“We have a crisis with our youngsters,” board member Richard Vladovic told the district’s chief academic officer.

LA Unified’s chief academic officer came before board members Tuesday with an upbeat-titled report called “Breaking Our Own Records,” but instead of resting on the improvement in overall test scores, the four school board members in attendance grilled her for nearly two hours throwing out terms like “frustrating,” “depressing” and “disappointing” and saying the district is in “crisis” when educating certain segments of the student population.

“I had to say this because it depressed me as an educator and after eight years I was told it was going to get better, and I’ve been assured it will get better,” said board member Richard Vladovic, chairman of the Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Equity Committee that met Tuesday. “I’m most concerned about those children not getting what they deserve, and that is quality education.”

Math scores highlighting groups that need attention.

Board member George McKenna said, “I’m as frustrated as I can possibly be. The data is miserable. Test scores are still almost embarrassingly low. It is continually depressing and disappointing.”

The committee was discussing the list of lowest performing schools and other test score numbers that the district was touting as “breaking our records!”

Chief Academic Officer Frances Gipson pointed out that the district’s record 75 percent graduation rate is up from 72 percent last year, and she showed other upward trends in the Smarter Balanced Assessments. She also noted that 265 schools are now participating in the Early Language and Literacy Plan, up from 85 in the 2015-16 school year.

“Some of the scores are record-breaking, but we have not hit the finish line yet,” Gipson said. “Our goal for graduation is 100 percent.”

Gipson tried to paint a positive spin repeating district catchphrases including “A District on the Move” and “All Hands on Deck” used by Superintendent Michelle King. But the four of seven board members on the committee were having none of it. Other members of the committee included representatives of three unions and USC and UCLA.

She pointed again to the increase in students meeting or exceeding English Language Arts standards, to 39 percent, up from 33 percent last year. Math scores rose to 29 percent from 25 percent in 2014-2015.

But then came the board members’ harsh reaction to zero improvement for English learners’ math scores: only 5 percent met standards, and only 4 percent met English standards, up one point. There was no improvement for students with disabilities: 6 percent met math standards two years in a row, and 8 percent met English standards.

Frances Gipson

Gipson said some successes were made through personalization of graduation goals and a dozen different types of interventions. “We are assessing what worked best for students and are accelerating that while eliminating things that did not work best.”

Another new number showed that 42 percent of students received a C grade or better in each of the 15 required A through G courses. Even though students can graduate by getting a D in those classes, Gipson said they want to strive for a C grade or better. California’s public universities require a C or better in those classes.

State math score rankings for the largest school districts in California.

School board President Steve Zimmer said, “I want to ask staff what specific crisis we are addressing? What do we need to see in due time? We need to reflect the urgency to see some positive results in continuing areas of inequity and our failure for public education.”

Zimmer said the board needs to hear “some type of strategy plan and urgency and honest feedback of what we need to do.”

Gipson had staff members from Beyond the Bell, Counseling Services and the Charter Schools Division ready to explain other recent successes in various departments but cut some of the presentations short as the board members asked her questions for nearly two hours.

“This group does represent a sense of urgency,” Gipson responded. “We have taken some bold steps.”

Gipson said she plans to report back with how some of those bold plans are working at school sites.

“We have a crisis with our youngsters and our youngsters need the very best, and if we are paying someone 15 percent more why aren’t they concentrated in schools that need it the most?” asked Vladovic. “There needs to be a concentrated plan. We are in the process of being confronted with a budget crisis that we have never confronted before, and people don’t know that.”

George McKenna and Scott Schmerelson.

Vladovic was particularly concerned with Long Term English Speakers who have scored persistently at 23 percent and never higher. “I feel like we have written them off,” he said.

Board member Scott Schmerelson echoed that, saying, “I’m not concerned about the cracks in the system, but the craters.” He also referred to students continuing from fifth to sixth grades or eighth grade to high school without the appropriate skill sets.

McKenna pointed out that some schools celebrate successes while African-Americans and poor children are still failing. “Is it that these poor children have gangs, or don’t have a momma or a daddy, or there’s no literacy at home? I got all that! So, what are the extreme measures that we should do?”

McKenna pointed to math scores, for example, that showed 18 percent of African-Americans and 23 percent of Latinos exceeding standards while Asians hit 70 percent, Filipinos hit 56 percent and whites were at 57 percent. Economically disadvantaged students scored 23 percent compared to 50 percent for non-economically disadvantaged.

McKenna, the only African-American on the school board, added, “Girls do better than boys and African-American males are at the bottom of the ladder. Am I surprising anyone? Absolutely not! What else can we do? Do we tell them to sing and dance and play baseball?”

