By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP – Managing Editor
Most local schools are hovering at the state average in most tested categories according to report cards issued by the State Department of Education for each school in Escambia County.
Both T.R. Miller and W.S. Neal High Schools were given grades based on the students' performance on the state's Graduation Exit Exam and the ACT.
In the exit exam scoring, T.R. Miller scored right at the state average with an overall score of B. The state's average is also a B. In 2002, 83 students took the exit exam at T.R. Miller with 92.8 percent passing.
The Brewton school scored a B- in the "Projected Four-Year Dropout Rate." The state projects that 11.45 percent of students will dropout before graduating over the next four years. The state average is C+, or 15.45 percent.
On ACT testing, T.R. Miller received a grade of C. A total of 47 students took the test in 2002 with the average score being 20.4. The state also scored a C with an average score of 20.3.
W.S. Neal High School scored a B- for exit exam scoring. Of the 83 students who took the test last year, 85.5 percent passed. The grade and percentage is slightly below the state average, but exceeded the county system's average score which is a D.
Neal scored a B- in the four-year drop-out rate projections, above both the county system (C) and the state (C+). The state projects that 12.04 percent of students will quit before graduating over the next four years.
On ACT testing, W.S. Neal received a D+, below the system and state averages of C- and C, respectively. The average score of the 31 students who took the ACT at Neal last year was 19.1.
Local middle schools also received report cards based on several testing measures, including the Stanford Achievement Test and Alabama Assessment of Writing Test.
Brewton Middle School received an average of B- on the SAT. Scores for individual grades are: fifth grade - reading, C+ and science, B-; sixth grade - reading, C+; language, B and math, B; seventh grade - reading, C+ and science, B; eighth grade - reading, C+; language, B-; math, C+ and science, B.
Only the fifth and seventh grades were given grades on the writing assessment. Brewton Middle School student in fifth grade scored an A- and the seventh graders scored a B+.
Students at Neal Middle School scored an average grade of C+ on the SAT. Scores for individual grades are: fifth grade - reading, C+ and language, B-; sixth grade - reading, C+; language, B and math, B; seventh grade - reading, C+ and language, B; eighth grade - reading, C+; language B-; math, C+ and science, B.
W.S. Neal Middle School fifth graders scored a D- on the assessment of writing test while the seventh graders scored an F. The system's average in the fifth grade is D+ and the seventh graders averaged a C+. State averages are C for fifth grade and B for seventh grade.
Pollard-McCall Junior High School tested in both the elementary and middle school categories.
In the Assessment of Writing test, Pollard-McCall fifth grades scored an F and seventh graders scored a C.
Students at Pollard-McCall in the third through eighth grades scored an average B- on the Stanford Achievement Test. Scores for individual grades are: third grade - reading, C+; language, B and math B-; fourth grade - reading, B-; language, B; math, B- and science, C+; fifth grade - reading, C+ and science, B-; sixth grade - reading, C+; language, B and math, B; seventh grade - reading, C+ and science, B; and eighth grade - reading, C+; language, B-; math, C+ and science, B.
Pollard-McCall was also tested in the Alternate Assessment for Specialized Students in which the school received an A. The system and state also received scores of A.
Brewton Elementary was given an overall score of B- on the Stanford Achievement Test. Students in the third and fourth grade were evaluated. Scores for individual grades are: third grade - reading, C+; language, B and math B-; fourth grade - reading, B-; language, B; math, B- and science, C+.
Neal Elementary was given an overall score of C+. The third graders received a score of C and the fourth graders earned a B. The report card did not indicate scores for individual subjects.
The school's overall performance rating is a C+ which is above the county average of C. The state's average is B-.