Little Rock and Arkansas Magnet School Failures 

            We have already discovered that the scores in Hot Springs and Texarkana and Jackson, Tennessee, schools that Jonesboro studied as models, have much lower scores than Jonesboro.   Jonesboro's scores are remarkably better than Texarkana in EVERY area, and Jonesboro scores significantly better in 35 of 40 categories than Hot Springs Jackson,

Tennessee elementary magnet schools score lower than the state average on their TCAP state tests in EVERY area, 10 to 20 points lower in some areas.  Jonesboro's performance record is higher than the state average in 41 out of 44 areas.

Batesville is the only magnet school that scores higher than Jonesboro but only by three points in the overall average of the benchmark scores through 6th grade.  However, their enrollment is half the size of Jonesboro, and they have half the number of minorities and fewer students in poverty. 

The study of Little Rock schools will complete the study of magnet schools in Arkansas.  Forrest City and Pine Bluff once had magnet schools, but abandoned them. 

We also already discovered that there is a great difference in the racial make-up of the enrollment in magnet schools at Hot Springs, Texarkana, and Batesville so even though magnet schools were originally designed to increase integration; in reality they are resegregating the races.  Batesville has one magnet school with 35% minorities and another with 4% minorities; Hot Springs, one magnet school with 71% minorities and another with 25% minorities, and Texarkana one magnet school with 65% minorities and one with 33% minorities..

            From the figures below, one can see just how much disparity in race exists in race, poverty and academic success in magnet schools.  In one Little Rock magnet high school, they have 99.7% minorities; in one middle school they have 90% minorities, and in one elementary school they have 88% minorities.  There is actually a 43.7% difference in the number of minorities in one magnet school vs another.   

There seems to be very little academic success in the magnet schools in Arkansas.   In the thirteen magnet schools in Little Rock, nine of them score lower than state average (much, much lower in most cases) on state benchmark and nationally normed tests.  Jonesboro scores higher than state average in about 41 of 44 areas. The three magnet schools in Little Rock that do score as high or higher than the state average have stacked decks like wealthy districts and low minority rates.  (One middle school scores about the same as state average)     Little Rock's per pupil spending is $9,862.00; state average is $7,348; and Jonesboro is $7,293.  Little Rock's poverty rate is 59%, state rate is 53% and Jonesboro's is 54%.

Even with the stacked deck, Jonesboro scores higher than Little Rock's highest scoring magnet school in most areas, especially in End of course algebra (by 34 pts) and End of Course Geometry and 11th Literacy by 5 points.   Twenty-six percent of their students taking AP courses pass them; 41 % of Jonesboro student taking AP courses pass them.  And Jonesboro has a smaller percentage of students that need remediation than this high school does.  In one Little Rock magnet high school, McClellan,  only 2 out of  424 students taking AP classes passed them (less than 2 out of 200). McClellan  had an average of  16% of students scoring proficient or above on End of Course in Algebra, Geometry, and 11th Grade Literacy.  Another Little Rock magnet high school,  J.A. Fair, scored only slightly better.

The elementary school that has the highest scores in Little Rock District is Williams Traditional Magnet School.  The executive director of the review board on magnet schools in Little Rock said as its name implies, Williams Traditional is like schools used to be, like when she was in school.  She said the parents loved the schools, and there was always a healthy, long waiting list for that school.  One wonders then why there is so much hype about magnet schools and why Jonesboro or other schools would want to change to magnet schools. 

And with graduation rates being low in most of the magnet schools (Hot Springs 56% and two high school magnet schools in Little Rock at  64% and 75%,  Batesville 76.1% -   as compared with Jonesboro's 86%, it seems rather obvious that the students are not nearly as excited about the themes and methods of delivery in the magnet schools as those advocating magnet schools in Jonesboro seem to be.  If they were, they would be sticking around to graduate. 

  Six of these magnet schools in Little Rock  have been around twenty years, since 1987, and several others for more than ten years.   If they were going to make any difference in balancing race, poverty, or increasing academic scores, they should have been able to do it by now.   For more data and details see information below the links.

The performance scores that include graduation rates, remediation rates, poverty rate, and all benchmark and nationally normed tests for all schools or school districts  can be found at this link.  http://normessasweb.uark.edu/reportcards/select.php

The enrollment by race for all individual schools can be found at this link:http://adedata.k12.ar.us/FY05_06/Schools/Enrollments%20by%20School_report.ADE

The enrollment by by race for school districts can be found at this link: http://adedata.k12.ar.us/FY05_06/District/Enrollment%20by%20District_report.ADE

High School magnets in Little Rock:  Racial & poverty balance in the three magnet schools.  Little Rock District  has  - 68% Blacks 68%, 76% Minority, and 59% Poverty  for comparison.