McKenna said the district must focus on middle schools because only then “graduation becomes an aspiration rather than an illusion.”

Gipson pointed to working with the community colleges, using block schedules, holding twilight classes, getting grants and creating a director of innovation to review what is working in education. She also said a new dashboard computer program allows teachers to quickly figure out what each student needs to improve on the most.

Gipson said her team “ended some curriculum chaos” by pulling together many different teams and figuring out how to support each other. The district tripled their work in English language development. Gipson said the district saw a large drop in reclassification percentages because of changes in state accountability, and, because the year is from October to October, she said she expects some better numbers in a few weeks.

Zimmer said, “I think we are on the right path, but I want to caution that if we want to eradicate the school readiness gap we have to see the literacy foundation results” and see how early learning initiatives are directly linked to early elementary and math initiatives.

“We need to align the resources with the neediest students,” Gipson said.

One of the committee members, Mojgan Moazzez, principal of Logan Street Elementary School and representing AALA, the principal’s union, praised Gipson and said, “I have personally seen how she works with schools and has allocated resources where it is needed.”

The school board members wanted to see a more precise plan of action to help the lowest-performing students.

“And if we believe in the plan, why not have the plan anchor our approach?” Zimmer asked.

Vladovic added, “We need to see a plan rather than wishes of what we want to do. We need to shore up those youngsters and need a timeline and expected outcomes and what will happen if they are not achieved. We have to make a change.”

“We are doing it now,” Gipson said.

Vladovic continued, “We want to see some real particulars in what you’re doing. I truly believe all kids can learn. It’s our fault, … not theirs. I’m hoping you’ll do it. Let’s not just wait.”

After the meeting, Gipson was asked if the board seemed particularly harsh.

She answered, “We all want better. We have done better. We have a way to go.”

(Credit: LAUSD)

By Barbara Jones

Los Angeles Unified’s popular magnet centers and schools outscored independent charters by double-digit margins on California’s new state assessments, and also beat statewide averages on the rigorous math and English tests, according to data released today.

In the analysis of the Smarter Balanced Assessments, 61 percent of magnet students met or exceeded standards in English-Language Arts (ELA), compared with 45 percent of independent charter students. On the math assessments, 48 percent of magnet students met or exceeded standards, while 31 percent of independent charter students hit those marks.

“This is another accomplishment to celebrate as we move closer to our goal of preparing all of our graduates for success,” said Superintendent Michelle King.

“We are working hard to identify strategies that support student achievement. We want all of our schools – no matter what model – to continue to make progress in helping students fulfill their potential,” she said. “But what is great about L.A. Unified is that we believe in all of our schools and all of our students.”

Statewide, an average of 37 percent of students met or exceeded standards on math assessments, as did 49 percent on ELA tests. In traditional District schools, 29 percent of students met or exceeded math standards and 39 percent performed at that level on the English exam.

Magnets made across-the-board gains over their scores for 2015, when they outperformed independent charters and traditional schools.

“Magnet schools are committed to creating and maintaining a culture of rigor, high expectations, and scholarship,” said Keith Abrahams, the executive director of Student Integration Services. “Our schools establish the necessary conditions for innovation, exploration, and academic success. We view the Smarter Balanced results as a testament to our hard work.”

L.A.Unified currently has 214 themed magnet centers or free-standing schools, with plans to add or expand at least 13 more in 2017.  The themes include business, communications, the increasingly popular STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – and programs for gifted students.

Click here to read the full story on LAUSD Daily. And click here to read LA School Report’s three-part series on magnets.

Top-ranked Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies

In the extensive U.S. News & World Report ranking of all the public high schools in the country, LA’s top 10 include four independent charters, three magnets and three traditional schools.

The Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies was the top-ranked LA school and the only LA Unified school in California’s top 20. It was 18th in the state and 138th nationally. The school was just honored last month for exceptional merit and innovation by the Magnet Schools of America.

The magazine evaluated nearly 20,000 public high schools throughout the country and ranked them on several factors, including state test scores, the number of students taking Advanced Placement and college-level courses and overall college readiness.

The rankings showed that 47 LA Unified schools, or 19 percent of all local high schools, rank above the California average.

“These results affirm our commitment to prepare our students for college and careers,” said Chief Academic Officer Frances Gipson. “LA Unified is proud of our students, teachers and leaders for their scholarly accomplishments, both locally and nationally. This recognition represents the best of the best.”

LACES Principal Harold Boger pointed out that 90 percent of students at LACES take Advanced Placement classes, and minority enrollment is 72 percent.

