District Officials Ponder Rise in L.A. Seniors' Test Scores

By DAVID G. SAVAGE

May 5, 1985 12 AM PT

Times Education Writer

Twelfth grade scores for schools in the Central Los Angeles and Antelope Valley districts are listed on Page 4. Continuation high school scores are not included in district totals. Additional schools scores are reported in the appropriate suburban sections.

High school seniors in Los Angeles did better this year on the state’s basic skills test.

The explanation is:

- The universities have raised their entrance requirements and the high schools have raised their graduation standards, forcing this year’s seniors to take a few more academic courses.

- The Los Angeles school district reinstated a sixth period of instruction in the high schools a year ago, giving all students a chance to take another course or two in the senior year.

- For the first time, the state gave away bonus money to schools that improved their scores, giving teachers and students a reason to get serious about the state test.

- Principals and counselors set up coaching classes to help students become “test-wise.”

- All of the above.

- None of the above.

In December, nearly 26,000 seniors in Los Angeles high schools took a brief test in reading, writing, spelling and mathematics. This exam, a part of the California Assessment Program (CAP), has been widely criticized by school officials and largely ignored by students, who don’t receive individual scores.

However, since 1982, Bill Honig, state superintendent of public instruction, often has cited the scores on this test, along with the Scholastic Aptitude Test for college-bound students, as crucial indicators of whether the schools are improving.

This year, the seniors also were competing for a share of a $14.4-million “educational incentive” fund set up by the Legislature for schools that boost their average score.

Improvement Reported

And just on cue, the seniors’ scores went up in all four areas, both in Los Angeles and statewide. (Students in the 3rd, 6th and 8th grades, take the test in April or May, and their scores won’t be available until the fall.)

But school officials are not sure what the score increase means, if anything. In 1981, former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Wilson Riles was pleased to report a rise in scores on several commonly used tests, presumably ending a decade-long slide. But the next year, during the midst of his reelection campaign, the scores went down again.

Honig, who defeated Riles, persuaded the Legislature the next year to raise the high school graduation requirements and to lengthen the school year. He said he believes the extra academic courses probably explain this year’s rise in scores.

“It only stands to reason that if you take more academic courses, you are going to do better on academic tests,” Honig said.

But he, along with many high school principals, also credited the incentive money for creating some enthusiasm for testing.

Tried Harder This Year

“The kids really tried this year,” said Garfield High School Principal Henry Gradillas, whose school won nearly $106,000 of the incentive money, the most in the district.

Gradillas and other principals said students were given extra instruction on taking tests so they wouldn’t be baffled or intimidated by the types of questions. But school officials firmly deny that students were coached on any questions that actually appeared on the test. To prevent cheating, the state uses 30 forms of the 12th-grade test, so that practically every student in a class answers a different set of questions.

“It’s really difficult to single out one factor (to explain the test score rise). It’s probably a combination of several things,” said Los Angeles school Supt. Harry Handler. “There has been a great deal of effort by administrators and teachers to improve our instructional program.

“But it’s probably premature to make any conclusion. If we have a three-year pattern of improvement, then I’ll feel more confident about saying what it means.”

How to Read the Scores

The 12th grade scores of the California Assessment Program are the mean percentage of correct answers and may be compared with scores in other schools and to district and state averages.

Dashes indicate that tests were not given or that scores were unavailable.

High School Scores for 12th Graders These state, county and district averages may be useful in comparing the performance of students at local high schools. STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 63.1 63.0 69.5 67.7 83-84 62.2 62.6 69.4 67.4 84-85 62.9 63.2 69.7 68.3

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 60.7 60.6 --- 64.9 83-84 59.4 59.8 68.0 64.3 84-85 60.1 60.5 68.3 65.3

Los Angeles Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 57.5 57.4 65.6 61.7 83-84 56.4 56.6 65.8 61.3 84-85 57.3 57.4 66.7 62.3

School-by-School Scores ARROYO SECO ALTERNATIVE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 56.8 59.6 70.8 60.6 84-85 50.4 52.2 58.3 51.5

BANNING

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 55.5 56.2 --- 58.4 83-84 53.5 53.1 66.4 57.6 84-85 53.8 53.2 66.7 58.8

BANNING MAGNET C.I.P.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 97.5 99.7 99.5 99.1

