County Schools Mirror State in Basic Skills Tests

Los Angeles County schools mirrored the statewide results in the annual basic skills test--which means both good and bad news.

The good news is that, in general, third- and sixth-graders showed improvement this year in reading, writing and arithmetic, continuing the upward trend of the last few years.

But the bad news is that eighth-graders locally and across the state fared distinctly worse, especially in reading and writing, according to recently released results of the California Assessment Program test. This is only the second year that the eighth-grade test has been administered.

To local educators, the eighth-grade slump is mystifying.

“To be honest, I don’t know why they dropped. But I can tell you we are not pleased with our scores,” said Supt. Ron Raya of the Bassett Unified School District in the San Gabriel Valley. Bassett’s eighth-grade scores fell 6 to 19 points in reading, writing and arithmetic.

Even in some districts where eighth-graders scored higher, administrators were at a loss to explain the increase.

In the Dark

“I have no idea why we went up,” said Supt. Wayne Boulding of the Burbank Unified School District, where eighth-grade test results improved by 11 to 19 points. “We didn’t do anything special.”

Statewide, the third- and sixth-grade scores rose 3 to 7 points across the board. But eighth-grade scores dropped 10 points in reading and 4 points in writing, while the math score inched upward by 1 point. Countywide averages are not available, but in general this year’s eighth-grade class slipped behind last year’s group in reading, writing and math. There were no figures to compare to the social studies scores because that subject was included for the first time this year and only in the eighth-grade test.

Pat McCabe, consultant to the state testing program, could only speculate about the decline.

The number of students in the state who speak little or no English rose by 4% this year, while the number of students whose parents graduated from high school decreased by 2%, McCabe said.

“Those two things are going to have some impact,” McCabe said, “especially in reading, which showed the most dramatic drop.”

Strong Correlation

Educators generally find a strong correlation between student achievement and such factors as English proficiency and parents’ education and economic level, according to McCabe. Students who are not fluent in English and whose parents are not college educated and have low incomes generally fare worse on standardized tests than students who come from more affluent backgrounds and whose parents are highly educated.

But Bill Turner, testing consultant for the office of the Los Angeles County superintendent of schools, disputed that theory.

“You can look at the number of additional LEP (limited English proficient) students. . . . Or you can look at socioeconomic status,” Turner said. “But that doesn’t always work.”

For example, in Culver City, the percentage of students who speak little or no English and who come from families receiving welfare rose slightly in the third, sixth and eighth grades. In theory, that could contribute to a dip in the scores. In fact, Culver City’s eighth-graders slipped 1 point in writing and 12 points in reading. But their average math score rose 19 points, and the third- and sixth-grade scores improved across the board.

Similarly, in the East Whittier school district, the number of limited-English-speaking students dropped from 4.3% to 2.9% and the parent education level rose slightly to show that most students had parents who had some college education. But, instead of improving, the eighth-grade scores fell 4 points in math, 14 points in reading and 13 points in writing.

Question of Responsibility

Examples such as these make Turner wonder whether the eighth-graders should be blamed for their poor showing.

“It may be a fault of the test,” he said. “Maybe they (state education officials) haven’t worded the thing correctly. But that’s speculative.”

The newness of the test was cited by educators in several districts where eighth-grade scores fell. In the Hacienda-La Puente school district, for example, testing director Caroline DeOlden noted that while eighth-grade scores dropped slightly on the California Assessment Program test, they rose in another standardized test, the California Achievement Test. Many districts have used the achievement test for years to track the progress of students in all grades.

“That is the test we pay the most attention to,” she said. “I’m afraid the eighth-grade scores (in the California Assessment Program) are going to bounce all over for a number of years.”

More Results Needed

Ed Krucli, director of elementary curriculum in the Bellflower school district, said that test results for at least three or four years are needed “before we can see what kind of trend we have going.”

Despite the skepticism about the meaningfulness of this year’s test, the discouraging eighth-grade performance has motivated many school districts to better prepare next year’s test-takers.

“We have to focus in on what is being tested and make sure it’s in the curriculum and instruction,” Krucli said.

State consultant McCabe had one other possible explanation for the dip in eighth-grade scores.

“Last year was the first year of the eighth-grade test and so everyone was excited about it and got their kids all psyched up to take it. Maybe the second year they just didn’t work quite as hard,” he said.

