Pine Bluff leaders review new statewide ATLAS baseline; district CFAs largely align, writing and geometry noted as weak spots

The superintendent presented Arkansas''s first statewide ATLAS baseline scores and district results, telling the Pine Bluff School District Board that the new assessment provides a kindergarten-through-high-school baseline the state will use going forward. District leaders said the ATLAS data largely tracks the district''s locally developed district common formative assessments (DCFAs), particularly in third and fifth grades, but noted weaknesses in student writing and in geometry end-of-course results.

The baseline matters because, the superintendent said, ATLAS was developed with Arkansas teachers and is aligned to Arkansas academic standards. "This year's results ... set the baseline for that," the superintendent said. She described ATLAS scoring in four levels: level 1 indicating limited understanding, level 2 basic understanding, level 3 proficiency and level 4 advanced mastery.

Why it matters: Board members were told the ATLAS baseline will change how the district measures proficiency and that the state will later translate ATLAS results into school letter grades. District staff said they will use ATLAS data together with DCFAs to adjust curriculum rigor and interventions.

Key details presented to the board: - District CFAs and ATLAS showed similar patterns in third and fifth grades; district staff said that correlation supports continuing monthly or quarterly DCFAs as a planning and instructional tool. The superintendent noted that in several priority standards the DCFA results and ATLAS results correlated closely. - Writing performance was called out as a clear driver of lower ELA results. "One of the first things that were very noticeable in our data is our students scored poorly in writing," the superintendent said. Staff linked that outcome to the new assessment''which this year includes an online writing portion''and said addressing writing instruction is a priority. - Geometry and end-of-course math assessments performed poorly across the state, mirroring the district''staff said the geometry results were "not very positive." District staff described this as a statewide pattern and said they will focus on specific geometry standards rather than broader test preparation. - Screeners (K''3) results arrived recently and will be used to develop independent reading and math plans for students scoring in level 1 or identified at risk. Staff said most students who need interventions already receive them, but ATLAS and screener detail should improve targeting. - Parents will be able to access their student's ATLAS scores online using the student's name, birth date and a code the district will provide on request. The district will distribute parent resource materials with tutorials explaining scores.

Testing logistics and accommodations: The superintendent confirmed ATLAS is delivered online and that the test does not have a strict short time limit; students can complete sections over the course of the school day. Keyboarding and typing are involved; staff said keyboarding instruction (formal requirement) begins in the district at grade 7 but the district offers earlier supports.

Next steps and district actions: District leaders said they will: - Meet with school principals to review priority standards and align instruction to the ATLAS cut scores. - Continue administering and expanding use of DCFAs to mirror state standards and better predict summative results. - Provide parent codes and guidance documents on request and by school communication channels.

The presentation was given during the superintendent's report and followed by questions from board members about test format, timing and correlation with classroom grades. The superintendent noted she had not yet compared ATLAS results to classroom grades but said the district can produce that correlation if requested.