BELL

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 50.7 52.0 --- 55.3 83-84 50.0 52.1 61.2 55.2 84-85 54.4 52.3 63.5 58.9

BELMONT

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 45.7 46.9 --- 53.9 83-84 47.5 48.8 63.1 56.4 84-85 50.5 50.2 63.5 55.6

BIRMINGHAM

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 62.4 62.4 --- 67.3 83-84 61.5 63.5 69.3 68.0 84-85 62.3 63.2 70.9 68.3

CANOGA PARK

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 59.9 59.1 --- 64.0 83-84 61.1 61.2 66.4 66.7 84-85 59.1 60.3 69.0 65.8

CARSON

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 58.2 58.4 --- 60.3 83-84 54.5 54.3 64.9 57.9 84-85 56.8 55.1 67.9 60.5

CHATSWORTH

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 64.7 63.9 --- 70.1 83-84 62.7 63.2 69.9 68.9 84-85 64.6 64.6 69.4 70.9

CLEVELAND

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 61.2 59.2 --- 64.6 83-84 57.3 55.4 64.9 60.0 84-85 55.0 54.5 65.5 58.3

CLEVELAND MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 67.1 66.5 75.0 70.7 84-85 62.9 64.9 72.6 66.5

CRENSHAW

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 48.7 50.0 --- 48.8 83-84 46.6 47.4 60.2 48.1 84-85 53.3 51.5 60.1 53.8

DOWNTOWN BUSINESS

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 60.5 60.9 66.8 57.8 84-85 59.3 59.6 69.6 59.0

DORSEY

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 53.7 52.1 --- 51.7 83-84 51.4 51.1 60.6 52.6 84-85 49.9 52.1 63.0 51.6

DORSEY MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 60.3 60.6 74.6 62.3

EAGLE ROCK JR.-SR.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 60.5 61.6 --- 66.2 83-84 60.9 61.6 70.4 68.1 84-85 59.9 58.7 71.2 64.0

EL CAMINO REAL

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 67.3 66.9 --- 70.6 83-84 65.8 67.4 71.6 71.2 84-85 67.8 69.3 69.7 73.8

FAIRFAX

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 60.6 62.6 --- 64.9 83-84 59.0 60.1 69.1 64.8 84-85 59.3 61.4 70.3 65.7

FAIRFAX MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 63.0 70.0 73.3 67.7 84-85 63.0 65.2 72.1 64.2

FRANKLIN

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 55.7 56.3 --- 62.8 83-84 55.0 56.4 65.5 62.6 84-85 53.0 53.1 63.7 59.2

FRANKLIN MAGNET C.I.P.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 72.6 74.7 79.3 80.1

FRANCIS POLYTECHNIC

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 59.5 58.7 --- 62.5 83-84 55.7 55.7 64.9 60.5 84-85 55.9 55.8 66.5 61.6

FREMONT

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 46.5 44.6 --- 46.7 83-84 45.2 43.2 55.7 45.5 84-85 47.4 46.3 61.0 47.1

FREMONT MAGNET C.I.P.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 62.2 53.9 --- 66.3 83-84 56.7 57.2 73.3 65.1 84-85 57.5 54.4 76.7 63.6

GARDENA

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 58.1 57.0 --- 61.9 83-84 57.2 56.7 66.3 60.5 84-85 58.0 58.9 69.2 64.0

GARFIELD

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 49.6 50.1 --- 55.1 83-84 51.8 51.0 62.9 57.6 84-85 54.3 54.8 64.6 60.0

GARFIELD COMPUTER SCIENCE MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 67.0 65.5 69.1 80.5

GRANADA HILLS

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 65.0 64.9 --- 69.3 83-84 64.4 63.9 71.8 70.4 84-85 63.0 65.0 72.7 69.6

GRANT

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 61.5 62.6 --- 67.5 83-84 57.6 58.7 65.2 62.9 84-85 58.8 58.6 67.5 65.5

HAMILTON

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 58.3 58.0 --- 61.4 83-84 54.5 52.6 64.0 56.1 84-85 58.7 58.1 65.9 60.7

HAMILTON HUMANITIES

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 66.5 71.4 73.4 69.8 84-85 74.0 65.5 72.1 71.1

HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 56.1 48.3 61.2 53.8

HOLLYWOOD

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 50.7 52.2 --- 60.2 83-84 50.5 51.1 60.7 58.4 84-85 51.2 50.8 65.3 56.8

