Test scores are in and East Poinsett County administrators are staying positive about both the scores and the future.

"Overall we are pleased with the progress we continue to make," said Melinda Hannah, federal coordinator for the school.

Benchmark scores are used to determine if the school has achieved Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP. AYP is a result of the federal No Child Left Behind Act which allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically.

Student's test scores are divided into four categories: below basic, basic, proficient or advanced.

The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act is for every student in the nation to become proficient on state assessments by the 2013-14 school year. Schools are given yearly goals designed to gradually increase test scores in order to meet the 2013-14 goal.

EPC High School

The East Poinsett County High School has met standards for the 2007-08 school year with the combined population of students. This is the population of students that includes all students tested in their respected areas. However the students in the economically disadvantaged population did not meet the required Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the second year in literacy. This places the high school in school improvement, year one.

The high school improved in their combined population from 48.5 % of students scoring at or above proficient in math in 2006-07 to 60.4% in 2007-08. They also improved their literacy scores from 41% scoring at or above proficient in 2006-07 to 49.2% in 2007-08. Hannah said the school was also pleased with the scores of algebra and geometry students. Of the 71 students tested in algebra, 76% scored proficient of advanced and of the 89 students tested in geometry, 70% scored proficient or advanced.

EPC Elementary -- Lepanto Campus

Third and fourth graders at the Lepanto campus were tested in the areas of literacy and math.

Third graders scored 44% proficient or advanced on the literacy portion and 65% proficient or advanced in math. Fourth graders scored 57% proficient or advanced in literacy and 67% proficient or advanced in math.

Lepanto Elementary met the required Adequate Yearly Progress on the 2008 Benchmark Examination and is in Year III School Improvement for the economically disadvantaged sub-population category.

EPC Elementary -- Tyronza Campus

Third through sixth grade students were tested at the Tyronza campus. Third graders scored 71% proficient or advanced in literacy and 66% proficient or advanced in math while fourth graders scored 72% proficient or advanced in literacy and 86% proficient or advanced in math. Fifth graders scored 49% proficient or advanced in literacy and 86% proficient or advanced in math. Sixth graders scored 68% proficient or advanced in literacy and 68% proficient or advanced in math.

Administrators were proud to say the Tyronza Elementary School met standards meeting the expected Adequate Yearly Progress.

"We realize the challenges that "No Child Left Behind" brings to schools, which will require all students be proficient by 2014," Hannah said. "We will continue to work hard to improve achievement and meet the AYP requirements."