Test scores show student improvement

Andrew Edwards

A new round of test scores released by the California Department of

Education on Monday show almost all Surf City schools are improving

their marks.

The Annual Yearly Progress report is used to measure compliance

with the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The report evaluates

schools on performance on the Standardized Testing and Reporting

test, the California High School Exit Examination, English and math

proficiency and on updated statewide Academic Performance Index

scores, also released Monday.

The Academic Performance Index assigned nearly every public school

in California a numerical value between 200 and 1,000 each fall. The

state has set a target score of 800 for every school. Each school

ranked below 800 is required to improve its score by a fixed

percentage each year until it reaches 800. Schools that receive 800

or higher are expected to maintain or improve each year.

All but two Huntington Beach schools met API targets, and all but

three completely satisfied progress report requirements. Both forms

of testing are key barometers in gauging school performance.

“We were very pleased with the scores,” said Connie Mayhugh,

curriculum director for the Huntington Beach Union High School

District.

Though Huntington Beach’s four high schools have yet to reach 800

points, all moved closer to that number. Ocean View High School

posted the biggest gain in the district, jumping 37 points to 713

points. The campus was the only school in the district not to pass

all AYP requirements, though it barely missed doing so. The score

counted rates for the class of 2003, and schools were required to

achieve an 82.8% graduation rate. The Seahawks just missed that

number with an 81.4% rate.

In the Ocean View district, seven of the district’s 15 schools had

more than 800 API points and all but three of the others met growth

targets. College View Elementary School held steady at 780 points,

Spring View Elementary School took a 3-point dip to 774 points and

Mesa View Middle School fell 13 points to 795 points.

Educators said schools can use test data to improve lesson plans

in the classroom and even tailor strategies for individual students.

“The teachers use that to make their plans for the next year,”

said Karen Colby, curriculum director for the Ocean View School

District.

Educators receive individual standardized test results for each

student, and can make plans that will hopefully help children and

boost future scores.

“If the teachers target two kids to work on, that can help them to

the next level,” Colby said.

The API is the state’s primary tool to gauge schools. Each year,

schools are given a score from 200 to 1,000, with 800 set as the

overall goal for all schools. Schools with scores of less than 800

are given individualized targets to show improvement.

The AYP is used to measure compliance with the Federal No Child

Left Behind Act, and schools are judged on whether standardized test

scores improve. High school graduation rates are also measured.

Schools are mandated to have a higher number of students pass

standardized tests each year. By 2014, all students are expected to

pass.

Mesa View was the only school not to pass all AYP requirements,

when not enough English-learners passed language arts tests.

The school did not have enough classes for English-learners last

school year, but the teachers plan to add three more classes for

English-learners this coming year, Mesa View Principal Leona Olson

said.

Sun View Elementary School made the biggest gain in the city. API

points jumped 43 points, from 699 to 742. Sun View teachers hope

increased efforts to help the school’s youngest children learn to

read will help keep scores up.

“We’re really starting in kindergarten and making sure kids leave

kindergarten with fundamental reading skills,” Sun View Principal

John Drake said.

In the Huntington Beach City School District, all but one school

had an API of more than 800, and that campus, Perry Elementary, met

its target for improvement by reaching 744 points. Dwyer Middle

School jumped 25 points to hit 801 points, passing the 800-point

threshold for the first time.

“It’s especially meaningful breaking that 800,” Dwyer Principal

Duane Cox said. “Basically, we’re a performing school right now.”

Sowers Middle School just missed meeting all AYP requirements when

less than 1% of the required amount of students with disabilities

passed math tests. The school’s principal, Paul Morrow said he was

glad the school’s API score jumped eight points and would look to

other campuses’ for strategies to teach disabled students.

“That’s what this is about, how to improve,” Morrow said.

Full statistics can be accessed at the California Department of

Education’s website, https://cde.ca.gov.