[September 27, 2011] School Leader Praises Fort Smith Growth Tweet Sep 27, 2011 (Times Record - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Superintendent Benny Gooden in a report Monday described a Fort Smith Public Schools student population that is growing in number, diversity and achievement. He presented the district's 2011 Annual Report to the Public during a school board meeting. From 2001 through 2010, the total enrollment in the Fort Smith School District increased by about 10 percent from 12,596 to 13,859. Gooden called it "slow and steady." As for its racial and ethnic diversity, "there is no single group of more than 50 percent," he said. About 47 percent of all students were Caucasian in the 2010-11 school year, 27 percent Hispanic, 12 percent Black, 6 percent Asian and the remainder of descent from a Native American, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or other ethnic group. In terms of improvement in academic achievement, students are performing better, but it's still "not fast enough," Gooden said. He singled out Trusty and Morrison elementary schools especially for recognition. Trusty students combined have achieved improvements of about 20 percent in both mathematics and literacy measures. Morrison "made a liar of the superintendent," he said. Teachers and students there managed to get Morrison off the school improvement list entirely. Gooden said he had remarked a few years ago when Morrison was put on the list for needing improvement that schools almost never are removed from it. Of the school district's high school students eligible to take the American College Test, about 98 percent did so, compared to 91 percent statewide. The average score was 20.4, compared to 19.9 across Arkansas and 21.1 nationwide. Students in third through eighth grades who performed below the basic skill level in literacy fell from 231 in third grade in 2008 to 88 in 2011; from 109 to 45 in eighth grade and by comparable amounts in the grades in between the two. In mathematics, the improvement was not as dramatic but still significant. The number testing below the basic skill level fell from 109 to 22 for third grade during the same period, but dropped less sharply for eighth grade, 241 to 183. Gooden said the district is making an intense effort to continue to push those numbers lower. "One of the most troubling trends is in socioeconomic level," Gooden said. Between 2004 and 2010, the percentage of students qualifying by household income measures for free or reduced-cost school meals rose from 45 percent to 68.98 percent. Following Gooden's presentation of his report, the school board in unanimous votes approved: -- Bids for the sale of $1.12 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds and $3.89 million Qualified Zone Academy Bonds by Ross, Sinclaire & Associates Inc. -- The district's Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan for the 2011-12 school year. -- Renewal of ethics disclosures to the Arkansas Department of Education. The school board also elected new officers: president -- Yvonne Keaton-Martin; vice president -- David Hunton; secretary -- Jeannie Cole; and treasurer -- Charles Warren. ___ (c)2011 Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.) Visit Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.) at www.swtimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]