Score one for the schools

The release of statewide test scores has not always been cause for

cheer in Newport-Mesa. At times, the results would show signs of

improvement and promise, only to be followed by troubling declines

and setbacks, often at campuses on the Westside and at the four

Newport-Mesa Unified School District high schools.

This week, however, it was time to cheer again as 22 of the

district’s 29 schools improved on the Academic Performance Index,

which is scored on a scale of 200 to 1,000. It is based on individual

student performance in a variety of standardized tests, including the

California Standards Test and California Achievement Test.

The improvements included strong showings by the district’s four

poorest-performing schools -- Whittier, Wilson and Pomona elementary

schools and Estancia High School. Extra training for teachers, added

after-school programs and other focused attention at these campuses

are clearly having the desired results.

Among those schools that dropped, only three were by percentages

greater than 2% that raise alarms, and three of the minuscule

decreases were at campuses that still meet the state’s target score

of 800.

All in all, an encouraging report for teachers, parents and

students.

But even more encouraging is the attitude from district officials,

nicely summed up by district spokeswoman Jane Garland: “Those

improvements are good. Those scores aren’t where we want them to be

yet, but their growth is great.”

District officials, in other words, are not resting on a good

showing and are intent on providing our children with the best

education possible. Improvement is always possible -- no schools, for

instance, rank at the top of the “similar school ranking” that

compares campuses with like demographics.

Victoria Elementary, which has a seven on the statewide rankings,

is the only campus with as high as a nine on the similar schools

comparison. Other top schools in the district -- Anderson, Eastbluff,

Harbor View, Mariners and Newport Coast elementary schools and Corona

del Mar High School -- should be climbing the ladder as compared to

similarly well-off campuses.

Does anyone doubt such goals are attainable?