NATCHEZ — A grade distribution given to members of the Natchez-Adams School Board last week shows the average of students’ final grades for 2010-2011 school year tended to start with mostly As in primary school and dip lower in the higher grades.

Board member Dr. Benny Wright asked Federal Programs Director Charlotte Franklin if the grades were an indicator to how well students will score on state tests.

Franklin the grades should provide similar results to state tests.

“Should we look for an increase in rigor if we have 40-point discrepancy (between grades and test scores)?” Wright asked.

Superintendent Dr. Anthony Morris said if state test scores are lower in comparison than the course grades, that could indicate rigor should increase.

The curriculum at each school is designed to reflect material students will be tested on in state tests, he said.

At Frazier, nearly 50 percent of students received an A in language arts and reading, with the next most common grade being a B.

Approximately 40 percent of Frazier students earned a B in math, and nearly 40 percent earned As.

Frazier students do not take the state Mississippi Curriculum Test, since the test starts with third grade.

At McLaurin Elementary School, approximately 40 percent of students earned Bs in language arts, reading and math, with Cs, then As the next most common grades.

Nearly 40 percent of students McLaurin students earned As and another nearly 40 percent earned Bs in social studies.

More than half of McLaurin students earned an A in science, with Bs the next most common grade.

At Morgantown Elementary, nearly 40 percent of students earned Cs across the subject board, and the next most common grade was a B.

At Robert Lewis Middle School, patterns were across the board, but nearly 33 percent of students earned Cs, with Ds, Bs, Fs and As the next most common grades, respectively.

At Natchez High School, grades were separated into subject areas in which students are tested by the state.

In Algebra I, approximately 48 percent of students earned a D, 30 percent earned a C, 16 percent earned an F and 6 percent earned an A.

In English II, approximately 35 percent of students earned a B, 31 percent earned a C, 18 percent earned a D, 15 percent earned an F and 1 percent earned an A.

In Biology I, approximately 39 percent of students earned a D, 36 percent earned a C, 14 percent earned an F, 10 percent earned a B and 1 percent earned an A.

In U.S. History, approximately 31 percent earned a C, 23 percent earned a D, 19 percent earned a B, 18 percent earned an F and 9 percent earned an A.