County Pupils Net Big Gains on CAP Tests

Public school students throughout San Diego County continue to show higher gains than other California districts on statewide standardized achievement tests, based on the latest results released Friday.

Scores on the 1987-88 California Assessment Program tests for third-, sixth- and eighth-grade students in 39 districts countywide were higher in almost all cases than those achieved on the same tests last year, and scores continued an upward trend over an eight-year period going back to 1981 when the testing program began.

“We showed improvements in every content area--reading, written expression and math--at every grade level tested, and we especially showed improvement in reading at the eighth-grade level,” Tom Boysen, superintendent of schools for the San Diego County Office of Education, said Friday in releasing the results.

Yearly Improvements

“We continue to be above the state average in more than 80% of the districts, but what I find more interesting is that districts in the county continue to show larger improvements from year to year than other districts in the state.

“I think that reflects the fact that schools in the county are very strong, that they are better focused on teaching what is contained in state educational frameworks for individual curriculums and are more oriented to student performance.”

For example, Boysen pointed to the eighth-grade results for San Diego County schools. Reading scores improved 2.5% in the county contrasted with 0.8% statewide, written expression scores jumped 6.4% countywide contrasted with 5.2% for the state, and math scores improved 7.6% in the county and 5.6% statewide.

San Diego Unified Praised

Boysen praised San Diego Unified--the county’s largest district, which covers much of the city of San Diego--as well as the county’s other large urban districts for sustained improvements, despite having larger numbers of limited English-speaking students and higher transiency rates because of populations with lower socioeconomic factors.

“If you look around the state in general, you see suburban and rural districts pulling away from those in urban areas, but that is not the case here,” he said.

The districts with the higher scores in San Diego County are those in the rapidly growing and more economically affluent North County, such as San Dieguito, Poway, Carlsbad and Solana Beach. Those districts with more heterogeneous student populations, especially districts in the South Bay, didn’t score as high, although their percentage improvements still please Boysen.

“Sure . . . socioeconomic factors are the main reason” for the score differentials, Boysen said. “But one thing to be noted is the South Bay school district, for example, which has dramatically improved its scores over the past seven years--226%--and that shows many things can be done.”

CAP tests are the state Department of Education’s effort to measure the state’s educational pulse each year. CAP results are reported statewide, countywide, for individual districts, and for individual schools, but not for individual students. They are intended to measure basic skills of students as large groups to determine whether the math, English and social studies goals set by the department are being met.

During the spring testing, each student takes only a small portion of a total CAP test and may answer more questions in one skill area than another. But, across an entire school or district, enough students will take a sufficient number of all parts of a test to allow an accurate assessment of the school or area. In this way, the CAP test can be given on a single day, causing a minimum loss of teaching time.

True Test of Curriculum

State officials say the content of the CAP test comes from the curriculum, in contrast with many standardized exams that might test items not taught in schools.

Teachers from throughout California have established state frameworks in math, history and other specific content areas, representing the best consensus as to what general themes should be taught at each grade level.

The CAP tests are based on those frameworks. If the math framework says that decimals are an important skill for sixth-graders to master, then the CAP test will reflect that. If the test results show poor performance on decimals, a school can alter its curriculum.

Later this year, CAP scores will be broken down for individual schools, as well as by school expectancy bands, based on an area’s socioeconomic level.

For example, La Jolla High School might score much higher than Lincoln High School, which serves students from a much poorer economic area. As a result, both schools also will be ranked on how they compared with schools in their same economic band. Both scores and ranking have been used by state officials in determining a school’s success.

Boysen said parents should look at both the total scores of schools where their children attend and percentage gains being made.

“If a school is constantly improving, then it is a good school” despite the socioeconomic level, Boysen said.

STATEWIDE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 280 285 283 86-87 282 287 285 87-88 282 284 265 6th Grade 85-86 260 268 271 86-87 260 271 268 87-88 265 273 281 8th Grade 85-86 243 248 253 86-87 247 254 259 87-88 252 263 264

COUNTYWIDE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 295 301 298 86-87 298 303 303 87-88 282 304 279 6th Grade 85-86 270 286 281 86-87 274 286 284 87-88 279 282 304 8th Grade 85-86 257 263 269 86-87 263 270 277 87-88 271 281 286

ALPINE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 326 327 315 86-87 329 340 322 87-88 298 298 296 6th Grade 85-86 274 289 284 86-87 281 264 286 87-88 289 297 294 8th Grade 85-86 287 295 291 86-87 283 276 276 87-88 287 293 278

BONSALL

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 355 339 374 86-87 319 333 354 87-88 372 349 354 6th Grade 85-86 280 299 286 86-87 263 285 270 87-88 315 298 293 8th Grade 85-86 286 291 286 86-87 246 266 268 87-88 262 272 300

