How bad are they?

[George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>]

Superintendent O'Connell is "very disappointed" in these schools, whose 
performance is "unacceptable," so he's imposing "strict sanctions." The 
reviews of the schools at http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel24.asp 
describe how they have implemented Houghton Mifflin, High Point and Reading 
First, and tell about AB 466 training and reading coaches intended to 
ensure that teachers implement "best practices" identified  by the state.

*

Alicante  Avenue Elementary School, a decile two school in Lamont, has made 
inconsistent Academic Performance Index (API) growth over the past five 
years, with schoolwide API declines in 2001 (-3), 2002 (-26), and 2004 
(-22), and increases in 2003 (+84), and 2005 (+4). One hundred percent of 
the school's 991 enrolled students are on free and reduced lunch, but the 
Title I school is currently not in Program Improvement. Eighty percent of 
the students are English learners. The school's current API score is 636.

[T]he review team observed several other factors limiting potential 
improvement in student academic performance, including an excessive number 
of intervention programs without sufficient coordination ...

*

Eastin-Arcola Elementary School, a decile one school in Madera, has made 
inconsistent API growth as a state-monitored school. The initial schoolwide 
API growth of 45 points in 2003 was followed by negative growth in 2004 
(-9). In 2005, the school made positive growth (+18). Ninety-seven percent 
of the school's 762 students are on free and reduced lunch. ...

*

Lexington Elementary School, a decile two school in Cajon Valley, has made 
inconsistent API growth while a state-monitored school. While it did make 
growth in 2003 (+60) and 2005 (+31), it declined in 2004 (-23). Eighty-five 
percent of the school's 737 students are on free and reduced lunch. ... 
(Comment: Scores are up 66 points over three years. But in the second year 
scores fell from the high gains of 2003. They have since recovered.)

*

Wilsona Elementary School, a decile five school in Palmdale, made 
schoolwide API growth in 2003 (+36) but made negative growth in 2004 (-9), 
and 2005 (-4). All 641 students in the school are on free and reduced lunch 
... The school's current API score is 704 and 42 percent of the student 
population are English learners.
(Comment: All the students are poor. 2 out of 5 are learning English as a 
second language. The school ranks close to the state average on test 
scores, but scores are not rising consistently.)

*

Compton Junior High School, a decile two school in Bakersfield, has made 
inconsistent API growth while in state monitoring. The school's growth was 
positive in 2003 (+54) and 2005 (+18), however it had negative growth in 
2004 (-27). Seventy-four percent of Compton's 714 students are on free and 
reduced lunch.
...
The decline in the API score of 2004 can be attributed in large part to the 
district's fiscal climate in 2003-04, which eliminated teacher preparation 
periods, expanded the number of classes taught by each teacher and reduced 
instructional time in each class.


George Sheridan