State distributes $6.7 million to schools with high test scores

The state Education Department today announced the list of 175 schools that will share in $6.7 million in “recognition” awards for high student test scores in grades 3-10.

Some awards are based on growth in student scores, as opposed to raw scores. The score-only standard tends to favor higher income, lower minority schools. The top five money recipients this year, for example, were three schools in Bentonville, one in Bryant and one in Little Rock. The black enrollment at these schools was in single digits, except 21 percent at Roberts Elementary in Little Rock. The percentage qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch (a measure of family income) ranged from 9 percent to 43 percent at Roberts.

https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2019/11/08/state-distributes-6-7-million-to-schools-with-high-test-scores