For Pine Bluff to not only halt its skid, but turn around and thrive, priority one must be its students. Here’s how its doing on that front, based on performance and growth in the state’s summative test, ACT Aspire.

Dollarway (Grades 3 – 10), 982

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)

Pine Bluff (Grades 3 – 10), 3,648

2015-16 Math 20%
2015-16 Reading 17%
2015-16 English 42%
2015-16 Science 11%

2016-17 Math 20% (0)
2016-17 Reading 12% (-5)
2016-17 English 39% (-3)
2016-17 Science 16% (+5)

2017-18 Math 15% (-5)
2017-18 Reading 14% (+2)
2017-18 English 42% (+3)
2017-18 Science 12% (-4)

Watson Chapel (Grades 3 – 10), 2,582 Students

2015-16 Math 21%
2015-16 Reading 21%
2015-16 English 52%
2015-16 Science 17%

2016-17 Math 24% (+3)
2016-17 Reading 22% (+1)
2016-17 English 53% (+1)
2016-17 Science 18% (+1)

2017-18 Math 19% (-5)
2017-18 Reading 19% (-3)
2017-18 English 51% (-2)
2017-18 Science 16% (-2)

White Hall (Grades 3 – 10), 2,926 Students

2015-16 Math 51%
2015-16 Reading 42%
2015-16 English 74%
2015-16 Science 43%

2016-17 Math 54% (-3)
2016-17 Reading 46% (+4)
2016-17 English 79% (+5)
2016-17 Science 48% (+5)

2017-18 Math 49% (-5)
2017-18 Reading 46% (0)
2017-18 English 78% (-1)
2017-18 Science 45% (-3)

Declining this past year in 12 of 16 opportunities is not going forward. However, when the improvement rests with Dollarway (Reading) and Pine Bluff (Reading and English), it’s both encouraging for Pine Bluff as a whole and a wake up call for Watson Chapel and White Hall.

Talent drives economic development. And the biggest part of the talent pipeline is K-12 public education. Communities which prioritize the best interests of students over the self interests of adults will win. Those that don’t, won’t.

Go Forward Pine Bluff, and show the rest of Arkansas it can be done.