• Highest minority is McClellan, 99.7% minority and lowest is Parkview with 56% minority. (43.7% disparity)

• Highest poverty level is McClellan, 56%, and Parkview is lowest with 22%. (34% disparity)

Middle School Magnets in Little Rock:  Racial & poverty balance:  Five magnet schools.

• Highest minority is Henderson magnet, 90% and  lowest is Mann magnet, 57% Disparity of  33%. 

• Highest poverty is Mabelvale magnet,  75% and lowest is  Mann magnet, 37% (Mann magnet ) 38% disparity.

Elementary magnets in Little Rock:  Racial & poverty balance among six magnet schools:  Little Rock District  has -  Blacks 68%, Minority76%, and Poverty 59% for comparison.  

• Highest minority is Washington magnet,  88% and lowest minority is Booker magnet 58%  -  (30% disparity)  - Williams has only  50% black but has 58% minority but 9% are Asian)

• Highest poverty is Washington magnet,  81% (Washington magnet), and lowest poverty  is Williams magnet with 34% poverty (47% disparity)  Washington's poverty more than doubles that of Williams.

Performance Level of magnet schools in Little Rock in their magnet schools.

Little Rock District  has  - Blacks 68%, 76% minority, and Poverty 59%  so you can see how the deck is stacked for success or failure in these schools.

High School Magnets Performance Record – Little Rock

McClellan Magnet -  Graduation Rate 64.1% and college remediation 88.3%.  Ninth through 11th grade average 38.3 points lower than state average on End of Course Algebra, Geometry and Literacy when you average them together.   On NRT Test grade nine is 34% in reading (18 points lower than state average) and 31%  in math ( 24 points lower than state average)  ACT composite score is 16.7 (state average is 20.5)  Note: Less than 1 out of 200 passed the AP test.   424 students at McClelland took  AP courses and only 2 passed the test.  The enrollment is 864 so they put half the students in AP classes that don't have a chance of passing an AP course.  92% black,  99.7% minority, 56% poverty  

J. A. Fair High Magnet -  Graduation rate 74.8  and a college remediation rate of  88.7%.    Ninth through 11th grade average 32 points lower below state average on End of Course Algebra, Geometry and Literacy when you average them together. On NRT test grade nine has a 32% on reading (32% below state average) and in math a 27% (28 points below state average)  ACT composite 16.8 (state average is 20.5)

Note:  379 students  took AP courses and only 4 passed.  Enrollment 1169 students. 

86% black, 90% minority, 54% poverty     

Parkview Magnet - Graduation rate 98.6 and a college remediation rate of  48.6%  Ninth grade through 11th grade average 9 points lower than state average on End of Course Algebra, Geometry and Literacy.  On NRT test grade nine has a 59% (7 points above state average) on reading, and a 56 in math (state has a 55% average.)  ACT composite is 21.2 (state average is 20.5. Enrollment  1129

50% black,  56% minority,  22% poverty,          State has 53% poverty  Little Rock district has  - Blacks 68%  ad 76% minority - Poverty 59%  so they are stacking the deck to get these scores.

Middle School magnets in Little Rock District District

Henderson Magnet – Scores 22 points lower than the  state average on  benchmark test when you average the scores for all grades together.  Scores 28 points lower than state average on nationally normed test (NRT) when you average all grades together.

80% black,  90% minority, 70%  poverty.

Mabelvale Magnet - Scores 22 points lower than the  state average on  benchmark test when you average the scores for all grades together.  Scores 28 points lower than state average on nationally normed test (NRT) when you average all grades together.

85% black, 87% minority,  75% poverty  (Henderson and Mabelvale happened to round off to same percentages on scores, so there is no mistake here.)

Dunbar Magnet -  Scores  4.8 points lower than  the state average on  benchmark test when you average the scores for all grades together.  Scores 10 points lower than state average on nationally normed test (NRT) when you average all grades together.

 65% black, 73% minority,  49% poverty

Mann Magnet -  Scores 6  points higher than  the state average on  benchmark test when you average the scores for all grades together.  Scores 3 points  lower than state average on nationally normed test (NRT) when you average all grades together.

50% black, 57% minority, 37% poverty

Elementary magnet school Performance Record – Little Rock

Washington Magnet – Scores lower than state average in every area and 21 points lower than the state average on the benchmark scores when you average together the scores throughout the elementary grades. Scores lower  in every area on nationally normed test (NRT) by 19 points when you average all the test scores together throughout the elementary grades. in 5gh grade math.  80% black, 88% minority  - poverty 81%.

