Four sets of test results released this month
Gilroy – Sure students will return to their classrooms this month after a long hiatus, but August is noteworthy in the education world for quite another reason: Californians will learn exactly where their local schools stand.
In the next three weeks, four sets of standardized testing results will reach the public domain. Since each assessment varies, we’ve provided a break-down of every test to ensure your review of the process is as simple as possible.
Standardized Testing and Reporting
Any Gilroyan paying attention is familiar with the oft-referenced California Standards Tests. Educators often mention this test, one of the four component of the Standardized Testing and Reporting program, when discussing the math proficiency of local students.
The STAR results, which includes the CSTs, California Alternate Performance Assessment, California Achievement Test and Designated Primary Language Test, will be released today. On the CSTs students are ranked according to performance level in each subject tested. The ranks included advanced, proficient, basic, below basic and far below basic.
The Spanish language assessment or DPLT is new and replaced the previous English language learner exam. The creation of a comprehensive math plan stemmed from the Gilroy Unified School District’s perpetually low math proficiency on the CSTs.
Less than half of elementary students, 30 percent of middle schoolers and only 11 percent of high school students are proficient in math. When compared to the state the vast majority of Gilroy students are lagging behind in arithmetic.
School officials are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that students, particularly Gilroy High schoolers, improved.
California High School
Exit Exam
Seniors who graduated in June were the first class to fall under the stringent guidelines of the California High School Exit Exam. In Gilroy, students who didn’t pass the high-stakes exam, weren’t allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies and didn’t receive a diploma.
The state has released CAHSEE summary results since legislation was enacted in 1999, but the graduation requirement was postponed until 2006, and these numbers are the first that had an impact.
Last year the results were released on the same day as the STAR but this time around the state has decided to make the 2005-06 CAHSEE results public Aug. 22. The summary will include data by school, district, county and state.
Accountability Progress Report includes: Adequate Yearly Progress
The district left a lot of room for improvement on this federal mandate last year, with only six of the district’s 13 schools meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress requirements. Luigi Aprea, El Roble, Rod Kelley and Las Animas elementary, Ascencion Solorsano Middle and Mt. Madonna High schools met all criteria.
Regulated by the No Child Left Behind act, the federal government requires each state to develop an accountability system ensuring that all schools and districts meet AYP. Schools that fail to meet AYP for two consecutive years will fall under a variety of state sanctions.
By 2014 all students are expected to be 100 percent proficient in math and English, as required by NCLB.
Academic Performance Index
The Academic Performance Index growth report released this month, is the first of three the state releases using the same data. The growth report, which will be released concurrently with the AYP results, specifies according to state standards if schools have improved.
Schools that don’t meet the set growth requirement will fail to make API. Last year six schools, including El Roble, Eliot, Glen View and Las Animas elementary, Ascencion Solorsano Middle and Gilroy High schools, met the API requirement. The growth report will also include the results of minority and low income groups.
API scores range from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000, with the overall target for all schools set at 800.
