Two computer software programs will soon allow the LincolnCounty School District a direct link to all four of the schools, aswell as provide teachers with a bank of lessons to help themprepare students for statewide testing.

The District Accumulation of Integrated School Information(DAISI) will allow the district office to pull information, such asabsentee lists and 16th Section reports, more efficiently.

“This will allow the central office to access each school’sstudent information system,” Superintendent Perry Miller said ofthe program that will cost approximately $11,000.

During a school board meeting Thursday, board members approvedthe use of indirect cost money from the child nutrition program andfederal grants to purchase the software.

The board also approved the purchase of a TerraNovaInstructional Bank Activities classroom manager software to alignclassroom work with TerraNova state tests each year.

“It’s a management software that allows us to design assessmentsand activities to correlate the competencies in the curriculum thatwill be tested,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Leanne Wing Summerssaid.

In other matters, Summers also talked with board members about aletter that will be sent to parents and students next week aboutimplementation of the Grade Three and Grade Seven BenchmarkPolicy.

The policy, which was passed by the state board of education inJuly 2001, maintains what students must score on the MississippiCurriculum Test (MCT) to be eligible for promotion to the nextgrade.

Students will be tested each spring, with test scores beingreleased in mid-July.

Summers said that students can pass a grade level by districtstandards but fall short on the MCT.

If a student does not make the benchmark on the MCT, they willbe evaluated and have the opportunity to take the test again whilecontinuing classes in their current grade level.

Board members and Miller agreed the tests would more accuratelydetermine students’ capabilities.

“We are looking at better, more efficient ways of educating ourchildren,” Miller said.

The next scheduled school board meeting will be held at 5:30p.m., Nov. 5, at the central office board room.