Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nevada SAT Scores Are Up

Students in Nevada's fifth, seventh and tenth grades performed above the state average on the SAT 9 tests.

According to the figures released, the statewide average in the fifth grade was a score of 47, with Nevada's students scoring 48. The figures were better for seventh graders. Statewide the average is 49, while Nevada's children posted scores of 52.

For the 10th grade, the state scores were reported at 48, with Nevada posting 50.

Only Nevada and Genoa Central recorded across the board scores higher than the state average in Southwest Arkansas. Other area schools saw above average scores in one or two grade levels, with many being well below the average in all three grades.

Nevada Superintendent Rick McAffee, during Thursday night's regular monthly meeting of the Nevada School Board, told the panel he was proud of the accomplishment, even though there's still a long way to go.

He praised the students for working hard to do well on the tests.

The board also heard about the Smart Start program, proposed by Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

McAffee said the state is no longer funding summer school for students in grades K-3, as this program is supposed to bring these children up to grade level.

However, he said, students tend to lose retention during the summer months, and this could pose somewhat of a problem.

Nevada's summer school is held late in the season so the children involved will retain more of what they learned when school resumes regular session. This, McAffee said, also helps with the SAT-9 test scores.

He said the Smart Start program, if given enough time, could be a good system for students. McAffee pointed out education tends to lag 20 years behind, as it takes two decades to see if educational programs work.

In Arkansas, though, educational programs haven't been given enough time to begin working before they've been changed. McAffee said the "quick fix" approach doesn't work in education.

It was also pointed out no single program will help every child as all children learn at different levels based on their individual abilities and interests.

Along with the Smart Start program, the board heard about the accelerated reading program Nevada Elementary School is using.

Natalie Sherwood, NES principal, said the students are devouring the books used in the program and the comprehension rate is extremely high.

This, she said, is because students can test on the books they read almost as soon as they finish them.

Each classroom in grades K-6 has a computer with the accelerated reading program database for the students.

McAffee said this program is being looked at for grades 7-8 along with the NHS gifted and talented program. The delay in instituting it in the higher grades is obtaining the books for upper level students.

In other business, the board increased the amount the district pays for mileage to 31 cents per mile, the same as allotted by the Internal Revenue Service. This was increased from 25 cents per mile.

Additionally, the meal allowance was increased for those attending conferences out of town. The change went from $18 per day to $27 per diem. Now, $5 can be spent for breakfast; $7 for lunch and $15 for dinner.

McAffee said the meals are reimbursed with receipt, with the district getting most of this back from the education cooperative.

Though the question of a cap on lodging was brought up, nothing was done as the rates for various hotels and motels are different in different cities.

The board tabled discussion on trading in a 1992 van with 80,000 miles for a new 3/4 ton Dodge pickup and purchasing a new vehicle for the driver's ed program.

McAffee said the district's certificates of deposit (CDs) will mature in June and the interest will be $32,720. The cost of the new truck and car, both to be bought through state purchasing, would be $36,820.

With the van valued at $4,200 to 4,500, this would cover the difference in the cost.

This issue, though, will be discussed again at the February meeting.

The final order of business was a one-year extension of McAffee's contract, giving him a total of three more years as the district's leader.