Booker Magnet– Scores 9 points lower than state average on the benchmark scores when you average together the scores throughout the elementary grades.  Scores lower than state average by 11 points on the nationally normed test (NRT) when you average the scores throughout elementary grades together. 53% black, 58% minority and 63% poverty 

M. L. King Magnet – scores about 5 points lower than  state average when you average together on the benchmark throughout the elementary grades and lower than state average in all nationally norm test (NRT) scores. 66% black, 70%minority, and 55% poverty

Carver Magnet – scores 4 points lower than state average when you average together the scores on the benchmark throughout the elementary grades.  Scores 3.5 points higher than state average on nationally normed test (NRT) when you average the scores throughout elementary grades together.    54% black, 60% minority, and 53% poverty

Gibbs Magnet – Scores about  2  points higher  than the state average when you average together the scores on the benchmark throughout the elementary grades .  Scores higher than state average on nationally normed test (NRT)  by 8 points when you average the scores throughout elementary grades together. 53% black. 61% minority - 44% poverty 

Williams Traditional Magnet – Scores 18 points higher the state average in every area  on benchmark test when you average the scores throughout elementary together  and scores 12 points higher than state average on nationally normed test (NRT) when you average them all together.  Note:  this is a traditional education school which the Executive Director of the Magnet Review Board says is like the schools our parents used to go to. She further said that it has a long waiting list at all times.  50% black, 62% minority and 34% poverty

Magnet Schools in Arkansas

 Little Rock District

(See tables below from ADE website for documentation)

Six magnet schools were created as a result of a desegregation court order in 1987 in which all three school districts  in Pulaski County  (Little Rock, Pulaski County, and North Little Rock districts) would participate.  These 5 magnet schools are still in existence and are as follows:  Booker K-5, Carver K-5, Gibbs K-5, Williams K-5 and Mann 6-8, and Parkview 9-12.  They are reported on ADE website as Little Rock District schools. 

Later these magnet schools were added around the mid 90's:  M. L.  King K-5, Washington K-5, Henderson 6-8, Dunbar 6-8, McClellan 9-12, Central  International Studies 9-12 (not Central High though) Then in 2003 or 2004 two more magnet schools were added:  Mabelvale Magnet 6-8 and J. A. Fair 9-12.

Pulaski County District  has only two magnet schools other than the six they participate in through the desegregation order in 1987.  Clinton K-5 and Crystal Kill K-5.  These were created in about the mid 90's.

Hot Springs, Texarkana, and  Batesville Districts:

See tables from ADE website below for documentation on Little Rock magnets

The only other districts that have official magnet schools in Arkansas are Hot Springs School District, Texarkana School District, Batesville School District.  Pine Bluff District, and Forrest City once had them but abandoned them.

 Hot Springs has four  elementary (K-5)magnet schools:  Gardner: Langston, Oaklawn, and Park.  These magnet schools started in about 2000 to 2001 so (5th graders who were in the first magnet schools are in the 11th grade this year). Hot Springs has a International Baccalaureate (IB) magnet school  in elementary, one IB School in Middle School and an IB school within a school in high school.  The IB middle and high school schools are called academies.

Batesville School District has four magnet schools 1-5, two 6th grade magnet schools and two kindergarten magnet schools. West Magnet, 1-5, Central Magnet 1-5, Eagle Mountain Magnet, 1-5 and Sulphur Rock 1-5,  magnet, Batesville Magnet 6th Bgrade , Sulphur Rock magnet -  6th grade and Batesville Kindergarten magnet, and Sulphur Rock Magnet Kindergarten.   They were implemented about 4 years ago, 2002 or 2003

Texarkana School district has five elementary magnet schools, Junior High magnet school and high school magnet school  The five elementary magnet schools are College Hill International Baccalaureate IB, Fairview, Vera Kilpatrick, Edward D. Trice, and Union.  North Heights Junior High  International Studies is the middle school and Arkansas High School Magnet Academies and International Studies  is the high school magnet.  These are all called magnet schools on their website.  They are only about three years old.

Summary

A desegregation order in 1987 ordered stipulated magnet schools  in Little Rock District, Pulaski County District, and North Little Rock District.  All three of these schools provide funding and make up the enrollment of the first six magnet schools listed below.  The others listed below that are purely Little Rock District.

Magnet Schools in Little Rock, Pulaski & North Little Rock but considered Little Rock in ADE iformation are the first six listed below. 

Booker arts elem K-5

Carver basic Skills/Math Science Magnet K-5

Gibbs International Studies/Foreign Languages Magnet elem K-5

Williams traditional Magnet elem K-5

Mann  Arts ad Science Magnet Middle (6-8)elem

Parkview  Arts and Science Magnet 9-12

Later ones for Little Rock District

M.L. King High Intensity Learning Magnet   K-5 - early or mid 90's

Washington Basic Skills Math Science Magnet  K-5– early or mid 90's

Henderson Health Science Magnet 6-8 early or mid 90's

McClellan Engineering/Multimedia/Business Finance magnet 9-12– early or mid 90's

Central International Studies Magnet 9-12 founded about 95 Donna Creer said.