“Obviously we are thrilled to get recognized for creating a culture where students are not afraid to challenge themselves by taking AP courses,” he said. “We have made a special effort to eliminate middle school courses that have the effect of tracking students at an early stage of either being AP or non-AP students. In fact all of our students know that they will take AP World History in the 10th grade and that all of their prior courses will have been sufficient preparation to succeed in this course.”

But they may be a victim of their success. Boger added, “On the other hand we are a little concerned that we have done such a great job in developing this AP culture among students that maybe it is time to encourage students to consider taking less AP courses. Presently about 40 percent of our juniors and seniors take four or more AP courses. Even though students continue to find ways to ultimately be successful in these courses, we have noticed that the stress level of some students has increased. This has led us to pay more attention to students’ emotional development as we strive to maintain high academic standards.”

The second-highest ranked LA Unified school is Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy at 196 nationally, and third is the charter school Magnolia Science Academy 2 at 223. Two charter schools, Wallis Annenberg High and Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy, rank 246 and 247 nationally, and fourth and fifth in the LA Unified rankings.

Listed at sixth in the district is the magnet school Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High, at 252 nationally, seventh is Elizabeth Learning Center at 277, and eighth is Downtown Business High at 360.

Rounding out the top 10 locally are the charter school Alliance Gertz-Ressler Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex at 383 and, at 406, the traditional school Foshay Learning Center.

Five Alliance College-Ready Public Schools are in the top 20 California schools in the rankings.

Dan Katzir, Alliance’s CEO, said in a statement, “A record-breaking 14 Alliance high schools were recognized. Six were ranked among the top 10 percent of high schools in Los Angeles County. We are proud to announce that, once again, Alliance schools rank among the best in the nation.”

Green Dot has one school in the top 200 high schools nationally, Animo Leadership Charter High which came in at 168, and six schools in the top 200 charter schools nationally.

KIPP had two schools in California’s top 20, both in Northern California.

Magnolia Public Schools had two schools in California’s top 100 and also had the top charter in LA Unified, Magnolia Science Academy 2 in Van Nuys. It was the 66th highest-ranked charter high school in the nation.

In California, Magnolia Science Academy 2 was ranked 32, and Magnolia Science Academy Reseda was ranked 96.

“We’re proud to once again have our schools recognized as among the best in the state and nation,” said Magnolia CEO Caprice Young. “When our charter schools repeatedly rank high on this list, it’s further validation of Magnolia’s successful track record of ensuring that all students—no matter their socioeconomic, ethnic or cultural background—graduate prepared for college because they’re already succeeding in college-level work in high school.”

For more: Read LA School Report’s in-depth look at one of the top schools, Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet. 

Below are breakdowns of LA Unified’s elementary schools with the highest and lowest scores.

The LA Unified schools with the five lowest scores — actually seven schools, as a few tied — are all located in South Los Angeles or San Pedro with students that come primarily from low-income households. Low performance on the Smarter Balanced standardized tests combined with high levels of chronic absenteeism and suspension rates were the most common factors that resulted in the low CORE scores.

The average number of students in the bottom five who met or exceeded the standards in the English Language Arts portion of the Smarter Balanced tests was 12.42 percent, and average who did so in the math portion was 8.71 percent. This compares to a district average of 33 percent for English and 25 percent for math, while the students at the top five schools averaged 78.66 percent in English and 75.88 in math.

The gulf was also wide in performance on absenteeism and suspension rates, where the lowest schools had an average 18.85 percent chronic absenteeism and 2.12 percent average suspensions, versus a 4.11 percent absenteeism average and 0.03 percent average suspensions for the top schools.

There are also big differences in the demographics of the top and bottom schools, with the bottom schools having an average English learner rate of 29 percent, versus 8.5 percent for the top schools. The bottom schools also had an average of 11.28 percent of students in special education, versus 6.4 percent for the top schools.

The CORE system is based on 60 percent academics and 40 percent for socio-emotional/culture-climate factors like absenteeism and suspensions. Were CORE numbers to be calculated again next year, the scores would also include factors for academic growth and the results of student surveys. As the data is from one year, growth is not measured.

• Read LA School Report’s analysis of CORE data for LAUSD schools.

• Why the CORE system was developed and why it is only temporary.

• Why charter schools aren’t included in the CORE data. 

Two of the bottom five schools — Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary and 107th Street Elementary — are part of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a nonprofit that manages 17 of LA Unified’s historically challenged schools in collaboration with the district, the City of Los Angeles and philanthropic organizations.

