- Putting "Teaching to the Test" to the Test: Is This Really a Problem in Arkansas?
Volume 6, Issue 1
April 17, 2009
In this new Arkansas Education Report, we examine the popular criticism that too much academic testing forces teachers to "teach to the test." We suggest that when tests are sufficiently broad and tied to curricular standards - as seems to be the case in Arkansas - "teaching to the test" should not be a major problem.
- What Does NAEP Tell Us About Student Achievement in Arkansas?
Volume 5, Issue 2
August 28, 2008
This AER is a discussion of current and historical data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in math, reading, science, and writing, comparing Arkansas students' results on the NAEP to the national average and the performance of other states in the region.
- The State of Education in Arkansas 2008: How Much Are Arkansas Schools Spending?
Volume 5, Issue 1
April 15, 2008
In this report, we assess the extent to which Arkansas has improved the adequacy and equity of the state's school funding system since the landmark Lake View court case. The data presented in this report indicate that the changes to Arkansas' funding formula, which resulted in significant funding increases, dramatically enhanced the resource adequacy of the public school system.
- AYP in Arkansas: Who's on Track?
Volume 3, Issue 2
June 1, 2006
Nearly a quarter of Arkansas' public schools failed to make adequate yearly progress in 2004-05 under the NCLB legislation and were therefore classified as being in "school improvement" status for the 2005-06 school year. OEP analyzed data for all Arkansas schools on the list of needing improvement, as compared to all schools that did make AYP during.
- Superintendents Speak Out: A Survey of Superintendents' Opinions Regarding Recent School Reforms in Arkansas
Volume 3, Issue 1
April 1, 2006
OEP distributed a survey to all school district superintendents in Arkansas to gauge the results of the recent school reforms and to see what challenges superintendents still face in improving teacher quality and educational opportunities for all students. The authors found that despite real increases in funding, most superintendents surveyed believe that their district does not have adequate funding.
- Placing Arkansas School Funding Data in the National Context
Volume 2, Issue 2
April 1, 2005
In the Lake View v Huckabee school funding lawsuit, the Arkansas Supreme Court found the state's school funding system unconstitutional because it did not provide an "adequate and equitable" education to all students. In light of the court's ruling, this paper addresses the adequacy of the Arkansas system by examining levels of expenditure, teacher salary levels, and school performance.
- What Does the NAEP Tell Us About Student Achievement in Arkansas?
Volume 2, Issue 1
January 1, 2005
This paper discusses the most recent and historical NAEP data in math, science, reading, and writing. Based on the most recent NAEP exams, Arkansas is performing slightly below the national average. Arkansas, however, is among the highest performing states with regard to change over the last decade.
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- Recognizing the Accomplishments of ADE Commissioner Ken James
September 11, 2009
This summer, Dr. Ken James announced his resignation as Education Commissioner at the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). The OEP felt it was appropriate to highlight Dr. James' contributions to Arkansas education in this policy brief.
- ARRA Spending on Education in Arkansas
April 17, 2009
The US Department of Education (US DOE) recently released information detailing the amount of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds each state would be receiving for education expenditures. The goal of this policy brief is to highlight the funding amounts Arkansas will be receiving for education, discuss guidance from the US DOE regarding how these funds can be spent, and break down which areas of education the Arkansas Department of Education will be concentrating funds.
- The New Arkansas School Performance Report
April 3, 2009
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) recently released a report that summarized the academic achievement of all Arkansas schools. AN INTERESTING NEW COMPONENT OF THIS REPORT IS THE NEW "GAINS RATING" CALCULATED BY THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. The goal of this article is to put that information into context with current and past academic performance on statewide assessments, as well as examine the impact of characteristics such as poverty on the ADE's results.
- Knowing What Works for Arkansas
February 5, 2009
The OEP recently became partners with the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), a research unit of the U.S. Department of Education, which reviews K-12 curricula and interventions. The goal of this article is to highlight the resources offered through the WWC, and draw attention to some of the WWC services and products that may be useful to educators in Arkansas.
- Quality Counts 2009
January 15, 2009
This policy brief summarizes and analyzes the results of the recently released Quality Counts report by Education Week.
- How Does the 2007 Seattle Decision Affect Arkansas?
December 11, 2008
The recent Supreme Court decision regarding racial integration in Seattle schools brings into question the constitutionally of the current form of Arkansas' school choice law. To provide some background info for lawmakers who will have to wrestle with this important issue, OEP provides this policy brief to provide some useful context and suggest a possible course of action.
- 2008 Test Scores Show General Improvement with Room to Grow
August 13, 2008
OEP highlights the Benchmark and SAT-10 results for Arkansas students that were released earlier this summer. These results reveal that students throughout the state continue to improve each year with respect to state standards.
- Are All State Exams Equal?
August 13, 2008
Federal NCLB legislation requires that state policymakers set curricular standards and administer exams aligned to these standards in reading, math, and science. With a nod toward local control, NCLB allows each state to set unique standards for proficiency in each of these subject areas. The predictable result: in many states, policymakers have set low standards to create the appearance of success with high numbers of students meeting those standards. Interestingly, the standards set in Arkansas are among the highest in the nation!
