On public schools, report card mixed

The University of Arkansas’ Office for Education Policy has released the 2011 edition of its “Report Card on Arkansas Public Schools.”

The report zeros in on the achievement levels of Arkansas students on state and nationally standardized tests, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the ACT college entrance exam.

The report also checks how average teacher salaries in Arkansas compare with teacher salaries elsewhere.

The results are mixed. Increased percentages of Arkansas students score at proficient and advanced on state exams, for example, but fall short of the national averages on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The Arkansas average teacher salary of $51,588, adjusted for the cost of living, is lower than Louisiana’s $52,803 and Texas’ $54,049, but higher than that in each of the other border states.

And, the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price school meals has grown in Arkansas from 45 percent in 1999 to 60 percent in 2011.

The 2011 report can be viewed at www.uark.edu/ua/oep/report_cards/2011_report_