Arkansas

College and Career Readiness for All Students

"The higher the standards that are targeted, the clearer it becomes that the only way to take the students to those standards is early intervention and a long-term focus on improving the fundamentals of teaching and learning. Setting lower standards and targeting short-term incremental test score gains, on the other hand, often tempts educators into shortsighted 'quick-fix' practices."

—Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Nancy Smith, National Center for Educational Achievement

2009 NCEA Higher Performing Analysis Frequently Asked Questions

1. My school is not on the Just for the Kids Higher Performing List. How do I know if my school was one of those that were not included in the analysis at all?

The following categories of schools were not included in the analysis:

  • New schools are not included. NCEA’s analysis required three years of data (academic year 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09). Therefore schools that opened more recently than fall of 2006 do not have enough data to be included in the analysis.
  • Schools in which no grade level is tested with the state’s standardized testing system are not considered. For example, PK-2 school does not administer the state’s standardized test and therefore cannot be included in the analysis.
  • For the Elementary List (Grade 3), schools with too few continuously enrolled students (either because of small school size or high student mobility) do not have enough data to be considered in the analysis.
  • For Elementary List (Grades 4-6) and Middle School Grades, schools with too few students tested at the same school in which they were enrolled in the fall of the academic year cannot be included.

For a more complete description of the detailed methods used in the analysis, please select the appropriate methodology listed at the bottom of this page.

2. How can I get more information about the methodology used for identifying Just for the Kids Higher Performing Schools?

Click on one of the following links for more information about the different methodologies: