School STAR scores shine

Newport-Mesa Unified School District remained above the state bar in English and math proficiency, with some schools improving and others losing significant ground, according to standardized test results released Wednesday.

“Our overall test results are excellent news,” Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard said. “Our teachers and administrators have worked diligently in identifying academic areas for improvement … their hard work can be seen in the incremental growth demonstrated in the 2007 scores.”

Outside of a small number of cases, Newport-Mesa schools improved, according to the results of the Standardized Testing and Reporting program, otherwise known as STAR.

Proficiency is educational jargon for showing sufficient knowledge and skills in a specific subject.

“The one thing standardized testing has done is it has really focused the teachers on the students,” said Katrina Foley, a Costa Mesa Councilwoman and Newport-Mesa mother. She credits STAR’s comprehensive data for identifying problem areas.

Two schools showed growth in English and math proficiency at every grade level: Pomona Elementary and Sonora Elementary.

And for the second year in a row, Killybrooke Elementary posted the biggest leap in math proficiency. Last year’s fourth-grade class posted a 43% increase; this year’s fifth-graders jumped 40%. However, uncharacteristically, Killybrooke also topped the list with the biggest loss, dropping 39% in sixth-grade math proficiency. Only a quarter of the class was deemed being proficient or above average in math — the lowest it’s been at Killybrooke since 2002.

The few Newport-Mesa schools that were generally less than proficient in either English or math were only slightly so, with some being only a few percentage points away from satisfying the state’s goals.

Perhaps most importantly, schools that will possibly be affected by No Child Left Behind — TeWinkle Middle School, Rea Elementary, Pomona Elementary and Wilson Elementary — all showed overall progress.

STAR results are half of the federal government’s criteria for its Adequate Yearly Progress report. Low scores in the report can bring on sanctions after three years of inadequate progress by federal standards. TeWinkle, Pomona and Wilson are in their first year of sanctions.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.

ON THE WEB

For detailed STAR results of Newport-Mesa schools, go online to https://star.cde.ca.gov/ star2007/Viewreport.asp.