Luz Maria Castellanos, senior manager of external relations and communications for the Partnership, pointed out that while some of the organization’s schools struggled with the CORE evaluation, they still experienced significant growth and improvement.

Although Joyner’s Smarter Balanced scores were low, Castellanos said they represented growth compared to the school’s last performance on the California Standards Test, which was discontinued in 2014. Joyner also scored poorly on absenteeism and suspension, but Castellanos said the 2015-16 school year has seen improvements in these areas.

In addition, “Joyner has lots of qualitative evidence of transformation in school culture (feedback from staff and parents, etc.), which we believe will fuel further academic growth in this year’s (Smarter Balanced tests),” Castellatios said in an email. She also said this is the first year 107th Street has joined the Partnership “so this year will be the baseline year for SBAC performance under the Partnership’s direction.”

For a closer look at a few of the schools with the lowest scores, check out the slideshow for each school featuring some of the key data from its CORE score.

Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary School
1963 East 103rd Street
Los Angeles, 90002
CORE score: 15
CORE rank: 714 out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 67%
African American: 29%
White: 4%
Asian: 0%
English learners: 37%
Students with disabilities: 11%
Free and reduced lunch: 95% (2014-15)

Hillcrest Drive Elementary 
4041 Hillcrest Drive
Los Angeles, 90008
CORE score: 16
CORE rank: 713 out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 49%
African American: 46%
White: 2%
Asian: 0%
English learners: 34%
Students with disabilities: 13%
Free and reduced lunch: 81.3% (2014-15)

107th Street Elementary
147 East 107th St.
Los Angeles, 90003
CORE score: 16
CORE rank: 713 (tied) out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 73%
African American: 25%
White: 1%
Asian: 0%
English learners: 44%
Students with disabilities: 8%
Free and reduced lunch: 88.5% (2014-15)

Century Park Elementary 
10935 South Spinning Avenue
Inglewood, 90303
CORE score: 17
CORE rank: 712 out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 33%
African American: 65%
White: 1%
Asian: 0%
English learners: 17%
Students with disabilities: 11%
Free and reduced lunch: 83.8% (2014-15)

Three elementary schools tied for the fifth-lowest CORE score, which was 19. The three schools are Annalee Avenue Elementary, Barton Hill Elementary and Cabrillo Avenue Elementary.

TOP PERFORMING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Of the LA Unified elementary schools with with the top five scores on the CORE index — there were nine overall due to some ties — the only perfect score of 100 was Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary, which is a magnet school for gifted students who must already be high-achieving students in order to gain admission.

Of the other schools, which all accept students from the general population, there was much more variety in location than the lowest performing schools. Several are from the San Fernando Valley and several are from the Westside where a much lower portion of students are not living in poverty compared to the district average. None of the top schools are from South LA or San Pedro, where all of the lowest performing schools are.

For a closer look at the top three schools serving the general population, check out the slideshow for each school featuring some of the key data from its CORE score.

Solano Avenue Elementary 
615 Solano Avenue
Los Angeles, 90012
CORE score: 99
CORE rank: 2nd (tied) out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 46%
African American: 2%
White: 3%
Asian: 45%
English learners: 18%
Students with disabilities: 7%
Free and reduced lunch: 68.9% (2014-15)

Clover Avenue Elementary
11020 Clover Avenue
Los Angeles, 90034
CORE score: 99
CORE rank: 2nd (tied) out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 16%
African American: 5%
White: 29%
Asian: 43%
English learners: 14%
Students with disabilities: 4%
Free and reduced lunch: 19.94% (2014-15)

Porter Ranch Community School
12450 Mason Avenue
Porter Ranch, 91326
CORE score: 99
CORE rank: 2nd (tied) out of 714

Demographics
Latino: 10%
African American: 4%
White: 34%
Asian: 47%
English learners: 9%
Students with disabilities: 6%
Free and reduced lunch: 10.8% (2014-15)

Six elementary schools tied for the third-highest score, which was 97. They are Woodland Hills Elementary Charter For Enriched Studies, Wonderland Avenue Elementary, Welby Way Elementary Charter, Roscomare Road Elementary, Clifford Street Elementary and Canyon Charter Elementary.

Coming next: the top and bottom middle schools. 

Leaders of the non-profit California Office to Reform Education (CORE) districts presented their plan to the California School Boards Association annual conference today in San Diego. The assessment is the first of its kind in the nation, and preliminary results are expected in February.

Speaking on a conference call with reporters today, CORE executive director Rick Miller said the new system is not about “hammering people, but on how to improve the school so that everyone gets better at what they do.” The CORE team found failures in the No Child Left Behind model; districts adopting the new assessment tools received a federal waiver from some of its requirements last year.

