Three Arkansas school districts are in state control – Dollarway, Earle and Little Rock.

Here’s how each are doing on the state’s summative assessments, ACT Aspire (Grades 3 – 10).

Dollarway (Grades 3 – 10)

2015-16 Math 13%
2015-16 Reading 14%
2015-16 English 39%
2015-16 Science 9%

2016-17 Math 13% (0)
2016-17 Reading 9% (-5)
2016-17 English 42% (+3)
2016-17 Science 9% (0)

2017-18 Math 12% (-1)
2017-18 Reading 11% (+2)
2017-18 English 40% (-2)
2017-18 Science 8% (-1)

Earle (Grades 3 -10)

2015-16 Math 20%
2015-16 Reading 16%
2015-16 English 48%
2015-16 Science 8%

2016-17 Math 20% (0)
2016-17 Reading 16% (0)
2016-17 English 53% (+5)
2016-17 Science 9% (+1)

2017-18 Math 12% (-8)
2017-18 Reading 9% (-7)
2017-18 English 49% (-4)
2017-18 Science 9% (0)

Little Rock (Grades 3 – 10)

2015-16 Math 33%
2015-16 Reading 30%
2015-16 English 57%
2015-16 Science 26%

2016-17 Math 37% (+4)
2016-17 Reading 32% (+2)
2016-17 English 59% (+2)
2016-17 Science 29% (+3)

2017-18 Math 36 (-1)
2017-18 Reading 32 (0)
2017-18 English 58 (-1)
2017-18 Science 29 (0)

Improving only in one subject area (Dollarway Reading) in twelve opportunities in three school districts is unacceptable. Declining in eight of twelve opportunities is cause for alarm and changes in district, building and classroom leadership.

Of course, cumulative summative test scores do not tell the entire story of a school’s performance or growth. But when the state takes the rare and necessary move to intervene in a district, it must know that its performance is not only closely scrutinized locally, but an example – good, bad or both – to the districts in the rest of the state.

Disruptive state intervention must be immediately followed by a change agent leader implementing an urgent, turnaround culture ensuring that, in all things, the best interests of students are prioritized over the self interests of adults.