Arkansas Public Schools' Benchmark Scores Prove Money Isn't Everything

The Arkansas School Benchmarking scores were released last month, and they show some results that were expected and some that were surprising as well. Schools in the northwest performed well, while schools in the southeast corner of the state and those along the Mississippi Delta lagged far behind students in other parts of the state. This has set off discussions about the ties between student achievement and the financial health of schools. Traditional thinking maintains that for schools to have consistently high achievement, states must increase the funding for low performing schools. A careful study of the Arkansas Benchmarking scores indicates that more money doesn't always equal higher test scores.

In 2006, 61% of Arkansas fourth graders received proficient or advanced scores in literacy and 60% were proficient or advanced in math. The average expenditure per student in 2006 was $7687. If traditional reasoning holds, any school that spends less than the state average can expect lower test scores, while those schools who receive more tax money will see an increase in test scores and high student achievement rates.