Nearly half of the LA Unified student population, 308,000 students, in 182 traditional schools participated in the Spring 2015 field test. Statewide, more than 450,000 students are involved in the CORE district program.

“We have known for a long time that academic performance is one of many factors that make a great school, but CORE districts are now serving as a model for how we can actually measure these factors and look more holistically at school outcomes,” LAUSD superintendent Ramon Cortines said in a statement. “Working together, educators have created an Index that captures more information that matters, and it has great potential to help schools and districts meet the needs of our students.”

Miller said schools are already using the data they are collecting. He said, “There is very valuable information for the teachers and principals, and they find which areas that they will focus on.”

The complex School Quality Improvement Index gives a score that is 60 percent based on academics and 40 percent based on social, emotional and culture-climate factors. The academics not only include test scores, but also graduation rates and growth of improvement. The social aspect includes absenteeism, suspension rates, English-language and special education designations and surveys from students, parents and teachers.

Noah Bookman, the chief accountability officer for CORE, said the questions in the surveys have been carefully scanned to avoid cultural bias.

CORE researchers found out that students had a 95 percent chance to graduate from high school if they maintained a 2.5 grade point average, had no suspensions and kept a 95 percent attendance record, Miller said.

“We believe deeply that’s what high quality school looks like,” he said.

The new school assessment has nothing to do with Common Core Standards, but CORE supports the overall approach that the new school standards adopts. Miller said the new standards of teaching adopted by the state folds nicely into the CORE districts.

Richard Carranza, superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District, another CORE district, said, “This kind of information provides actionable places for school leaders and communities to focus their improvement work.”

Click here to sign up for the LA School Report newsletter, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

EdSource and the California Teachers Association conducted the online survey and released the results today.

Fewer than a third of the teachers said their districts have clear definitions of college and career readiness, according to the survey results. The survey is the first of its kind to ask for teacher attitudes and preparedness about college and career readiness for their students, which is part of the goals of the new Common Core State Standards.

“The survey demonstrates that from the teachers’ perspective, test scores are far less important than students developing the critical thinking skills they will need to succeed in college and the workplace,” said EdSource executive director Louis Freedberg. “But it is worrisome that less than a third of teachers say their districts have clear definitions of college and career readiness, and half say that college and career readiness is not fully integrated into the preparation they are receiving to implement the Common Core.”

CTA president Eric Heins added, “The survey shows that teachers support high standards for all students and clearly see a need for additional support around career readiness and creating more opportunities for students who don’t go onto college so they have the skills for 21st Century jobs.”

Respondents included only union teachers, who routinely oppose statewide tests as the chief criteria for measuring students’ academic achievement.

Among the randomly-selected teachers, nearly three-fourths say they are either “very satisfied” or “fairly satisfied” with their jobs. The survey indicates that nearly nine out of ten teachers support the Common Core, although nearly half support it with reservations.

The teachers said they needed more programs that link high school instruction with career-technical courses.

The survey saw differences in teacher attitudes depending on the socioeconomic backgrounds of the students in the schools they teach. About 58 percent of teachers in schools where one-in-four of their students are eligible for free or reduced lunches believe that college and career readiness is a “very realistic” goal.  But just 20 percent of teachers in schools where three-out-of-four students qualify for federally subsidized meals have similar attitudes.

EdSource is a nonprofit, non-partisan reporting and research organization whose mission is to inform policymakers and the public on key education challenges. CTA is the state’s largest professional employee’s organization, representing 325,000 teachers, counselors, librarians and other certified non-supervisory personnel.

The poll was conducted with support from The James Irvine Foundation.

Click here to sign up for the LA School Report newsletter, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Nearly half of the most recent graduating class took the SAT, 22,106 seniors for the 2012-13 academic year, compared with 22,004 the year before.

“The trend continues in the right direction,” Superintendent John Deasy said in a press release.

The district’s average scores outpaced statewide gains on the test, while nationwide scores remained stagnant. The average LA unified score on critical reading rose four points to 435 (out of 800), while the average score on mathematics and writing each rose one point, to 442 and 437 respectively.

The schools with the highest percentage of seniors taking the SAT were Harbor Teacher Prep Academy with 94.3 percent, Foshay Learning Center (92.7), LACES (90.2), Contreras Learning Center (85.1) and 32nd/USC Performing Arts Magnet (84).

For LA Unified students, the annual Academic Performance Index (API) shows a three point increase over last year, to 749 from 746, as the state score dropped to 789 from 791.

