SPRINGDALE — High schools are gearing up for a high-stakes literacy exam next week, eager to lay the groundwork to meet state education standards.
More than 1,000 high school juniors in Springdale will cram into their classrooms Tuesday and Wednesday to take the seven-hour standardized exam that tests students’ reading comprehension and writing. The test is one of the determining factors for whether students meet state standards. The Arkansas Department of Education also takes into account high school end-of-course exams in subjects such as biology, algebra and geometry.
Schools not meeting standards are placed on the state’s school improvement list. Schools on the list may be subject to state intervention and close supervision.
The stakes are especially high for Springdale High School, which can be removed from the list with high scores in this year’s exam and end-of-course math tests.
The school hired additional tutors and set up after-school study sessions this week. Students familiarized themselves with the test format and examined reading passages they may see on the exam, said Jean Davis, Springdale High’s literacy coach.
“They said it was going to be hard,” said Jacqueline Perez, 16. “We’ve been doing little practice tests every day.”
Pete Joenks, Springdale High principal, held a 20-minute assembly for juniors to emphasize the test’s importance. Students must pass the test as a graduation requirement.
The high school’s literacy scores improved by 17 percentage points over the past five years, but still lagged a few percentage points behind the state average. Last year, Springdale High’s mark of 62 percent proficiency fell 3 percentage points below the Arkansas average.
“The fact that we are making gains is huge. We always want to improve,” Davis said.
Har-Ber High School held a four-week literacy enrichment course for students needing help. The school also is in the middle of a two-week literacy blitz where teachers break down the literacy test’s format and potential content.
“It’s not about a two-week or four-week program. It’s about building literate people,” said Kristin Groves, Har-Ber’s literacy coach.
Har-Ber’s literacy scores have stayed flat, but the school has not scored below the state average in its seven-year history. The scores have fallen 1 percentage point in the past five years, standing at 65 percent proficient.
Groves said teachers collected data on students early in the school year, identifying those who needed additional help. Teachers and tutors worked with students in the classroom and after school, she said.
Neither school may see large gains without addressing students with a first language other than English. Twenty-three percent of the school district’s 320 English language learners scored proficient on the test last year. Davis said she expects that number to grow because teachers have been targeting all student subgroups for improvement.
Springdale High will hold a Saturday study session for about 50 students led by four teachers. The school also is hosting a family literacy night today. Joenks said he will talk to parents about the stakes of the exam. Davis expects a large number of English language learners at both events.
Fran Flynt, head of Springdale High’s English department, said teachers stress depth of literacy understanding and incorporate open-response questions into their lesson plans. The test will line up with class curriculum, she said.
“The best preparation for the test is being in class,” Flynt said.