SCHOOL--BY--SCHOOL TEST SCORE RESULTS

Today The Times is publishing the results of the California Assessment Program test for the third, sixth and eighth grades.

The exam is intended to give educators and parents a snapshot picture of how well their school is teaching basic math, reading and writing skills in comparison to other schools. Students do not receive individual results.

This is how to read the scores:

- Schools are listed alphabetically by district. The scores range from 100 to over 400 and may be compared with district and state averages. For example, if the sixth grade at your school scored 240 in reading, compared to a district average of 219 and a state average of 253, children at your school are scoring better than those at other schools in the district but slightly below the average of sixth-graders statewide.

- In general, a fluctuation of 10 points or less is not meaningful, although state education officials say that the margin of error varies depending upon the size of the school.

- Dashes indicate that tests were not given or that scores were not available. Only two years of eighth-grade scores are given because the eighth-grade testing began last year. Only eighth-graders were tested in social studies (designated SS in the scores) this year.

District and State Averages

STATE OF CALIFORNIA 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math SS 82-83 263 266 267 83-84 268 272 274 84-85 274 279 278

6th Grade

82-83 253 259 260 83-84 249 260 261 84-85 253 265 264

8th Grade

83-84 250 250 250 --- 84-85 240 246 251 250

BEVERLY HILLS UNIFIED 3rd Grade

82-83 342 337 335 83-84 346 345 341 84-85 363 367 354

6th Grade

82-83 302 300 344 83-84 303 321 360 84-85 304 318 326

8th Grade

83-84 315 323 341 --- 84-85 320 324 333 323

CULVER CITY UNIFIED 3rd Grade

82-83 271 264 258 83-84 273 279 273 84-85 303 292 294

6th Grade

82-83 259 257 259 83-84 242 250 256 84-85 246 249 258

8th Grade

83-84 245 245 236 --- 84-85 233 244 255 256

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED 3rd Grade

82-83 222 228 233 83-84 229 236 242 84-85 233 242 243

6th Grade

82-83 220 228 231 83-84 219 232 235 84-85 221 233 236

8th Grade

83-84 207 210 211 --- 84-85 199 203 209 206

SANTA MONICA UNIFIED 3rd Grade

82-83 276 276 275 83-84 280 282 278 84-85 286 283 282

6th Grade

82-83 284 278 281 83-84 269 271 280 84-85 272 279 280

8th Grade

83-84 265 271 284 --- 84-85 260 270 284 277

BEVERLY HILLS UNIFIED

BEVERLY VISTA 3rd Grade

82-83 296 311 333 83-84 323 325 328 84-85 381 378 357

6th Grade

82-83 298 296 325 83-84 285 283 325 84-85 243 313 338

8th Grade

83-84 305 320 338 --- 84-85 333 339 339 322

EL RODEO ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 363 340 349 83-84 314 335 318 84-85 312 340 323

6th Grade

82-83 316 306 329 83-84 341 332 384 84-85 295 330 318

8th Grade

83-84 343 349 372 --- 84-85 313 307 333 336

HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 399 381 361 83-84 391 383 364 84-85 387 375 370

6th Grade

82-83 273 281 298 83-84 288 327 323 84-85 278 300 310

8th Grade

83-84 331 330 335 --- 84-85 304 313 316 298

MANN ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 317 321 292 83-84 365 339 361 84-85 369 377 369

6th Grade

82-83 324 320 439 83-84 307 365 436 84-85 288 336 338

8th Grade

83-84 274 285 311 --- 84-85 326 329 343 336

CULVER CITY UNIFIED

CULVER CITY MIDDLE 6th Grade

83-84 242 250 256 84-85 246 249 258

8th Grade

83-84 245 245 236 --- 84-85 233 244 255 256

EL RINCON ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 267 259 275 83-84 282 272 268 84-85 280 282 280

FARRAGUT ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 303 294 275 83-84 277 323 318 84-85 329 324 342

HOWE ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 253 250 245 83-84 230 253 256 84-85 282 270 273

LA BALLONA ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 253 265 255 83-84 308 289 266 84-85 336 306 296

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED

BANCROFT JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 228 223 223 --- 84-85 215 227 225 215