“For the second-largest school district in the nation to outpace nearly all urban districts in California in the API is an extraordinary accomplishment,” said Superintendent John Deasy. “I’m tremendously proud of our administrators, students, and teachers for achieving this result while the District remained in the throes of a devastating budget crisis” according to a press release issued by LAUSD.

API scores range from 200 to 1,000 points, with a goal of 800 for every student. The scores are based on the results of several standardized state tests, including the California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program and the High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

Despite the gain for LA Unified, other numbers betrayed the upward trend.

In all, only 247 schools – about 36 percent of the district’s total — hit the target 800, about the same as the year before. The large majority, 222 schools, are elementary schools, leaving just 16 middle and 9 high schools that met targets. That’s better than year when only 6 high schools reached 800.

Despite the strong performance of 46 percent of LAUSD elementary schools meeting the target, it still feel short of the statewide level of 56 percent.

The 3-point gain for LA Unified was smallest in 10 years, breaking a five-year streak of double-digit advances. Combined with the state performance, the district drew as close as it has ever been to the statewide score, still lagging behind by 40 points.

The 2013 results showed other notable gains for LAUSD. Scores for English learners jumped 28 points, the highest gain in history for the district, and 27 points above the statewide figure. Scores for students with disabilities grew by 17 points, versus 5 points across California. Economically disadvantaged students improved 8 points in the District, compared with 5 points statewide.

For the first time ever, API scores decreased for Asian and white students by 2 and 4 points, respectively. At the same time, African-American students improved by 1 point and Hispanic students saw a 4 point gain.

LA Unified’s improvement was second biggest among California’s urban school districts, traling only San Diego Unified, which grew 9 points.

The Santa Ana Unified School District, formerly lead by Thelma Melendez, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s education czar, dropped 13 points, to 742 from 755.

Previous Posts: LAUSD’s Big API Gains

“We’ve outpaced the state in the last five years and continue to, in the face of severe budget cuts,” said Superintendent John Deasy.

The district scores, however, still lag behind the statewide scores.

All students in grades 2 through 11 take the California Standardized Tests (or CST) in a number of subjects. Their scores are placed into one of five categories: “advanced,” “proficient,” “basic,” “below basic” and “far below basic.” The statewide goal is that every student score either “proficient” or “advanced.”

The overall scores also reflect results of three other tests taken by various grades in various subjects, but the largest number of students takes the CSTs.

Test scores had been rising steadily over the last few years, but results this year suggest that the trend may be leveling off, with scores essentially unchanged from last year.

As the above chart shows, the percentage of students in LAUSD deemed proficient or advanced rose, albeit by less than a percentage point, in a number of subjects: math, history and science. The one subject that showed declines was English-language arts, where the percentage of students scoring above “basic” fell by a third of a percent, to 54.1 “proficient” and “advanced,” from 54.4 percent.

English scores dropped among students in elementary school, while they actually rose among students in 7th through 11th grades.

“Statistically, it’s difficult for me to understand why there’s been a slight drop,”
said Deasy, speaking of the English scores as a whole. “We can’t make sense of the state trend either.”

State scores fell this year, after rising every year since 2004

Statewide, test scores fell in both math and English. In a press release State Superintendent Tom Torlakson said did not directly address the slight drop in state scores, although he did suggest that “schools across the state continued to deal with the effects of years of budget cuts and financial uncertainties throughout the 2012-13 school year.”

Deasy pointed out that other important metrics of student achievement in LAUSD showed improvements this year.

“Our graduation rate is about to come out, and that went up again,” he said. “Our AP test score went up, and the number of students taking them went up. Suspensions were down.”

When asked why test scores showed little to no progress even as other numbers improved, he replied, “It’s counter-intuitive. Usually they’re aligned. But to hold flat means we held onto our previous gains.”

Indeed, the district’s gains in just the last five years have been impressive. Since 2008, the percentage of students scoring above “basic” in English has risen by more than 13 points. In the subject area of history, it has improved by 15 points; in math, by more than 10 points.

While black and Hispanic students in particular have shown impressive gains over the years, their test scores are still lower than those of white students, at both a district and statewide level.

“The long-standing achievement gap among student groups remains a matter of great concern and considerable challenge,” said Torlakson.

This was the last year that most students will take the CSTs as LAUSD begins to transition to the Common Core curriculum, a new set of federal standards. By 2015, all students will — supposedly — be taking standardized tests on computers.

“As valuable as (the testing) has been, we’re getting ready to raise the bar in California’s schools,” said Torlakson. “This coming year, many students will have their first chance to try tests that measure their preparation for college and the world of work. That’s a huge challenge for every part of our education system—but one we have to tackle to give every student the opportunity to prepare for a bright future.”