Dunbar International Studies – Middle School 6-8 (Don't know the time but would guess about same time as Central International Studies in 95.)

Last ones for Little Rock 2003-2004

Mabelvale Environmental Science/Information Technology & Medical

Investigations Magnet 6-8  grant and founded about 2003 or 2004

J. A. Fair Environmental Science/Medical Tehcnology/Communications Systems Magnet 9-12  started about 2003 or 2004 (but not sure it may have been magnet school earlier but ADE does not have it as a magnet school so probably not.

Pulaski County

Clinton Speech and Communications Magnet K-5 – while Clinton still President so in the 90's.

Crystal Hill oral, Written and Visual Communications Magnet PreK-5 and

Pulaski same as above.   (About mid 90's. Clinton came first she said.

Notes: Mabelvale magnet, J. A. Fair magnet, and McClellan magnet did not get the 2nd round of MSAP funding (federal grant)ir last round of funding

See tables from ADE website below for documentation

Three districts together, Little Rock, N. Little Rock, and Pulaski County have 52,406 total students,   total blacks 30, 163 or 58% black, 660  Asian or  1%, 2280 Hispanics or 4% Hispanic,  116 Native or .02%  and 19,187 Whites or 37% white and 63% minority and approximately 54% poverty.  State average for poverty is 53%.  Jonesboro has 54% 

Racial and Poverty Percentages in Magnet Schools in Little Rock

Little Rock - Blacks 68%  ad 76% minority - Poverty 59% 

North Little Rock  Blacks  58%, 63% minority,   Poverty 59%

Pulaski Black  Blacks 42%,  56% minority   Poverty 49%

Magnet schools - Elementry

Williams  233/460 or 50% black, 62% minority. (9% of these are Asiasn)  and 34% poverty - Highest scores

Washington 453/566 or 80% black, 88% minority  - poverty 81% - lowest scores

Gibbs  158/297   53% black. 61% minority - 44% poverty  2nd highest scores (?)

Booker  324/607 or 53% black, 58% minority and 63% poverty  2nd lowest score (?)

Carver   276/513  54% black, 60% minority, and 53% poverty

M. L. King  361/542  66% black, 70%minority, and 55% poverty

Highest minority is 88% (Washington)  and lowest minority is 58%  (Booker ) but Williams has only  50% black but has 58% minority but 9% are Asian) at  Highest poverty is 81%  Washington, and lowest is William with 34% poverty.  Washington's poverty doubles that of Williams.

Magnet Schools, High School

Parkview magnet high school - 50% black,  56% minority,  22% poverty,           Graduation rate 98.6 and remediation rate 48.6%

McClellan magnet high school  92% black,  99.7% minority, 56% poverty          Graduation Rate 64.1% and remediation 88.3

J. A. Fair High School 86% black, 90% minority, 54% poverty                          Graduation rate 74.8  Remediation rate 88.7

Highest minority is McClellan with 99.7% minority and lowest is Parkview with 56% minority and difference of poverty is 34% in the three  high school magnet schools.

For comparison Central High school has 53% black,  and 57% minority and 59% poverty and graduation rate of 69.9% and remediation rate of 60.3%

Magnet Schools Middle or Jr. High

Mann Magnet l - 50% black, 57% minority, 37% poverty

Dunbar  Magnet - 65% black,   73% minority,  49% poverty

Henderson Magnet, 80% black,  90% minority, 70%  poverty.

or Henderson Magnet Jr. High School as it is in the book or magnet school as it is on enrollment list

Mabelvale magnet  -85% black, 87% minority,  75% poverty

Highest minority is 90% (Henderson) and  lowest is 57% (Mann).  Highest poverty is 75% (Mabelvale) and lowest is 37% (Mann) 38% disparity.

Note:    424 students at McClelland are taking AP course and only 2 took the test and passed it.  The enrollment is 864 so they are putting half the students in AP classes that don't have a chance of passing an AP course.  Less than 1 out of 200 pass the AP test.  They have a 64% graduation rate and 88% remediation rate.  16.7 composite ACT.  State ACT is 20.5. 

Parkview has 679 students taking AP and 174 pass the tests or 26%,  Parkview has 60% of their students taking the test (Their enrollment is 1129.)  Jonesboro has 271 students taking AP and 112 passing so 41% are passing the test. State has 24% passing the test on AP. State has a total of 24,327 taking  AP and 5,881 pass the test or 24%.  (This is 2005 record, latest on ADE at this time)

Little Rock Magnet Schools.  Some or all of these are magnet schools for three districts in Pulaski County, Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pulaski County 2005-2006 http://adedata.k12.ar.us/FY05_06/Schools/Enrollments%20by%20School_report.ADE