When Arkansas switched to a new standardized testing system three years ago, the state launched a system that would measure each school district’s ability to show growth in academics. The Arkansas Teaching, Learning, and Assessment System (Atlas) provided a better fit with the state’s curriculum, and has also driven some changes in the overall approach to education, especially at the lower elementary level.
Eureka Springs Superintendent Bryan Pruitt said the transition to the Atlas tests created some initial disruption, but schools have adjusted to meet the different approach. Pruitt said the emphasis on reading and writing skills has permeated all aspects of the school day.
A school district’s success in meeting Atlas standards determines the letter grade the state gives each district. If a school receives a grade lower than C, the principal will receive support from its educational cooperative. If that intervention does not improve the school’s test results, the mediation can extend into individual classrooms.
The Ozarks Unlimited Resources (OUR) co-op, which serves Carroll County’s schools, includes 17 school districts across the north central region. Only the co-op in Northwest Arkansas posts higher scores than this one.
The first round of Atlas testing did not include kindergarten through second grade. As the testing extended to those grades, the state also took dramatic steps aimed at keeping schools from promoting unqualified students. Those who do not meet standards at the end of grade three will not move on to fourth grade. The state has a variety of exemptions that allow districts to override the retention process, including special education students and those who have already repeated a grade.
The testing hurdle at the end of third grade has affected students in the lower grades, where assessment and intervention efforts focus on keeping everyone on pace for promotion.
This district only retained one third-grade student, and that student spoke very little English. Waivers allowed two other students to move on with their classmates. Educators have always wrestled with the pros and cons of promoting an underperforming child, and the state has now drawn a hard line, forcing school districts to create new ways to help those most in need of academic assistance.
Pruitt said the elementary and middle schools each have an instructional facilitator to increase assessment and support for students who may need additional help. He said the district will continue to focus at all levels on the process of reading, dissecting, and responding.
The letter grades given to schools put an emphasis on growth. That additional weight effectively penalizes Eureka Springs High School, which has been typically rated among the top 20 high schools in the state. The high school only received a B, despite scores “far above average in meeting grade level.” With such a small senior class, even one or two students who fail to graduate can leave the school “below average in graduation rate,” and that metric figures prominently in a high school’s grade.
The middle school’s grade fell from a C to a D, reflecting low growth for all students. New Principal Rachal Hyatt now receives support from the OUR co-op.
The elementary school received an A grade, based on growth of all students, especially low-performing students. Elementary students were also well above state averages in meeting grade-level standards.