Previous posts: California Student Test Scores Coming Later This Morning, California’s 2013 Testing Results to be Released Thursday; LAUSD Shows Improvement In State Tests

Los Angeles Unified School Board Election Has Nation’s Attention
The race for three Los Angeles Unified school board seats has drawn more than $4 million in donations – as well as the attention of education leaders nationwide – as the district’s powerful unions and the reform movement battle for control of public education. LA Daily News

Suit Against Ex-LAUSD Boss Ramon Cortines Tossed
A judge has thrown out a sexual-harassment lawsuit filed by a male LAUSD Facilities executive against retired Superintendent Ramon Cortines, saying the statute of limitations for filing a claim had expired, a district spokesman said Saturday. LA Daily News

A Round-Up of School Choice Legislation Across the U.S.
Charters & Choice is offering a round-up of school-choice legislation in play in statehouses, and in one case, at the federal level. Lawmakers are considering measures on tax credits, other types of vouchers, charter school expansion, and parent trigger policy. EdWeek

School Reform Through the Pre-K to Third Grade Continuum
For educational reforms to produce the gains that are needed in the information economy, two basic performance gaps must be addressed. They are gaps showing the difference between a standard of excellence and actual performance. HuffPo Opinion

Parents, Students Want to Rename Cortines Campus
Parents, students and staff have voted in favor of changing the name of the downtown Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, setting up an unprecedented conflict within the nation’s second-largest school system. LA Times

The issue of how much weight LAUSD will propose giving student test scores — left unspecified in the agreement — is emerging as a major concern within the leadership of the teachers union.

The leadership of UTLA, which has previously focused on praising the tentative teachers evaluation agreement, is now readying itself for another negotiating battle centered around the implementation of the agreement. Honing in on the crucial but as-of-yet undetermined percentage that test scores will weigh in teachers’ evaluations, the union argues in its most recent newsletter that “The implementation of a specific percentage must be bargained” and claims that it will take legal action if LAUSD exceeds the agreement.

Teachers for a New Unionism (TNU), a group connected to the insurgent teachers of NewTLA, has high praise for the agreement, referring to it as a “giant leap” and specifically noting the importance of the use of teacher evaluations will now include test scores. In a recent post on its website, TNU said, “The work is not over, however. Still left to negotiate are the use of other essential measures such as classroom observations and stakeholder feedback.” The group makes no mention of the percentage scores might play in evaluations, and expresses no concern about the issue.

In last night’s candidate forum, District 4 challenger Kate Anderson described elements of the teacher evaluation deal (such as the use of schoolwide test scores) as “too mushy.”

Previous posts: Implementing the Teacher Evaluation Deal, Insurgents Aim for Union Takeover, Union Head Praises Insurgent Group

*An earlier version of this post said that TNU was formerly known as NewTLA. The post has been corrected to show that TNU and NewTLA are associated, but are not the same organization.

Source: Gates Foundation

A study released Tuesday by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation showed that the controversial method of measuring teachers’ effectiveness with students’ test scores can be useful, but only when balanced with other factors, such as student feedback and classroom observation.

Teachers unions, including UTLA, have long insisted that grading teachers based on their student test results creates a flawed, inaccurate picture of teacher effectiveness. The Gates survey contradicts that idea—though it did find that giving test scores too much weight in teach evaluations can skew results. The study said the best balance for test scores was 33 to 50 percent of teacher assessments, depending on the balance of other measurements. Giving scores less than 33 percent of weight in assessments made them ineffective, according to the study.

The study results could influence the the final decision on how much weight to give test scores in LAUSD teacher assessments, which has not yet been determined in the tentative evaluations agreement between the district and teachers union.

To read the full Gates study, which surveyed 3,000 teachers in seven districts over three years, click here. To read the full LA Times story, click here.

L.A. mayoral candidates discuss housing, education, city services
The four candidates competing to replace outgoing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa squared off in South Los Angeles on Friday, debating the respective roles that housing, education, city services and budget cuts play in the lives of area residents. LA Times

LAUSD Collaborates With Parents to Improve New Nutritious Breakfast Program
Euclid is one of 147 Los Angeles Unified School District schools where the new Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program was implemented earlier this year. By the end of November they will launch the program in 161 more schools. Boyle Heights Beat

State Defunds Program to Fix ‘Slum’ Schools
Eight years after California settled a landmark lawsuit promising hundreds of millions of dollars to repair shoddy school facilities, more than 700 schools still are waiting for their share of funds as students take classes on dilapidated campuses with health and safety hazards. California Watch

