The effort to raise math test scores for junior high and high school students in the Vicksburg Warren School District got a shot in the arm Thursday with school board approval to buy 650 graphing calculators.

The TI-84 calculators, an upgrade over TI-82s that date to 1993, cost $100 to $130 each. The purchase will be funded with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — federal stimulus money — and is part of the district’s response to disappointing student scores on May’s state-required Subject Area Tests.

“Two years ago the algebra tests got a lot harder,” said Shelly Plett, supervising director of information management and testing. “They revamped the test. So, we’re all trying to bring up our math scores.”

Plett said the newer calculators are amazing and the older ones are obsolete.

Superintendent Dr. James Price pointed out that graphing calculators are actually used by students taking the state Subject Area Tests. “If our kids don’t have the same equipment or equipment comparable to what’s used on the test, then they are at a disadvantage,” he said.

The board voted unanimously in favor of the purchase, but not without a statement from Zelmarine Murphy, the senior trustee who’s logged 20 years on the school board.

“The disadvantage, as I see it as an educator, is, these students do not know their multiplication factors,” she said. “You could have 535 calculators in front of you. If you do not know your multiplication factors, you are still up the creek without a paddle. I have no quarrel with giving my kids what they need to pass a test, but I have a heavy problem with kids coming into junior high school and in high school, ready to graduate, and they do not know their multiplication factors.”

Murphy said she wanted the message taken back to department meetings with teachers. “This is one disgruntled school board member,” she said, “who just cannot understand why, with all of this modern technology, we are not getting the basics.”

State math test scores released in August showed Vicksburg’s public school students achieved lower averages on May’s exams than their peers statewide and, in some cases, neighboring school districts. Statewide, for example, 68.4 percent of students who took the Algebra I test in May passed it, while 56.9 percent of Warren Central High School and 17.5 percent of Vicksburg High School students passed.

This year, about 70 students at Vicksburg Junior High and 45 at Warren Central Junior High elected to take Algebra I, an honors course at that level, and will use the new TI-84s, said VHS math department head Beth Hall. Another 246 at Vicksburg High School and 327 at Warren Central High School will have access to the calculators, which will be used in Algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry and calculus courses.

The calculators will be kept at school for use in the classroom.

The board also approved up to $6 million in loans from the district’s 16th-Section interest funds to district maintenance funds in order to meet payroll and accounts payable obligations, an annual transaction that allows payments to be made while awaiting the bulk of property tax revenues early in 2010, said school finance director Dale McClung.

“The flow of actual cash into the district varies each year,” McClung explained. “The state allotments come basically in twelfths, whereas the local dollars start out low and then mostly are received in February.”

When the infusion of local tax money is received, the loan is repaid to the 16th Section interest account, he said.

Last year the board authorized an identical $6 million in potential loans. Just $4.5 million, however, was required, McClung said, with most of the money needed in November, December and January.

In fiscal 2008, about $5 million was needed to get through what McClung called “the low part of the year” for local tax revenues. Previous loans were for $4,125,000 in fiscal 2007, $3,039,000 in 2006 and $1,700,000 in 2005.

A 2009-2010 budget totaling more than $78.6 million was adopted March 19, based on projected revenues of about $74.8 million. Various adjustments and amendments to both budget and revenues are presented to the board for approval each month, as necessary.

The board also approved beginning the bid process for building additions at Warrenton Elementary School and Vicksburg Junior High School. Funding will come from the Mississippi Qualified School Construction Bonds program, for which VWSD received authorization in July to borrow $3 million in interest-free bonds.

A wing with about eight to 10 classrooms is proposed for Warrenton Elementary, and a similar plan was proposed for Vicksburg Junior High. Modular classrooms were put in use at both schools 25 to 30 years ago to handle overcrowding. A new field house could also be part of the construction at the junior high.

The district serves about 9,000 students at 10 elementary schools, two junior highs, two senior highs and one alternative school. Capital funds are set aside each year for other improvements.

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On the agenda

Meeting Thursday, trustees of the Vicksburg Warren School District:

• Approved minutes from the Sept. 24 board meeting.

• Accepted donations for Vicksburg Junior High School: $50 from Riunite Social Civic Club and $50 from County Market for the boys’ basketball program; and for Warren Central High School: $100 from an anonymous donor, for the baseball program, in memory of Charlie Phillips.

• Approved amendments to the 2009-2010 budget.

• Approved the accounts payable claims docket for October.

• Approved personnel recommendations: compensation for extra duties for September; classified position hirings; and substitute teachers and tutors/mentors.

• Approved out-of-state travel for teachers to attend the Educator’s Renaissance Accelerated Reader Symposium in New Orleans Jan. 28-30; the VJHS 8th-grade choir to attend a competition in Atlanta April 22-24; WCHS Robotics to attend regional competitions in New Orleans March 3-6, Dallas March 17-20, and Atlanta April 14-18; WCHS choir directors to attend the American Choral Directors Association convention in Memphis March 10-13; WCHS Navy Junior ROTC to participate in a drill meet in St. Amant, La., Oct. 31; WCHS students to attend Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference in Nashville July 13-18; WCHS teachers and students to attend a yearbook software training session in Seaside, Fla., April 21-24; WCHS Madrigals to compete in the Nashville Heritage Festival March 19-22; and federal programs staff to attend the National Staff Development Conference in St. Louis Dec. 5-9.

• Approved a request from the finance department to borrow up to $6 million from 16th Section interest funds to be used to meet payroll and accounts payable obligations for November through January, with the cash-flow loans to be repaid upon receipt of property tax collections.

• Approved beginning the bid process for new construction at Warrenton Elementary and VJHS from Quality School Construction Bond funds; for janitorial supplies; and for 650 graphing calculators; and awarded bids for athletic award jackets to Rex Team Sports and for various football equipment.

• Approved, subject to board attorney review, a bid from Aquaterra to perform soil boring tests for the VJHS and Warrenton building additions.

• Approved changing upcoming board meeting dates to Nov. 19 and Dec. 10.

• Approved disposal of surplus items.

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Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com