BEETHOVEN STREET 3rd Grade

82-83 256 265 262 83-84 294 290 296 84-85 288 292 293

6th Grade

82-83 270 260 275 83-84 274 294 281 84-85 288 320 285

BRADDOCK DRIVE 3rd Grade

82-83 197 205 247 83-84 199 189 203 84-85 199 301 206

6th Grade

82-83 223 232 210 83-84 243 231 243 84-85 210 222 223

BRENTWOOD MAGNET 3rd Grade

82-83 318 301 293 83-84 310 300 304 84-85 281 293 278

6th Grade

82-83 300 291 289 83-84 293 286 309 84-85 289 277 287

BROADWAY 3rd Grade

82-83 225 208 235 83-84 204 208 220 84-85 215 220 223

6th Grade

82-83 184 194 191 83-84 204 217 226 84-85 198 208 220

BROCKTON AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 278 263 256 83-84 237 254 262 84-85 249 272 265

6th Grade

82-83 258 257 265 83-84 262 243 260 84-85 202 216 223

BURROUGHS JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 252 267 261 --- 84-85 219 234 241 237

BURROUGHS GIFTED MAG. 8th Grade

84-85 366 342 336 341

CANFIELD AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 268 267 268 83-84 295 292 286 84-85 260 277 258

CANYON 3rd Grade

82-83 331 271 277 83-84 336 285 318 84-85 235 327 369

6th Grade

82-83 299 301 283 83-84 216 258 259 84-85 271 255 264

CARTHAY CENTER 3rd Grade

82-83 270 279 269 83-84 263 270 288 84-85 268 264 241

6th Grade

82-83 276 269 280 83-84 281 267 256 84-85 250 272 264

CASTLE HEIGHTS 3rd Grade

82-83 242 246 229 83-84 260 283 270 84-85 239 283 277

6th Grade

82-83 253 265 291 83-84 241 258 262 84-85 238 238 238

CHARNOCK ROAD 3rd Grade

82-83 283 284 299 83-84 259 269 258 84-85 288 260 276

6th Grade

82-83 264 266 265 83-84 260 260 255 84-85 269 275 261

CHEREMOYA AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 253 274 270 83-84 251 256 261 84-85 296 337 279

6th Grade

82-83 245 242 263 83-84 246 245 236 84-85 241 240 244

CLOVER AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 301 299 263 83-84 262 257 266 84-85 282 271 261

6th Grade

82-83 270 246 281 83-84 256 266 283 84-85 290 268 286

COEUR D-ALENE AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 264 267 261 83-84 295 287 299 84-85 253 251 240

6th Grade

82-83 279 258 264 83-84 255 254 285 84-85 264 268 269

COMMUNITY MAGNET 3rd Grade

82-83 247 241 237 83-84 338 364 311 84-85 290 262 270

6th Grade

82-83 280 268 279 83-84 271 266 269 84-85 264 261 256

8th Grade

83-84 270 289 260 --- 84-85 269 244 234 257

CRESCENT HEIGHTS 6th Grade

82-83 255 239 256 83-84 255 272 242 84-85 268 268 287

EMERSON JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 264 269 268 --- 84-85 255 261 264 253

FAIRBURN AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 265 314 298 83-84 290 288 313 84-85 284 291 260

6th Grade

82-83 280 290 282 83-84 238 253 259 84-85 223 253 238

GARDNER STREET 3rd Grade

82-83 216 214 236 83-84 241 252 241 84-85 243 242 261

6th Grade

82-83 263 263 257 83-84 240 233 256 84-85 250 247 252

GRAND VIEW BOULEVARD 3rd Grade

82-83 220 235 225 83-84 231 222 226 84-85 236 256 234

6th Grade

82-83 226 246 244 83-84 239 251 256 84-85 230 273 243

GRANT 3rd Grade

82-83 214 211 236 83-84 206 211 230 84-85 229 220 238

6th Grade

82-83 180 204 224 83-84 200 218 232 84-85 220 229 255

HANCOCK PARK 3rd Grade

82-83 231 235 230 83-84 299 310 295 84-85 262 290 304

6th Grade

82-83 253 253 256 83-84 276 283 288 84-85 255 265 245

KENTER CANYON 3rd Grade

82-83 260 263 275 83-84 215 237 255 84-85 293 293 302

6th Grade

82-83 272 279 287 83-84 235 255 281 84-85 264 275 267

LAUREL 3rd Grade

82-83 274 331 285 83-84 232 250 278 84-85 244 258 271

6th Grade

82-83 249 256 272 83-84 226 235 260 84-85 260 253 255

LE CONTE JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 168 171 182 --- 84-85 167 170 190 186