HOLLYWOOD MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 65.3 64.4 70.5 63.2 84-85 67.0 63.0 72.6 66.5

HUNTINGTON PARK

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 49.7 49.9 --- 54.4 83-84 50.2 49.7 63.0 56.7 84-85 52.4 51.7 62.5 56.9

JEFFERSON

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 43.7 43.4 --- 48.1 83-84 44.1 43.6 58.3 48.2 84-85 45.1 43.2 55.3 50.7

JORDAN

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 42.0 38.6 --- 44.3 83-84 41.7 42.6 54.6 44.3 84-85 45.1 45.0 55.4 49.6

KENNEDY

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 61.3 61.7 --- 66.3 83-84 60.1 60.8 67.5 65.1 84-85 61.2 61.1 68.9 66.4

LINCOLN

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 47.2 49.5 --- 56.0 83-84 49.3 51.8 63.6 60.3 84-85 45.8 49.8 61.3 56.4

LINCOLN MEDICAL HEALTH MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 60.1 66.3 68.1 66.7

LOCKE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 49.6 47.5 --- 49.6 83-84 48.8 50.1 63.0 49.9 84-85 45.5 45.8 60.1 46.2

LOS ANGELES

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 55.5 55.9 --- 59.8 83-84 51.3 51.2 64.2 57.9 84-85 51.2 50.6 64.5 53.9

LOS ANGELES C.E.S.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 61.4 60.6 --- 60.0 83-84 62.5 69.3 69.7 70.6 84-85 67.1 69.2 77.3 71.2

MANUAL ARTS

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 45.1 44.5 --- 49.3 83-84 44.3 43.0 58.0 46.6 84-85 41.7 41.3 56.9 45.8

MANUAL ARTS C.L.P.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 ---- ---- --- ---- 83-84 60.3 63.6 68.3 64.4 84-85 54.2 56.8 66.7 63,8

MARSHALL

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 54.8 57.1 --- 62.9 83-84 57.5 57.8 67.5 64.4 84-85 55.2 57.1 67.4 64.1

MID-CITY ALTERNATIVE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 54.7 43.7 --- 47.3 83-84 55.4 56.3 63.5 55.9 84-85 56.9 56.7 53.8 55.5

MONROE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 60.2 59.5 --- 63.0 83-84 59.9 58.6 68.4 64.5 84-85 62.7 58.7 67.2 65.1

NARBONNE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 64.0 62.9 --- 67.7 83-84 58.2 58.4 68.8 62.3 84-85 61.1 59.9 70.5 65.9

NARBONNE MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 75.9 71.8 79.6 81.1 84-85 75.2 78.9 82.4 84.9

NORTH HOLLYWOOD

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 61.0 59.8 --- 63.4 83-84 61.1 61.0 68.7 66.4 84-85 60.8 60.5 69.3 65.8

NORTH HOLLYWOOD MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 66.5 64.0 70.9 66.4

PALISADES

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 67.7 68.3 --- 72.4 83-84 65.9 66.3 70.4 70.1 84-85 67.8 67.0 73.5 72.2

RAMONA

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 48.2 65.5 --- 40.3 83-84 44.8 41.4 56.8 34.7 84-85 46.3 44.3 68.8 50.8

RESEDA

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 60.9 60.4 --- 66.1 83-84 57.0 55.3 65.7 60.1 84-85 60.4 58.8 65.5 63.0

ROOSEVELT

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 49.2 48.1 --- 55.1 83-84 49.3 49.9 60.5 55.5 84-85 48.6 48.0 59.6 53.3

ROOSEVELT MAGNET C.I.P.

