LEPANTO -- East Poinsett County High School 10th-grader Heath Cavitt enjoys competing.
While an upcoming international assessment isn't a football game, Cavitt, 15, said he still wants to excel.
Cavitt is among 42 East Poinsett County students who will represent Arkansas in the Program for International Student Assessment.
"They selected East Poinsett County based on our socioeconomic status," Principal John Kelly said. "Multiple schools in Arkansas were selected, but it was at the discretion of the school on whether it participated.
"I personally believe this is going to reflect how well-prepared our students are based on No Child Left Behind. These students under state guidance have been instructed under this act. They are the group with standards-based education."
The assessment is given every three years to measure the knowledge of 15-year-olds in reading, math and science literacy using questions that involve everyday situations, according to the Program for International Student Assessment website.
Financial literacy will be added to this year's test. A sample question shows an invoice and asks students to explain various parts of it.
The multinational Organization for Economic Coordination and Development offers the assessment in 75 countries and educational jurisdictions, and the U.S. Department of Education sponsors U.S. participation. The results will be reported in December 2016.
Kelly said the testing assesses how prepared students are for adult life. The results will show what skills students lack and compare that data to other countries and educational jurisdictions.
"Focusing on age 15 provides an opportunity to measure broad learning outcomes while all students across the many participating nations are still required to be in school," according to the Program for International Student Assessment website. "Because years of education vary among countries and education systems, choosing an age-based sample makes comparisons across countries and education systems somewhat easier."
Individual scores are confidential, but Kelly said the school will receive general scores to show how its students compare with others.
East Poinsett County High School has 331 students. Kelly said the participating students were randomly selected from the 56 who qualified for the assessment.
These students were scheduled to meet Sept. 22 with program officials for a pre-assessment visit before they take the test on Oct. 22. It will take three hours to complete, and 11 students will also be asked to take a one-hour financial literacy assessment.
Cavitt's mother is a banker. He said she has taught him some about checking and savings accounts so he feels somewhat comfortable taking a financial literacy exam. However, he feels he still has a lot to learn.
Cavitt and other participants will be rewarded for their efforts. Schools that participate will receive $200, while each participating student will receive $25. Students who take the financial literacy assessment will earn an additional $15.
Each student will also receive a certificate from the U.S. Department of Education for four hours of volunteer service. East Poinsett County allows students who complete 75 hours in grades 9-12 to receive one academic credit that counts toward graduation.
The school's participation has been well-received, Kelly said.
"We feel honored to be selected and to be a part of the world's largest study," he said.
Metro on 09/28/2015