LOS ANGELES C.E.S 6th Grade

83-84 271 271 270 84-85 270 281 265

8th Grade

83-84 290 307 277 --- 84-85 274 279 267 178

MARINA DEL REY JR. HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 207 205 209 --- 84-85 205 236 235 213

MARQUEZ AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 298 321 376 83-84 381 389 424 84-85 391 354 381

6th Grade

82-83 271 264 268 83-84 318 294 352 84-85 299 319 315

MAR VISTA 3rd Grade

82-83 281 271 287 83-84 267 280 265 84-85 281 285 262

6th Grade

82-83 263 269 271 83-84 270 263 271 84-85 269 250 266

MELROSE AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 219 230 224 83-84 229 247 274 84-85 251 250 243

6th Grade

82-83 255 254 238 83-84 248 260 268 84-85 260 331 333

MT. VERNON JR. HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 179 171 157 --- 84-85 146 151 161 168

OPEN SCHOOL 3rd Grade

82-83 243 259 255 83-84 301 344 301 84-85 287 296 288

6th Grade

82-83 371 347 353 83-84 336 291 309 84-85 373 288 296

OVERLAND AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 303 353 322 83-84 277 259 276 84-85 315 292 288

6th Grade

82-83 240 254 250 83-84 272 278 322 84-85 241 248 260

PACIFIC PALISADES 3rd Grade

82-83 260 256 260 83-84 252 247 263 84-85 256 255 260

6th Grade

82-83 293 285 292 83-84 271 272 299 84-85 240 243 278

PALMS 3rd Grade

82-83 242 232 235 83-84 239 245 240 84-85 244 237 226

6th Grade

82-83 249 255 262 83-84 246 240 239 84-85 242 249 258

PALMS JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 227 244 225 --- 84-85 237 241 231 234

PALMS MAGNET 8th Grade

83-84 399 404 359 --- 84-85 390 395 354 360

PASTEUR JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 190 182 162 --- 84-85 176 182 181 189

PLAYA DEL REY 3rd Grade

82-83 287 304 277 83-84 261 271 287 84-85 309 308 316

6th Grade

82-83 318 274 303 83-84 217 243 255 84-85 267 258 276

REVERE JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 271 273 273 --- 84-85 282 283 280 289

RICHLAND AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 261 248 292 83-84 292 275 265 84-85 258 265 258

6th Grade

82-83 262 255 265 83-84 244 235 263 84-85 262 250 253

ROSCOMARE ROAD 3rd Grade

82-83 268 265 303 83-84 284 311 273 84-85 255 277 252

6th Grade

82-83 259 245 280 83-84 264 272 255 84-85 269 269 276

ROSEWOOD AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 301 293 288 83-84 292 299 277 84-85 275 291 268

6th Grade

82-83 264 243 251 83-84 277 265 276 84-85 257 264 257

SELMA AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 223 210 232 83-84 228 216 247 84-85 209 228 234

6th Grade

82-83 212 191 221 83-84 208 222 256 84-85 226 229 233

SHENANDOAH STREET 3rd Grade

82-83 232 245 245 83-84 226 254 235 84-85 243 245 230

6th Grade

82-83 204 230 197 83-84 231 220 223 84-85 214 233 234

SHORT AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 225 236 231 83-84 233 227 238 84-85 259 259 258

6th Grade

82-83 235 251 251 83-84 257 250 262 84-85 227 237 220

STERRY 3rd Grade

82-83 227 226 245 83-84 229 233 251 84-85 254 246 269

6th Grade

82-83 226 249 291 83-84 254 301 288 84-85 242 241 252

STONER AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 205 206 207 83-84 214 219 220 84-85 260 299 239

6th Grade

82-83 211 222 232 83-84 219 216 239 84-85 209 216 232

VALLEY VIEW 3rd Grade

82-83 216 210 224 83-84 215 235 240 84-85 232 250 257

6th Grade

82-83 222 217 225 83-84 221 235 236 84-85 223 248 233

VAN NESS AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 218 230 240 83-84 243 252 258 84-85 241 267 253

6th Grade

82-83 225 226 246 83-84 233 240 258 84-85 252 243 261

VINE STREET 3rd Grade

82-83 212 226 219 83-84 224 221 240 84-85 247 246 253

6th Grade

82-83 224 216 245 83-84 211 210 233 84-85 226 240 245

WALGROVE AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 244 236 229 83-84 249 242 235 84-85 195 214 198