NAACP Volunteers to Push for Biggest Education Overhaul Since Brown v. Board of Education
The NAACP is going on the offensive on education, deploying volunteers across the country in its biggest push for a public education overhaul since the nation’s classrooms were ordered desegregated in 1954, the civil rights group said Thursday. Huff Post

State Appointed Administrator of Inglewood School District Steps Down
Kent Taylor, the state administrator in charge of the financially troubled Inglewood School District, resigned from the position Friday after the Department of Education learned of a tentative agreement he made with the local teachers union without approval from the state. LA Times

Credentialing Commission Imposes Tougher Test to Become School Administrator
Alone among states, California has permitted passing a primarily multiple-choice exam as one path to become a school or district administrator. That will change. EdSource

After Generations of Failure, a School and Its Students Head for Success
Jordan High has made big strides in academic performance. There is more to achieve, but its progress is plain to see. LA Times Column (Sandy Banks)

Does Creationism Have a Place at a Public School?
The Christian Club on an L.A. Unified campus has heard presentations from a nationally prominent creationist. A biology teacher believes such events undermine science education. LA Times Column (Steve Lopez)

School Lunches to Be Allowed Unlimited Meats, Grains, USDA Announces
The Agriculture Department is responding to criticism over new school lunch rules by allowing more grains and meat in kids’ meals. Huff Post

2012 National Board Certified Teachers Celebrated
UTLA honored the Class of 2012 National Board Certified Teachers last night in a ceremony at UTLA headquarters. National Board Certification is a voluntary program of teacher assessment that is rigorous and requires 200-400 hours of extra work on top of a teacher’s full teaching load.  UTLA

The October 19th issue of the United Teacher states that, “the union continues to push back against LAUSD’s proposal to link a percentage of a teacher’s evaluation to his or her individual Academic Growth Over Time score. AGT is LAUSD’s version of VAM, or value- added model, which research studies show to be an inaccurate and unstable measure of teacher effectiveness.”

The two sides have been deadlocked despite pressure to meet a court-ordered deadline of December 4, 2012. LAUSD last month declared an impasse and requested mediation, which union head Warren Fletcher called “premature.”

At the heart of the dispute is how to implement a recent ruling in the Doe v. Deasy case, which requires that student test scores be included as a factor in teacher evaluations. That ruling was based on a lawsuit against LAUSD brought about by a group of parents who claim the district is not complying with the Stull Act, a 1971 law that requires student progress be used in performance evaluations of teachers.

But the teachers union has rejected the use of any testing data as part of the evaluation process, especially the measurement favored by LAUSD Superintendent Deasy, called Academic Growth Over Time (AGT). The union is under increasing pressure after AALA, the union representing principals and administrators, agreed last month to use AGT as a component in principal evaluations.

Scott Witlin, a lawyer who represented parents in the suit, says the Stull Act requires two factors to be measured when evaluating teachers: “First, you have to account for the academic progress of pupils towards the standards of the local district, and second, when applicable, you account for the progress of pupils according to California standards tests.”

LAUSD and UTLA have until December 4 to come to an agreement. If they don’t, according to Witlin, the judge could hold UTLA or LAUSD in contempt. “The date wasn’t picked out of a hat – all parties agreed they could get the job done by then.”

Related posts: LAUSD-UTLA Headed to Mediation, UTLA Calls Mediation Request “Premature”

Under the new law, supported by LAUSD and an array of business groups, student test scores will account for no more than 60% of high school API scores, leaving room for other factors in assessing a school’s success. The new API won’t start until 2016. Senate majority leader Darrell Steinberg, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement:

“For years, ‘teaching to the test’ has become more than a worn cliche because 100% of the API relied on bubble tests scores in limited subject areas. But life is not a bubble test and that system has failed our kids. By balancing testing with factors like graduation rates, and measuring how prepared our students are for entering college and the workforce, SB 1458 will spur the system into delivering higher quality education combining real-world relevance and academic rigor.”

So what will comprise the other 40% of API scores? The bill leaves that up to the State Board of Education, although it could include graduation and dropout rates, Advanced Placement test scores, and the number of students moving on to four-year universities.

Over at Ed Source, John Fensterwald writes:

“SB 1458 reflected widespread frustration that the heavy weight given to multiple-choice reading and math exams was narrowing the focus on what was taught, encouraged weeks of test prep, and distorted priorities, with science, the arts, and vocational and career tech programs given short shrift. That’s why SB 1458 had strong support in the business community, with regional workforce organizations and the California Manufacturers and Technology Association among those behind it.”