beating the odds

PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. -- The Office for Education Policy (OEP) at the University of Arkansas recognized Daisy Bates Elementary in their latest elementary school level report. 

The OEP creates an annual report entitled the Beating the Odds: High-Growth Schools Serving Low Income Communities. According to OEP, growth is the best indicator of the positive impact that your school is having on students. These awards are given to schools where students demonstrate high growth on the ACT Aspire test. 

Daisy Bates Elementary was recognized for Beating the Odds in Central Arkansas for high growth scores on the ACT Aspire test in a high poverty community.

“We appreciate OEP for this amazing recognition of academic growth on the ACT Aspire ELA Assessment,” said Daisy Bates Elementary Principal Masako Christian. “We are overjoyed and honored. We believe in and support our scholars in their quest to achieve greatness and excellence in everything they do regardless of their background, socioeconomic status, or zip code. We are their champions; and they are our stars!”

Awards are based on the 2022 content growth score calculated by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. These growth scores reflect how much students at the school improved from 2021 compared to how much they were expected to grow considering prior achievement. Schools are recognized based on overall growth, as well as for growth in Math and English Language Arts separately. ACT Aspire tests are taken by third through tenth grade students in math, reading, writing, English, and science.