This document presents an analysis of student performance data from the Van Buren, Arkansas public school district. It finds that boys generally perform worse than girls in literacy and math, especially at the elementary and middle school levels. The analysis explores possible reasons for the trends, such as differences in curriculum focus between subjects or grades. It identifies district staff who can provide additional data to better understand the factors influencing the performance gaps and inform improvements to the curriculum and instruction.

1. Data Analysis of public
school district
Van Buren, Arkansas
Presented by Barbara E. Fuller

2.  Overall Review of District
 Focus Areas
◦ Elementary, Middle Secondary
◦ Exploratory Questions
◦ Identification of additional material and
person’s responsible

3.  Overall Performance Summary
District Report
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Literacy Math
Passing
Below Basic

4. Gender: Male v. Female
 Elementary: 3rd grade
 Middle: 7th grade
 High: 11th grade

5. 3rd Grade Analysis: Below Basic
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Literacy Math
Girls
Boys

6. 7th Grade Analysis: Below Basic
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Literacy Math
Girls
Boys

7.  3RD-7TH Grade Literacy
 Boys improved drastically 10.5 to .04
 Girls improved from 2.4 to 0
 3rd-7th Grade Math
 Boys increased 3.5 to 9.8
 Girls increased 2.4 to 8.1

8. 11th Grade Analysis: Below Basic
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Literacy Math
Girls
Boys

9. Exploratory Questions Per Grade
Level Analyzed: 3rd Grade
 Why do boys excel better at math than
literacy?
 Why do girls remain even in both areas?
 Does the test have non-reading problems or
word problems?
 Who can help?
Curriculum Coordinator
 How? Supply math questions from the 3rd
grade test

10. Exploratory Questions Per Grade
Level Analyzed: 7th Grade
 What is the percentage of focus on
literacy curriculum and programs as
compared to math curriculum and
programs in grades 3-7?
 Who can help?
Curriculum directors for elementary and
middle school

11.  How?
Supply
◦ Literacy program directives
◦ Literacy program directives.
◦ Literacy program goals and objectives.
◦ Literacy and math teacher’s daily calendars of
subjects and times taught.
◦ All literacy assessment tools.
◦ Math program directives.
◦ Math program goals and objectives.
◦ All math assessment tools.
◦ Math curriculum.
◦ Literacy curriculum.
◦ Agenda of times and topics for any and all
professional development or workshops pertaining
to both literacy and math.

12. Exploratory Questions Per Grade
Level Analyzed: 11th Grade
 What is the percentage of focus on
literacy curriculum and programs as
compared to math curriculum and
programs in grades 7-11? Could the
heavy focus on literacy in the proceeding
grades, be counteracting the focus on
math?

13.  Who can help?
Curriculum directors for the middle and high school
 How?
Supply
◦ Literacy program directives
◦ Literacy program directives.
◦ Literacy program goals and objectives.
◦ Literacy and math teacher’s daily calendars of subjects and times
taught.
◦ All literacy assessment tools.
◦ Math program directives.
◦ Math program goals and objectives.
◦ All math assessment tools.
◦ Math curriculum.
◦ Literacy curriculum.
◦ Agenda of times and topics for any and all professional
development or workshops pertaining
to both literacy and math.

14. Exploratory Questions for Overall
Review
 Why are boys in every category
performing worse than girls?
 Who can help?
Superintendent or School Board
State Board of Education
 How?
Providing district, state and national data

15.  Three years of data
◦ Decrease year by year. Why?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Boys-Literacy Girls-Literacy Boys-Math Girls-Math
Data Analysis of Gender: Below Passing Rates
3rd grade 7th grade 11th grade

16.  Who can help?
Curriculum Coordinator for elementary,
middle and high school
 How?
Curriculum Maps
Further analysis

17.  7th grade girls proficient with reading but
struggle with math. Why?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Girls-Math
Below Passing Rates
6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

18.  Who can help?
Curriculum Coordinator for middle and
high school
 Extra curricular director and/or after
school coordinator
 How?
Lesson Plans
Types of Programs for Girls