September 12, 2005

2005 STAR results laudable at all grade levels

State’s 5-year trend shows clear student gains

By Candy Richter
Staff Writer

In mid-August, the state released its annual Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) scores touting significant gains across the board over 2004 results.

According to State Superintendent Jack O’Connell, California’s public school students are making widespread gains in most subjects and grade levels tested.

This momentum has been reinforced by the five years of collective data supporting the upward movement of California’s student populace.

“With five years of data, we can now see a clear trend of student gains in nearly every subject and every grade,” O’Connell said. “This impressive gain in student achievement can be traced back to the implementation of our comprehensive standards-based educational system. Since California adopted rigorous standards of what every child should know and be able to do and systematically integrated those standards into the classroom, our schools have made steady improvement.”

This year’s STAR results are in sharp contrast to the disappointing outcome of the 2004 test scores. Most notably improved are the scores at the high school level, which have been a challenge area in years past.

“I am particularly pleased with the improvement seen in our high school scores,” O’Connell said. “After years of stagnation, our high schools are making some positive progress,” he continued. “In addition to showing improvement on our standards-aligned tests, greater numbers of high school students are taking more college preparatory mathematics and science courses like algebra, geometry, chemistry and physics.”

Maintain trend
Traditionally, both Santa Clara County and Campbell schools have scored above the state average, and this year has maintained that trend.

At the elementary schools, all but one of the campuses posted gains in English language arts and roughly half saw increases in mathematics.

Each of the district’s three middle school sites saw gains in both English and math, with Campbell showing the greatest percentage increase – 4.4 percent - in English language arts. Monroe posted the greatest increase in Mathematics at 3.5 percent.

One of the real standouts in the Campbell Union School District (CUSD) roster is Capri Elementary, whose population has not only weathered site construction, but a changeover in administration and the recent consolidation of the Hazelwood and Capri communities. Yet in the midst of this upheaval, Capri managed to show a 7.1 percent gain in students meeting math standards over last year, and a 4.9 percent gain for meeting English standards. That brought its two-year total gains to 5.9 percent in English and 13.1 percent in math, the highest percentage increases in the district.

CUSD Superintendent Johanna VanderMolen credits the expertise of veteran Principal Nancy Atkinson and her dedicated staff for Capri’s success. “When these two communities came together, they really wanted to make it work,” explained VanderMolen. “Both teams worked hard, and had a vested interest in the district and the kids.”

Atkinson, who came to Capri after many years as the Rolling Hills Middle School principal, was hand-picked by VanderMolen to oversee the consolidation of Capri and Hazelwood when the latter was closed in 2004 due to shifting demographics and budget constraints.

“I personally asked Nancy to take this job. She is a strong, veteran administrator and she brought it all together and has been able to move to a high level of achievement – a perfect balance of dedicated staff, parents and leadership,” said VanderMolen.

“There is no silver bullet for success,” she continued. “It takes a dedicated staff, leadership, the right attitude and moving forward. We have something better than a program; we have something that can’t be replicated. It comes from the heart.”

Making year-to-year test comparisons
With the myriad changes that have been implemented in the STAR test over the past few years it is difficult to know what, if any, meaningful comparisons can be make when analyzing a school’s testing data from year to year. The best thing to do when looking at test data is to keep the comparisons in similar categories.

For example, when considering the test scores for a particular population, follow that population up through the grades, comparing the test data from year to year as those students move forward, bringing with them similar demographic compositions and statistical make up.

Also, make comparisons between similar subjects within a grade level, such as all mathematics in the fourth grade, or all science in the fifth grade rather than comparing mathematics scores to English language arts scores or to science.

STAR Test changes for 2005
In August 2004 the governor signed legislation reauthorizing the STAR program. Changes to the test affected both the California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition (CAT/6) and portions of the California Standards Test.

Before this reauthorization, the CAT/6 survey was administered to all students in grades two through eleven in the areas of language arts and mathematics.

Under the parameters of the new legislation, effective with the spring 2005 testing session, only students in grades three and seven were administered the CAT/6 Survey. The purpose of administering the CAT/6 Survey is to determine how well California students are achieving academically compared to a national sample of students tested in the same grade at the same time of the school year.

Working to close the gap
As in years past, O’Connell’s focus remains on closing the achievement gap between the state’s socieo-economically disadvantaged populations, English language learners, special education students and other challenged subgroups.

“While the consistent growth of our subgroups across all measures should be celebrated, I am seriously concerned that our achievement gap remains unacceptably wide,” said O’Connell. “Of particular concern are the overall results of our African-American and Hispanic/Latino students, as well as our English learners and special education students. While they have made impressive gains, we must seek extraordinary progress for those students in order to close the achievement gap that persists for all groups.”

O’Connell emphasized the need to maintain the focus on content standards and reinvesting in the state’s lowest performing schools – in such critical programs as improved teacher training and extra assistance for programs for at-risk students.

“Such investments and high expectations are critical for success for all students in our global economy,” O’Connell said.

For more information on the STAR and CAT/6 Survey results, visit www.cde.ca.gov. The STAR Program data released in mid August is considered preliminay. A second posting of preliminary results that will include all students tested is scheduled for October. Final results after local corrections are incorporated and scheduled for posting during December.