or she has had a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of or is regarded as handicapped by others. Smart Start - an Arkansas state initiative based on the premise that all children will meet or exceed grade-level requirements in reading and math by grade 4. Smart Start focuses on accountability and well-defined educational standards in reading and math. Smart Step - an Arkansas state initiative based on the premise that all children will meet or exceed grade level requirements in reading and math by grade 8. Again, as with Smart Start, the focus is on accountability and clearly-defined standards in reading and math for grades 5-8.TIMMS (The Third International Mathematics and Science Study) - whose findings indicated that the mathematics curriculum in the U.S. is much broader and has less depth than the curriculum in other countries where students have greater mathematics achievement. VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) - is the LRSD office of school volunteers. This same office also coordinates school and community partnerships. Individual volunteers are sometimes referred to as a VIP. Whole Language - a philosophy of teaching and learning based on the assumption that children learn to read and write best using real text (stories) rather than sets of practice exercises (worksheets). Whole language can include the teaching of phonics.Acronyms and Terminology ACTAAP (Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program) - ACTAAP is a comprehensive process that encompasses high academic standards, professional development, student assessment, and accountability for schools and students. ACTAAP is the fulfillment of Act 999 of 1999 by the legislature that mandated that all students in the public schools of this state demonstrate grade-level academic proficiency through the application of knowledge and skills in the core academic subjects consistent with state curriculum frameworks, performance standards, and assessments. ACSIP Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Process) - is a five-year self-study and school improvement plan required by Standard XIX of the Arkansas Standards for Accreditation. It requires schools to collect data and involve staff, parents, students, and community in developing a school improvement plan. ALE (Alternative Learning Environment) - Educational facility designed to serve students who, for some reason (behavior, age, absenteeism, etc.), are having difficulty achieving in a regular classroom setting. ALT (Achievement Level Test) - is a criterion-referenced test based on the LRSD curriculum. Test items were selected from a test bank provided by the Oregon firm that developed the ALT. Students in grades 2-8 take these tests in the spring of each year. Prior to 2001-02, the ALT was administered in both fall and spring. AP (Advanced Placement) - a program provided by The College Board that gives students opportunities to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. The College Board offers 35 courses and exams in 19 subject areas. Animated Literacy - program used in LRSD kindergartens introduces students to letters and sounds. Benchmarks - specific examples of the academic standards at each grade level or in each academic course. Example
In grade 3 students will learn the parts of a letter and will write a thank you letter, a personal letter, and a letter to the editor. CPMSA (Comprehensive Partnership for Mathematics and Science Achievement) - is the LRSD initiative to improve math and science curriculum and instruction which is funded largely by the NSF grant. CRT (Criterion Referenced Test) - a test customized around a state curriculum. The Primary Benchmark (Grade 4) is a CRT. The test items are based on the academic standards in the Arkansas Curriculum frameworks and are developed by committees of Arkansas teachers with the support of the ADE.CSRD (Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program) - a discretionary grant program designed to support school improvement planning and school reform initiative, particularly in reading and math. Grants are awarded for one year with the option of renewal for two additional years based on demonstration of successful implementation practices and evaluation results. DRA (Developmental Readiness Assessment) - the second of the two assessments given to LRSD students in grades K-2. This assessment consists of stories that increase with difficulty as the childs reading ability increases. Students are evaluated on a variety of reading skills including comprehension. This too is administered in both fall and spring. Direct Instruction - A method of reading instruction that relies heavily on phonics skills taught in a very controlled and scripted manner. ECE (Early Childhood Education) - this term is used by many to refer to pre-school age children, but professionals in the field recognize the early childhood years as being from birth to age 8. EYE (Extended Year Education) - is commonly called year-round school. LRSD has three extended year elementary schools: Mabelvale, Stephens, and Woodruff. These schools have a school year that is the same length as all other schools, but the schedule is spread out over 11 months. ELLA (Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas) - a three-year staff development process designed to assist teachers in grades K-2 in implementing instructional techniques which support emergent learners. ELLA helps teachers to enhance literacy to students by understanding how students learn to read and by practicing a balanced literacy approach in the classroom. ELOB (Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound) - a model for comprehensive school reform for elementary, middle, and high schools. ELOB emphasizes learning by doing, with emphasis on character growth, teamwork, reflection, and literacy. Teachers connect academic learning to adventure, service, and character development through interdisciplinary projects. GT - Gifted and Talented - program designed for students in LRSD identified as above average based on norm reference and criterion reference tests and classroom performance. Program provides classroom activities designed to promote accelerated learning and higher levels of performance. IB - International Baccalaureate - a rigorous pre-university course of studies that leads to examinations for