West Feliciana schools get good test report

• By JAMES MINTON
• Advocate Baker - Zachary bureau
• Published: Jun 17, 2009 - Page: 4B

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ST. FRANCISVILLE — Nearly one in every five West Feliciana Parish public school students scored at the “advanced” level in at least one subject area during the spring accountability testing, the School Board learned Tuesday.

Steve Comfort, who analyzes data from the state-mandated testing program, said Bains Elementary had 20 percent of its students reaching the top level in at least one subject. The percentage for the district as a whole was 18.5, he said.

Comfort said West Feliciana continues to be among the leaders in the state accountability program, and more than half of the district’s scores in the 36 categories on the tests were better than last year’s scores.

“We’re very pleased with the results, although we’re continuously working to make improvements,” acting Superintendent Jesse Perkins said.

Comfort said one area that has room for improvement is the number of students scoring “unsatisfactory” in at least one subject area. While Bains Elementary had only 6.4 percent of its test-takers in that category, the district’s percentage was 13 percent.

The board approved a one-year contract with Perkins, who took over as acting superintendent after the April 15 death of Lloyd Lindsey Jr. In addition to a travel allowance, Perkins will be paid a salary of $9,416 per month.

The board is expected to begin advertising for candidates for the job later this year, board President Sara Wilson-Wright said last month.

Board members also agreed to a $181,791 lease-purchase agreement with Apple Inc. for 180 laptop computers to be issued for the third consecutive year to members of the incoming sixth-grade class.

On another matter, the board renewed a $22,846 one-year agreement with Louisiana State Penitentiary for the use of inmate labor in maintaining school buildings and grounds.

Supervisor Al Lemoine said the Angola prisoners, who are supervised by a corrections officer, help save the school system in cutting grass and doing other maintenance work at the schools.