6th Grade

82-83 239 246 272 83-84 232 244 241 84-85 235 252 265

WARNER AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 271 264 268 83-84 273 291 297 84-85 264 276 267

6th Grade

82-83 253 246 254 83-84 257 266 268 84-85 266 257 267

WEBSTER JUNIOR HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 255 254 261 --- 84-85 243 256 254 239

WEST HOLLYWOOD 3rd Grade

82-83 226 241 246 83-84 237 264 263 84-85 246 236 258

6th Grade

82-83 270 248 257 83-84 240 239 263 84-85 217 221 234

8th Grade

84-85 109 125 111 125

WESTMINSTER AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 169 186 175 83-84 177 184 180 84-85 223 233 227

6th Grade

82-83 167 189 175 83-84 197 194 187 84-85 162 197 185

WESTSIDE ALTERNATIVE 3rd Grade

82-83 193 206 188 83-84 199 194 191 84-85 217 242 205

6th Grade

82-83 228 237 240 83-84 210 245 221 84-85 260 252 250

8th Grade

83-84 275 260 250 --- 84-85 270 285 236 241

WESTWOOD 3rd Grade

82-83 228 236 219 83-84 241 251 242 84-85 264 274 260

6th Grade

82-83 278 295 305 83-84 251 248 246 84-85 236 237 259

WILSHIRE CREST 3rd Grade

82-83 228 233 221 83-84 220 225 210 84-85 215 245 219

6th Grade

82-83 238 241 243 83-84 230 220 240 84-85 232 226 254

WILTON PLACE 3rd Grade

82-83 215 217 243 83-84 214 229 244 84-85 223 236 263

6th Grade

82-83 234 232 275 83-84 200 215 261 84-85 241 243 271

WONDERLAND AVENUE 3rd Grade

82-83 224 286 270 83-84 289 370 331 84-85 284 323 339

6th Grade

82-83 264 242 277 83-84 294 329 333 84-85 241 248 244

WONDERLAND MAGNET 3rd Grade

83-84 374 396 354 84-85 359 347 388

6th Grade

83-8 388 356 370 84-85 390 386 386

SANTA MONICA UNIFIED

ADAMS JR. HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 226 233 250 --- 84-85 259 241 249 243

EDISON ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 209 201 228 83-84 219 223 253 84-85 235 219 238

6th Grade

82-83 212 236 226 83-84 218 231 225 84-85 218 231 257

FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 339 333 323 83-84 316 320 311 84-85 328 337 302

6th Grade

82-83 318 305 316 83-84 298 288 324 84-85 314 322 329

GRANT ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 323 299 294 83-84 323 309 303 84-85 329 297 311

6th Grade

82-83 285 283 304 83-84 259 290 296 84-85 270 258 268

LINCOLN JR. HIGH 8th Grade

83-84 269 279 296 --- 84-85 269 283 309 281

MADISON ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 260 245 276 83-84 248 242 267 84-85 241 239 225

6th Grade

82-83 248 254 241 83-84 242 239 257 84-85 224 230 221

MALIBU PARK 3rd Grade

84-85 318 309 312

6th Grade

84-85 294 291 294

8th Grade

83-84 328 324 321 --- 84-85 280 294 286 325

MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 258 250 248 83-84 230 252 221 84-85 238 244 245

6th Grade

82-83 240 243 260 83-84 279 270 267 84-85 229 259 234

MUIR ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 245 264 269 83-84 245 244 244 84-85 256 267 295

6th Grade

82-83 273 275 258 83-84 255 241 269 84-85 249 245 229

ROGERS ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 220 224 241 83-84 238 239 248 84-85 259 253 268

6th Grade

82-83 262 258 253 83-84 218 240 240 84-85 267 298 318

ROOSEVELT 3rd Grade

82-83 286 295 283 83-84 310 311 288 84-85 299 287 264

6th Grade

82-83 306 293 295 83-84 286 293 282 84-85 309 309 286

WEBSTER ELEMENTARY 3rd Grade

82-83 258 273 272 83-84 390 389 365 84-85 336 367 371

SM-MALIBU ALTERNATIVE

83-84 357 325 390 84-85 256 263 315

6th Grade

83-84 305 314 290 84-85 281 269 303

8th Grade

83-84 310 321 291 --- 84-85 263 282 341 364