Hollister
– The California Department of Education recently announced
Standardized Testing and Reporting exam results for local school
districts, which will determine local Academic Reporting Index
rankings in the coming months.
Hollister – The California Department of Education recently announced Standardized Testing and Reporting exam results for local school districts, which will determine local Academic Reporting Index rankings in the coming months.
The exams, which are administered to each student in the state in grades two through 11, cover information all students are expected to master in English, math and, for older students, social studies and science. Reports detailing the students’ performance are sent home the following summer and students are determined to be advanced, proficient, basic, below basic or far below basic. The No Child Left Behind Act mandates that schools work to keep their students at proficient or advanced.
Though parents are notified of their children’s scores, the STAR tests have no effect on a student’s grades in school. Rather, the results of all students at a particular school are compiled and determine the school’s Academic Performance Index rankings and Adequate Yearly Progress. These are state and federal achievement measurements, respectively, designed to give the government and parents a snapshot of instruction quality at a given campus.
Statewide, 42 percent of all students in grades two through 11 scored at or above proficient in English in 2006, and 40 percent achieved the same level in math. The same achievement levels for history/social sciences and science were 35 percent and 28 percent, respectively.
More than 36 percent of Hollister School District students in grades two through eight scored at proficient or higher on their English STAR exams, and just more than 30 percent scored at the same level in math.
“All of our schools improved their scores this year with the exception of I think Rancho (San Justo Middle School),” said Anita Franchi, HSD’s assistant superintendent of educational services. “And most of them improved by about six or seven percentage points, which I think is pretty substantial.”
Franchi said the district’s biggest goal is to improve student writing scores in the coming years, a particular challenge given that around 30 percent of all students in the district are English learners.
“We look at these tests as an indicator of student achievement on one given day,” she said. “And also they are a good indicator of trends. Usually they don’t tell us too much that we don’t know to begin with.”
At San Benito High School District, which includes SBHS and San Andreas Continuation School, 39 percent of students in grades nine through 11 scored at proficient or above on their English STAR exams. Students take different math courses each year depending on which classes they are enrolled in. Of the students who took algebra, just less than 10 percent scored at proficient or above; of those who took geometry, 26 scored at proficient or above; and of those who took the algebra II exam, 19 percent scored at proficient or above.
Educators from SBHS were not available for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Later in the month, schools will receive their API numbers, which give educators an idea of their standing with other schools as well as goals for the next round of testing.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or ds****@fr***********.com.
