With a remote-control device, community members locked in their vote for a series of questions posed by Bismarck School Superintendent Paul Johnson.

The clickers are like the ones used by students in class for quick quizzes. Results are available instantaneously.

About 75 community members used the remote controls at Simle Middle School as part of the district's second parent meeting on student achievement. It will combine the results of the survey with the results of meetings Monday and tonight.

The final meeting is 7 to 9 p.m. today at Wachter Middle School. Johnson will explain the importance of the state assessment test, but also seek input on ways to help students who are not reaching the proficient categories on the test.

A few ideas are in the works, such as tutoring help through http://tutor.com and with a selection of district teachers.

The district is making a push to get non-achieving students to pass the reading and math assessment tests so that the district meets the requirements of No Child Left Behind. The district needs 90 percent of its students passing these tests by 2011.

"To me, that is the least of the motivation for student achievement," Johnson said.

He said he is more concerned with getting students prepared with life after high school, whether that is the work force or college.

This school year, each school identified its students who are not passing the state assessment, which is about 1,000 students, and sent a letter home to parents. At the school, they are working on plans to help prepare those students for the assessment tests later this month.

The district, however, wants to start a series of steps to help students every year reach proficiency on the tests. It could mean mandatory summer school, extended school days or replacing a student's elective with a math or reading class. Those were among the items for which the participants were quizzed.

The results of the three surveys will be compiled and a report will be given at the next Bismarck School Board meeting on Monday.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)