EDITORIAL

There’s something right in Newport-Mesa schools.

On this year’s statewide Academic Performance Index scores, 12 of the

district’s elementary schools met or beat required improvements. Only

three failed to hit the goal, while the remaining five stayed above the

state’s target of 800. Scores run between 200 and 1,000.

The news gets better at individual schools in the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District, particularly in Costa Mesa. Sonora Elementary, which was

supposed to improve by nine points, soared 90, one of the biggest jumps

in the county. Rea Elementary improved 83 points, far above its 16-point

goal. And Whittier Elementary leaped 73 points, while its target was just

15.

Both middle schools, TeWinkle and Ensign, far exceeded their goals

too.

And that is not to mention Harbor View Elementary’s top county score

of 934 or Andersen Elementary’s second-place 931.

School officials chalked up the improvements to intensive teacher

focus and interaction with each other, student motivation and an emphasis

on basic skills. In other words: good teaching.

Things aren’t perfect, however. The high schools had mixed results,

with Costa Mesa and Newport Harbor’s scores falling. Officials -- and

students -- say those drops came largely because high schoolers are not

as motivated as their younger counterparts. The tests just don’t seem

that important to them.

It is up to teachers and parents to change this attitude. And high

school students need to recognize that the tests reflect on their school

-- and the better respected it is, the more their grade-point averages

will mean to faceless college admission officers.

Much, of course, is planned at district schools, thanks to the passage

of the $110-million bond. Once the many construction improvements are

made, students and teachers alike will be able to concentrate on

education instead of worrying about a cracked ceiling caving in, avoiding

rats or dealing with any of the other horrors faced on the campuses

daily.

These improvements can only help students learn.

But mainly, judging by these results, we encourage teachers and

administrators to continue on the path they are already on.