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 65.7 66.7 70.0 74.9

SAN FERNANDO

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 55.0 53.9 --- 57.4 83-84 50.4 49.9 59.9 54.0 84-85 51.1 50.5 61.8 54.3

SAN FERNANDO MAGNET C.I.P

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 65.9 65.5 64.4 71.0 84-85 71.5 68.6 73.1 77.4

SAN PEDRO

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 62.8 60.9 --- 67.6 83-84 61.1 59.0 67.3 64.9 84-85 61.9 62.1 71.3 66.3

SAN PEDRO SCIENCE MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 84-85 64.7 64.1 69.1 66.3

SHERMAN OAKS CENTER

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 56.9 47.8 --- 51.9 83-84 54.6 66.7 64.4 58.4 84-85 58.1 54.7 60.3 61.1

SOUTH GATE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 53.9 51.6 --- 57.5 83-84 51.6 51.7 60.5 57.2 84-85 52.3 55.0 64.9 60.8

SYLMAR

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 58.4 55.7 --- 58.6 83-84 56.2 54.1 62.4 57.9 84-85 55.2 55.2 63.8 59.5

TAFT

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 66.1 67.4 --- 72.1 83-84 65.6 66.0 70.4 70.8 84-85 66.1 66.8 70.9 73.2

UNIVERSITY

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 64.1 65.2 --- 70.3 83-84 64.7 65.3 70.9 72.2 84-85 64.7 67.3 70.6 72.3

VALLEY ALTERNATIVE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 53.9 46.9 --- 53.5 83-84 56.4 51.1 61.9 55.8 84-85 51.0 51.4 47.1 39.0

VAN NUYS

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 58.8 61.4 --- 63.4 83-84 58.2 58.5 67.6 62.9 84-85 58.1 59.0 65.1 61.5

VAN NUYS MATHMAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 76.6 72.9 69.3 83.6 84-85 76.6 77.0 76.9 88.8

VAN NUYS PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 68.3 66.9 69.4 64.1 84-85 65.4 61.8 72.2 63.3

VENICE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 59.4 58.7 --- 63.2 83-84 59.8 60.8 68.7 65.9 84-85 60.8 61.6 68.3 65.7

VERDUGO HILLS

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 56.6 58.3 --- 63.9 83-84 57.2 56.4 62.8 61.2 84-85 58.6 59.3 67.8 67.3

WASHINGTON

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 51.4 48.5 --- 49.1 83-84 44.8 46.9 59.2 47.7 84-85 48.6 48.0 60.3 49.3

WASHINGTON COMMUNICATIONS MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 59.3 62.2 73.0 54.5 84-85 54.2 54.9 73.0 53.1

WASHINGTON MATH & SCIENCE MAGNET

Reading Writing Spelling Math 83-84 57.6 59.6 72.8 63.9 84-85 60.9 62.0 72.8 66.1

WESTSIDE ALTERNATIVE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 68.3 63.7 --- 65.0 83-84 59.0 54.4 69.1 67.9 84-85 61.0 64.5 65.0 58.2

WESTCHESTER

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 62.6 63.7 --- 66.9 83-84 63.2 65.0 71.1 65.5 84-85 59.9 61.2 67.9 62.8

WILSON

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 52.6 53.4 --- 57.2 83-84 54.1 54.7 63.5 60.5 84-85 55.2 54.7 65.0 62.2

Antelope Valley Union DISTRICT AVERAGE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 63.5 62.8 68.2 67.3 83-84 61.1 61.0 67.1 63.8 84-85 61.2 62.1 68.2 65.2

ANTELOPE VALLEY

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 63.9 63.9 --- 68.0 83-84 61.3 61.9 67.1 64.5 84-85 60.9 61.9 68.6 66.8

PALMDALE

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 61.2 59.6 --- 63.1 83-84 59.4 57.7 66.2 61.8 84-85 60.3 61.1 66.1 61.8

QUARTZ HILL

Reading Writing Spelling Math 82-83 64.6 63.9 --- 69.5 83-84 62.6 63.0 68.0 64.8 84-85 63.0 63.8 70.1 67.1

Sample Question

Identify the group of words which is incomplete or needs additional words to complete the meaning. A. The barking dog in the driveway. B. It is humid. C. Peace continues. D. There is the mail. In the next item, Part I expresses ideas in choppy, repetitious sentences. Decide which sentence in Part II expresses these same ideas most effectively. Part I There were some loose boards. They were laid on the railroad ties. They supplied a footing for the man. They also supplied a footing for his executioners. Part II

A. Laid on the railroad ties, the man stood on some loose boards which supplied a footing for him and his executioners.

B. Some loose boards laid on the railroad ties provided a footing for the man and his executioners.

C. Some loose boards laid on the ties supporting the rails provided a footing for the man and his executioners.

D. On the railroad ties were some loose boards, and they provided a footing for the man and his executioners.

Answers: A. B.