Christmas came early for several schools in Northwest Arkansas thanks to high levels of academic performance.
Money from the Arkansas School Recognition and Reward Program was announced Friday. Some $7 million in general improvement funds was earmarked by Gov. Mike Beebe to pay the awards, said Deborah Coffman, chief of staff for the Arkansas Department of Education.
The List
In The Money
The Arkansas School Recognition and Reward Program will award schools which performed in the top 10 percent and in the top 20 percent on the 2013 Benchmark exams.
Top 10 Percent Schools
Bentonville
• Apple Glen Elementary: $51,983
• Bright Field Middle: $52,194
• Central Park Elementary: $66,737
• Lincoln Junior High: $105,015
• Mary Mae Jones Elementary: $58,615
• Ruth Barker Middle: $52,024
• Washington Junior High: $103,386
• Willowbrook Elementary: $62,908
Farmington
• Folsom Elementary: $29,734
Fayetteville
• Haas Hall Academy: $28,591
• Leverett Elementary: $32,140
• McNair Middle: $63,360
• Vandergriff Elementary: $56,570
• Woodland Junior High: $62,655
Pea Ridge
• Pea Ridge Middle: $35,904
Rogers
• Bellview Elementary: $54,229
• Eastside Elementary: $51,272
• Elmwood Middle: $79,382
• Tucker Elementary: $61,353
• Kirksey Middle: $79,034
• Reagan Elementary: $42,763
Springdale
• Young Elementary: $47,675
• Hunt Elementary: $53,722
• John Tyson Elementary: $51,734
Top 20 Percent Schools
Bentonville
• Ardis Ann Middle: $28,440
• Cooper Elementary: $29,149
Farmington
• Williams Elementary: $17,331
• Lynch Middle: $24,168
Fayetteville
• Butterfield Trail Elementary: $27,843
• Holcomb Elementary: $25,759
• Holt Middle: $22,977
Gentry
• Gentry Middle: $15,602
Gravette
• Gravette Middle: $20,225
Pea Ridge
• Pea Ridge Intermediate: $20,724
• Pea Ridge Primary: $15,780
Rogers
• Benton County School of the Arts: $25,098
• Lowell Elementary: $20,949
• Northside Elementary: $22,305
Siloam Springs
• Siloam Springs Middle: $41,397
Springdale
• Helen Tyson Middle: $30,685
• Walker Elementary: $25,445
Source: Staff Report
The money goes to public schools with high student performance, student academic growth, and for secondary schools, high graduation rates, according to the Arkansas Department of Education.
This is the second time the rewards have been paid to school districts. The first time was in 2010, Coffman said.
The program is an initiative by the General Assembly to provide performance-based incentives for outstanding schools as a reward for productivity.
“We are extremely proud of our administrators, teachers, students and parents for helping our students achieve at some of the highest levels in the state,” said Janie Darr, superintendent of the Rogers School District. “They have worked incredibly hard, and we are so happy that they are getting this recognition.”
Six Rogers schools were in the top 10 percent and two more were in the top 20 percent of high performing schools. The rewards range from $20,949 to $79,382.
The initial reaction among Fayetteville school administrators was shock and excitement.
“I’m just recovered myself to speak,” said Cheryl Putnam, principal at Leverett Elementary School. She said all she could do was gesture to nearby staff to look at the letter she received. Leverett will receive $32,140.
She had no idea how they will spend the money. “It’s so nice to see the efforts really paying off,” Putnam said.
The money can be spent in one of several ways, such as nonrecurring bonuses for faculty and staff or nonrecurring expenditures for educational equipment or material to assist in maintaining or improving student performance.
The decision on how the money will be used must be made by a committee from each school including the principal, a teacher elected by the faculty and a parent representative selected by the parent teacher organization. The spending proposal must be submitted to the Education Department before Jan. 15.
Debbie Flora, principal at Bernice Young Elementary School in Springdale, said the students were proud when she shared the news with them during a holiday sing-along.
“We’re excited,” Flora said. She mentioned non-fiction books and other material to help students take the next step in their learning as possibilities for the $47,675 the school will receive.
Tim Sparacino, principal of Bentonville’s Washington Junior High School, said, “We are thrilled to have received this award. It is a testament to the quality of our students, their parents, and to the incredible work that our teachers do day in and day out. We can’t wait to begin to work to ensure that these funds help to enhance our delivery of a rigorous and relevant curriculum for all of our students.”
Jonathon Guthrie, principal at Lincoln Junior High School in Bentonville, said “It’s a great thing that comes with a lot of accountability and responsibility to spend it correctly. This is also credit to our staff for their hard work.”