Fourth and eighth graders at Fannie C. Williams Elementary School began taking their state LEAP tests this week and the school’s administration hopes for higher than average test scores.

Terri Williams, the school’s chief academic officer, told the school’s board members on Tuesday about some of the ways students at the eastern New Orleans school prepared for the tests.

Over the past several months, Williams said, students at the D school have taken practice tests as a part of the Achievement Network, a system that allows students to take similar tests and compares the scores of students around the country.

Williams said students have scored higher than the network average in most grades.

Third graders scored 3 percent above average, fourth graders 10 percent higher, fifth graders 15 percent, seventh graders 3 percent and eighth graders just 1 percent. Sixth grade students came in one percent below network average.

Principal Kelly Batiste said that the school needed to sign a contract with a heating and air conditioning company to provide regular maintenance to the school, which moved to its current building in October. Batiste said they will consider proposals from several companies at the board’s next meeting, at 6 p.m. on April 16.

Five of the seven-member board, known as Community Leaders Advocating for Student Success, were present Tuesday. The meeting lasted an hour and a half.