secondary students. IB is a two-year comprehensive curriculum that allows students to fulfill requirements for various national education systems. IB diploma holders gain admission to universities throughout the world. lEP (Individual Education Plan) - primarily developed for special ed students by committee consisting of special ed teacher, counselor, parent, student, building administrator and any other person with direct contact with student who can facilitate learning process, such as a physical therapist or psychologist. Joint Committee on Standard for Education Evaluation - a coalition of major professional associations concerned with the quality of personnel, program, and student evaluation in education. The Joint Committee has published two sets of widely used standards for personnel evaluation and educational program evaluations. LEP (Limited English Proficiency) - a legal term for students who were not bom in the United States or whose native language is not English and who cannot participate effectively in the regular curriculum because they have difficulty speaking, understanding, reading, and writing English. NCE - Normal Curve Equivalent - an equal-interval normalized standard score, which makes different kinds of comparisons possible. Converting from a percentile to an NCE does not change a students rank. NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) - is a professional organization that often makes recommendations regarding mathematics instruction and curriculum NRT (Norm Referenced Test) - test items are built around a test vendors set of curricular objectives. The test provides information that compares the performance of students against the performance of a sample of students from across the United States. The SAT-9 is the NRT currently given in Arkansas at grades 5, 7, and 10. NSF (National Science Foundation) - is a government entity created in 1950 to promote excellence in science and fund research. The LRSD is currently receiving in multi-year grant from NSF that funds improvements in mathematics and science. Newcomers Centers - are secondary schools that offer special services or assistance to LEP students. LEP students may transfer to these schools rather than attend their assigned school. The newcomer centers are Dunbar and Hall. LRSD discontinued the elementary newcomer centers. Observation Survey - one of two early literacy assessments used in the LRSD in grades K-2. It consists of five sub-tests (letter identification, word test, concepts about print, writing vocabulary, hearing and recording sounds in words) and is administered in both the fall and the spring. PIF (Pupil Information Form) - is the basic student record form. It is completed by the parents and has all basic information. It is sometimes called the green sheet by school workers, due to its color. PIP (Priority Intervention Procedures) - is the new name given to what has previously been called a school improvement plan. These plans are generated by the Campus Leadership teams at each school and they address areas in which the school needs to make improvements, for example achievement or school climate. Percentile - scores that are expressed in terms of the percentage of persons in the standardization sample who fall below a given raw score. A percentile indicates the individuals relative position in the standardized sample (the lower the percentile, the poorer the individuals standing). Percentiles are non-equal interval numbers. (Note - Do not confuse with percentages which are raw scores expressed in terms of the percentage of correct items) Reading Recovery - an intensive early-intervention literacy program developed in New Zealand. The program is based on helping children with poor reading/readiness skills develop the skills common to proficient readers. Refrigerator Curriculum - grade-level curriculum documents published by the LRSD for parents to delineate the requirements of each grade level and to outline the assessment program. SAT - 9 (Stanford Achievement Test - ninth edition) - the norm referenced test given in Arkansas. LRSD administers it at grades 5, 7, 9. SEP (Student Education Plan) - generally used as discipline or behavior plan for students experiencing difficulty in the classroom. Persons involved in SEP development include: building administrator, counselor, student, classroom teacher, and parents. SFA (Success for All) - an instructional program that features a schoolwide reading curriculum, highly structured lessons, frequent assessments of student progress, and ongoing teacher training. Scaled Scores -percentage of persons passing an item expresses item difficulty in terms of an ordinal scale
that is, it conectly indicates the rank order or relative difficulty of an item. Section 504 - a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability in any program receiving federal funds. Under 504, a student meets the definition of handicapped if he or she has had a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of or is regarded as handicapped by others. Smart Start - an Arkansas state initiative based on the premise that all children will meet or exceed grade-level requirements in reading and math by grade 4. Smart Start focuses on accountability and well-defined educational standards in reading and math. Smart Step - an Arkansas state initiative based on the premise that all children will meet or exceed grade level requirements in reading and math by grade 8. Again, as with Smart Start, the focus is on accountability and clearly-defined standards in reading and math for grades 5-8. TIMMS (The Third International Mathematics and Science Study) - whose findings indicated that the mathematics curriculum in the U.S. is much broader and has less depth than the curriculum in other countries where students have greater mathematics achievement.VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) - is the LRSD office of school volunteers. This same office also coordinates school and community partnerships. Individual volunteers are sometimes referred to as a VIP. Whole Language - a philosophy of teaching and learning based on the assumption that children leam to read and write best using real text (stories) rather than sets of practice exercises (worksheets). Whole language can include the teaching of phonics.
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.