State of Remediation

"(Our) recommendations take a truly comprehensive approach to establishing an accountability program for the K-12 system in Arkansas - higher expectations for students, higher standards for promotions, consequences and sanctions, and district and school reporting to parents and the public."

"Streamlining and Cost-Saving Opportunities In Arkansas' K-12 Public Education System," Murphy Commission report, 1998

(September 2008) Two Arkansas school districts awarded failing (F) grades for three consecutive years in Policy Foundation reports have college remediation rates greater than 70 percent, public records show.

The college remediation rate for a third district identified as failing by the Policy Foundation is not included in the 2007 district report card posted online at a University of Arkansas site.

Dermott, Earle and Forrest City were the only school districts in Arkansas to receive failing (F) grades for three consecutive years in Arkansas School District Rankings published for 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007. The rankings awarded a letter grade to districts based on student performance on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS).

Dermott's remediation rate was 85.7 percent and Forrest City's rate was 75 percent, according to the site¹. Earle's rate is not posted. The National Office for Research, Measurement and Evaluation Systems maintains the site (http://normes.uark.edu/) as "a resource for educators, policymakers, parents, and other stakeholders in education to investigate and answer questions on public school systems."

The methodology for calculating grade inflation and college remediation rates is explained in a two-page memo posted at: http://normessasweb.uark.edu/schoolperformance/HELP/gir.pdf


Other Failing Districts

Public records show six other Arkansas districts awarded failing grades in two of the three annual reports reported similar college remediation rates in 2007

Blytheville                         76.1 percent

Dollarway                         90.6 percent

England                            70 percent

Helena-West Helena     70.5 percent

Lee County                       76.5 percent

Turrell                                80 percent


Recommendations for Failing Districts

Education reforms for failing districts should include administrative restructuring, charter schools, and expanded school choice.

Districts receiving top grades (A or A-minus) in the annual report should identify their best practices.