Southwest Arkansas students have been doing fairly well in school according to the preliminary 2018-2019 ACT Aspire results.
While some teachers and administrators might have hoped some scores would be higher, there are bright spots for every local school district. And many schools did exceptionally well in our area.
Find full coverage of Southwest Arkansas schools below. We have gone through the spreadsheets so you see the main number of importance: percentage of students that reached the readiness benchmark
Arkansas’ ACT Aspire preliminary results show that student academic performance remained relatively steady in 2019. The 2019 administration marks the fourth year the online assessment has been given to students in grades 3 through 10.The percent of students scoring at the Ready or Exceeding levels in English remained steady or trended upward in grades 5 and 9, with the same holding true in Reading for grades 3, 4, 5, and 8. The combined English Language Arts Ready and Exceeding scores remained stable or increased in Grades 4, 5, 7, and 8.
Math scores were consistent as well. The percent of students at the Ready and Exceeding levels remained steady or increased in grades 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Science Ready and Exceeding scores remained stable or showed improvement in Grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10, with combined STEM Ready and Exceeding scores holding steady or increasing in grades 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
“This year’s assessment results align with other school-level data and reflect what we already know,” Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key said. “It is evident that we have areas that are showing growth along with areas that need improvement. Growth, however, takes time, and I am confident we are heading in the right direction. Through continued collaboration, teacher excellence, and a culture of learning, our students’ performance will improve, and we will lead the nation in student-focused education.”
ADE is partnering with schools around the state to implement numerous programs that promote academic achievement. From the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence (R.I.S.E. Arkansas) and a robust dyslexia initiative to the governor’s Computer Science Initiative, the newly-launched Math QuEST professional development for teachers, and the implementation of Professional Learning Communities, schools are addressing the academic needs of all students.
How the Test Is Used
The ACT Aspire test is a summative assessment, or end-of-year test. A student scoring at the Ready or Exceeding level is on track to meeting the ACT benchmark in grade 11. A student scoring Close may need additional support to reach the rigorous grade 11 benchmarks. The ACT Aspire is aligned to the Arkansas academic standards, and when the results are combined with other school-level data, they provide a good measure of overall student achievement. When combining student scores at a school level, the results are one of many indicators used to determine how well a school is meeting the rigor of state academic standards and whether or not students are on track to meet The ACT readiness benchmarks in the 11th grade.
The test also is administered to meet federal accountability requirements. Final test results will be used later this fall, along with numerous other data measures, to calculate ESSA School Index scores for every public school in the state.
Below you will find the preliminary results for the school districts of Southwest Arkansas. We have gone through the spreadsheets and taken out the key numbers that indicate the readiness benchmark percentage. Now, you can easily see the school districts in our area without having to go through a lengthy spreadsheet yourself.
Ashdown School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Ashdown students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Camden School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Camden students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
De Queen School District
The numbers below show the percentage of De Queen students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Dierks School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Dierks students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
El Dorado School District
The numbers below show the percentage of El Dorado students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Fordyce School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Fordyce students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Fouke School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Fouke students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in the respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Genoa Central School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Genoa Central students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Hope School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Hope students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Hot Springs School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Hot Springs students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Jessieville School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Jessieville students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Lafayette County School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Lafayette County students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Magnolia School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Magnolia students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Mena School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Mena students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Nashville School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Nashville students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Ouachita River School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Ouachita River students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Prescott School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Prescott students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
South Pike School District
The numbers below show the percentage of South Pike students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
Texarkana, Arkansas School District
The numbers below show the percentage of Texarkana students that reached the readiness benchmark for each category in a respective grade. Each school and grade has a different score. These are the preliminary results released in July, 2019.
