Choral reading and charting key facts were lessons of the day for members of the Troy City Schools Board of Education on Monday.

Board members received a hands-on lesson in NAEP preparation from Troy Elementary School’s Cindy Miller during the meeting. The activity, which included reading aloud from a fourth-grade text; answering questions; and charting key facts, was designed to give board members insight into how the fourth-grade teachers are integrating NAEP preparation into their classrooms, Miller said.

“Using the NAEP strategies ahs required teachers to go back and break down what they’re doing,” said Juan Henderson, principal at the school.

The NAEP – National Assessment of Educational Progress – is an annual benchmark test administered to students in fourth and eighth grades. Schools throughout the state are randomly selected to participate, and about two-thirds of the students in each grade will be tested. The results will be used to compare academic progress in Alabama with the rest of the country, and the United States with other states.

“We don’t actually get our data back,” Miller said. However, the first year Troy Schools were asked to participate, the state of Alabama recorded highest gains of any state. “We held that rate of progress when we took it again in 2009, even though the rigor of the test had increased,” she said.

In other business, the school board on Monday:

• Received bids for 450 NETbook computers and 15 carts. Bids ranged from $225,735 to $345,266. Wayne Hubbard, technology director, said the goal is to have the computers in the classrooms by February. The purchase is part of the 21st Century Classroom initiative.

• Honored the members of the Charles Henderson High School Junior ROTC, who presented the colors at the Alabama Association of School Boards annual convention in Birmingham earlier this month. Dr. Linda Felton-Smith, superintendent, said the students “presented the colors with precision and sincerity” and had represented the school system well. Students recognized included Kimberly Williams, Hillary Williams, Kenescha Avery, Daizha Tolbert and their instructor, Sgt. Major Anthony Johnson.

• Heard a report from Smith indicating that sales tax collections for November were $261,144.80, which is an 8 percent increase from November 2009. “That’s very good news,” she said. Board members also approved the paying of bills.

• Recognized Keith Judy, who received the STARS award.

• Heard from campus principals on the week’s activities, which include benchmark testing, a pep rally and a pizza party for eighth-graders at CHMS and pictures with Santa and reading and math assessments at TES.