- Time Spent on Testing
April 1, 2008
Many claim that our students are over-burdened by far too many hours of standardized testing each year. So how much time do our students really spend taking these exams?
- An Interview with Lawrence Picus
February 1, 2008
Picus is a professor at the USC Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California, whose research focuses on adequacy and equity in school finance.
- Act 35 Report Card
October 27, 2006
OEP revisits Act 35 to highlight the provisions and asses the ADE and State Board of Education's progress in addressing accountability measures.
- Salaries for Arkansas Teachers
May 1, 2006
This brief presents a comparison of Arkansas teacher salaries and neighboring states, and the relationship between the highest and lowest paying districts in the state.
- Lake View School Funding Update
December 1, 2005
In another landmark decision regarding school finance in Arkansas, the Arkansas Supreme Court has again declared that the state has retreated from its obligation to adequately fund public education.
- Superintendents Speak Out on Education Reforms
October 1, 2005
OEP distributed a confidential survey to superintendents across the state to see what kinds of successes and challenges districts are having as a result of recent education reforms.
- NAEP 2005 Results
October 1, 2005
Students are gaining grounds on the nation according to NAEP results.
- Rating the Special Masters
October 1, 2005
OEP provides a thorough review and assessment of the arguments made within the report, rating them as "strong" or "weak" criticisms.
- Lake View Reopened
June 1, 2005
Nearly a quarter of the state's school districts were back in court this spring, seeking to reopen the Lake View case, which was thought to be settled in 2002.
- Concurrent Enrollment vs. Advanced Placement Courses
April 1, 2005
By 2008-09, high schools will be required to offer AP courses in four core areas and there is discussion whether concurrent enrollment classes should be allowed as a substitute. We believe the two are inherently different.
- Charter School Research
January 1, 2005
Reports regarding charter schools have been conflicting, so OEP addresses the controversy.
- Quality Education Act of 2003
January 1, 2005
The Quality Education Act of 2003, often referred to as "the Omnibus Act," enacted to implement federal requirements of No Child Left Behind.
- Education Facilities Report
January 1, 2005
The Task Force to the Joint Committee on Educational Facilities contracted with several consulting firms to produce a well-researched and detailed discussion of current and future local needs with respect to school facilities.
- Alternative Certification
January 1, 2005
The mandate to place highly qualified teachers in every classroom makes the issue of alternative education even more prominent as it had described a range of programs, and there is now more consistency.
- Teacher Quality and Preparation
January 1, 2005
The NCLB Act mandates that all teachers earn full certification and demonstrate competency in the area they teach. This has resulted in many conflicting research findings, as studies try to determine if teacher certification is linked to improved student achievement.
- The Salary Debate
January 1, 2005
This work attempts to summarize the arguments surrounding the teacher salary debate, focusing on adequacy and equity of teacher pay.
- Teacher Shortages in Arkansas
January 1, 2005
Some researchers suggest that there is too much focus on teacher shortages, and not enough on teacher attrition, losing teachers already in the field. There are also problems with teacher distribution with teachers highly concentrated in certain areas.
- 2003-04 Education Special Session
January 1, 2005
This policy brief reviews the key issues debated in the Special Session called by Governor Huckabee, including consolidation, student assessment, and the revised funding formula.
- Interview with Dr. Ken James
October 1, 2004
This policy brief is a question and answer session with James, Arkansas Department of Education.
- Highly Qualified Teachers
September 1, 2004
This brief provides a background and definition for NCLB's "highly qualified" teachers, and summarizes actions taken by the state to ensure "highly qualified" teachers are in the classroom.
- School Finance Litigation and Adequacy Studies
September 1, 2004
We review the history of school finance litigation across the U.S. and focus specifically on cases related to educational adequacy, and highlight the Arkansas Adequacy Study conducted by Lawrence O. Picus and Associates and consider the implications.
- Special Masters' Report
July 1, 2004
A summary of the Special Masters' report to the Supreme Court of Arkansas on the Lake View case is presented in this brief.
- Effective School Reform
May 1, 2004
This brief summarizes current research on the characteristics of effective schools and teachers.
- Understanding the Achievement Gap
March 1, 2004
"Achievement gaps," or those areas in which less-advantaged students perform poorly compared to their more advantaged peers, is being addressed nationally, through NCLB, and locally, through the Lake View case.
- Defining Educational Adequacy
March 1, 2004
The Arkansas Joint Legislative Committee on Educational Adequacy contracted with the national consulting firm of Lawrence O. Picus and Associates to conduct a statewide adequacy study and report the findings to the Committee in the Fall of 2003. The report findings are summarized in this policy brief.
- School Consolidation: Making Sense of the Consolidation Debate
March 1, 2004
We investigated evidence related to: (1) school district consolidation and school size, and (2) spending and academic performance data for schools and districts in Arkansas to derive lessons from the research regarding the consolidation debate.
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