JACKSON BOARD GETS REPORT ON STATE TESTS

JACKSON -- The Jackson R-2 Board of Education received two state report cards on the district during its Tuesday night meeting. Both were good.

Assistant School Superintendent Fred Jones reported on the results of the 1991 Missouri Mastery Achievement Test (MMAT) that was given to students in grades 2-10 in April. The MMAT is a yearly, state-developed test that measures students' masteries of state-defined key skills in language arts, math, science, and social studies.

The score scale ranges from 1 to 700. Most students earn scores between 100 and 600.

Jones said in all test categories reading, math, science and social studies students scored above the state MMAT average. Jackson students who took the MMAT did not score below 300, and there were several categories with scores above 400.

"Our students scored anywhere from 7 to 81 points above the state average in all the subject areas," said Jones. "I am very pleased with the results. I feel we have achieved very well in all areas. In some areas the scores were significantly higher than the state average."

State education officials said a difference of 25 points between the local and state MMAT average is a meaningful difference in the local MMAT scores.

This is the fifth year the Jackson School District has participated in the MMAT.

School Superintendent Wayne Maupin praised the district's staff for their support and participation in the MMAT program. "It is a major change in how we monitor achievement and performance in our district," he said.

The other good news reported by Jones was the results of the 1990-91 Eighth-Grade Missouri Writing Assessment Group Summary Report. The writing assignment was administered in all Missouri schools in November 1990. Each student's writing was graded on a scale of 1.0-6.0.

Jones reported that of the 252 eighth-grade students in the Jackson district, 63 percent scored in the 4.0 to 6.0 category, or an A or B average. By comparison, Jones said the state average was about 48 percent.

The breakdown in scores showed that 9.1 percent of the Jackson eighth-graders scored between 5.5-6.0, while the state average was 3.4 percent.

A total of 53.9 percent of the district's eighth-graders scored between 4.0 to 5.0., while the state average was 42.4 percent.

A total of 31.7 percent of the students scored in the 2.5 to 3.5 category, or a C. The state average was 44 percent.

A total of 4.4 percent scored between 1.0 and 2.0, or a D. The state average was 8.2 percent.

Jones said the results reflect favorably on the district's student writing-improvement program. He said the writing assessment will continue as an annual event in the district.

In other business, the board set Aug. 13 as the date for a public hearing on the school district's 1991-92 school tax levy. The hearing will begin at 8 p.m., prior to the regular board meeting.

The board approved three revisions to the district policy manual, including the use of private vehicles for the transportation of students; changes in the high-school attendance policy; and revisions in the discipline code at the R.O. Hawkins Junior High School.

The board accepted the low bid of Smith and Associates, representing Reliable Life Insurance Co. of St. Louis, for student accident insurance next year. The rate for schooltime coverage (K-12) is $8, or $38 for full-time 24-hour coverage. Reliable is the district's current carrier of student accident insurance.

The board also approved an application for a 1991-92 Chapter 1 grant of $61,638 to pay a portion of the salary and benefits of three remedial-reading teachers. There are currently 180 to 190 students enrolled in remedial-reading classes in the district.

The board approved an application for Public Law 94-142 funding for $80,908 that will be used to pay for the salaries and benefits of five and three-fourths staff members who work with handicapped students in special education.

Also approved was an application for Title 2 funding (Eisenhower Grant) of $6,517 to provide in-service training of math and science teachers in the district.

The board approved the 1991-92 Drug Free Schools and Communities Program with an estimated budget of $18,697.

The superintendent said he received notice this week from the state board of education that the Jackson district has received its state accreditation. So far, Jackson is only one of four or five districts in the state that have received state accreditation, Maupin said.