There were some decreases, though. The percentage of fourth-graders scoring proficient and advanced on the literacy benchmarks dropped from 61 percent last year to 59 percent this year. The percentage of eigth-graders performing at that level on literacy benchmarks also dropped from 66 percent to 63 percent.
In Arkansas, about 343,000 students took the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, while about 36,700 students took the algebra End of Course tests and about 32,000 took the geometry tests. More than 207,000 students took the benchmark tests.
On the Iowa Test, composite scores ranged from the 48th percentile in the ninth grade to the 62nd percentile in the fourth grade. A student scoring at the 50th percentile performed better than half of his counterparts nationwide.
The percentage of students performing proficient or above in the End of Course exams for algebra dropped from 65 percent last year to 61 percent this year. For End of Course geometry exams, that number dropped from 60 percent to 59 percent.
The percentage of 11th graders scoring proficient or above in literacy End of Course exams rose from 45 percent last year to 51 percent this year.
The state is developing an "augmented" test that will combine the benchmark exams with the Iowa Test in an attempt to cut down the amount of time spent preparing for the separate tests. James said the combined test, which will be used next spring, will help speed up the amount of time before test results are released.
--Associated Press
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