BORREGO SPRINGS

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 261 254 249 86-87 253 268 257 87-88 287 296 320 6th Grade 85-86 271 291 277 86-87 258 275 289 87-88 274 294 313 8th Grade 85-86 206x 249x 220 86-87 280 262 311 87-88 271 299 259

CAJON VALLEY

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 289 302 300 86-87 299 304 304 87-88 303 301 290 6th Grade 85-86 265 290 274 86-87 274 288 277 87-88 284 293 286 8th Grade 85-86 267 270 283 86-87 269 272 282 87-88 284 290 298

CARDIFF

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 353 339 335 86-87 338 355 345 87-88 339 331 354 6th Grade 85-86 312 328 301 86-87 308 341 289 87-88 320 308 309

CARLSBAD

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 293 322 345 86-87 329 342 351 87-88 321 340 330 6th Grade 85-86 293 322 301 86-87 285 295 296 87-88 308 318 308 8th Grade 85-86 265 267 271 86-87 278 297 286 87-88 312 315 299

CHULA VISTA

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 279 282 296 86-87 276 276 297 87-88 272 274 298 6th Grade 85-86 262 275 280 86-87 265 270 281 87-88 267 274 278

CORONADO

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 388 370 415 86-87 375 350 387 87-88 373 351 361 6th Grade 85-86 296 309 325 86-87 298 299 306 87-88 309 312 308 8th Grade 85-86 295 291 276 86-87 292 286 292 87-88 327 329 334

DEHESA

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 313 303 267 86-87 265 286 254 87-88 282 306 244 6th Grade 85-86 301 269 264 86-87 312 296 264 87-88 296 264 279

DEL MAR

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 339 352 339 86-87 371 389 376 87-88 358x 373 378 6th Grade 85-86 347 329 337 86-87 352 367 357 87-88 326 364 361

ENCINITAS

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 333 327 325 86-87 337 343 331 87-88 342 326 324 6th Grade 85-86 324 323 323 86-87 329 329 335 87-88 313 315 310

ESCONDIDO UNION

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 297 301 283 86-87 287 296 283 87-88 292 300 293 6th Grade 85-86 273 281 276 86-87 279 288 286 87-88 275 279 279 8th Grade 85-86 274 296 272 86-87 276 284 281 87-88 272 289 276

FALLBROOK UNION

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 329 340 338 86-87 325 322 344 87-88 328 327 340 6th Grade 85-86 273 275 288 86-87 283 281 288 87-88 298 304 309 8th Grade 85-86 277 279 287 86-87 260 274 293 87-88 268 280 309

JAMUL-DULZURA UNION

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 302 287 311 86-87 289 290 295 87-88 315 291 318 6th Grade 85-86 284 292 264 86-87 298 294 275 87-88 298 294 285 8th Grade 85-86 267 255 254 86-87 280 276 282 87-88 291 299 269

JULIAN UNION

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 303 349 288 86-87 373 320 308 87-88 319 299 291 6th Grade 85-86 267 259 278 86-87 283 312 253 87-88 354 313 318 8th Grade 85-86 300 297 291 86-87 273 267 258 87-88 307 322 292

LAKESIDE UNION

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 279 299 281 86-87 298 305 288 87-88 294 299 281 6th Grade 85-86 258 276 270 86-87 262 261 267 87-88 275 287 270 8th Grade 85-86 248 258 257 86-87 260 262 271 87-88 265 262 275

LA MESA- SPRING VALLEY

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 293 288 286 86-87 293 290 289 87-88 282 285 293 6th Grade 85-86 283 276 280 86-87 288 281 281 87-88 261 263 266 8th Grade 85-86 269 268 270 86-87 279 274 283 87-88 275 280 285

LEMON GROVE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 299 301 284 86-87 290 303 306 87-88 297 295 303 6th Grade 85-86 263 291 262 86-87 277 285 286 87-88 280 288 287 8th Grade 85-86 236 247 229 86-87 287 296 294 87-88 281 282 279

MT. EMPIRE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 288 291 273 86-87 286 285 271 87-88 276 274 249 6th Grade 85-86 274 268 276 86-87 249 272 263 87-88 261 277 254 8th Grade 85-86 223 236 236 86-87 209 201 222 87-88 227 234 257

NATIONAL

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 224 229 240 86-87 269 266 279 87-88 263 266 262 6th Grade 85-86 234 252 251 86-87 249 256 255 87-88 252 260 251

OCEANSIDE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 284 301 301 86-87 279 296 293 87-88 285 298 300 6th Grade 85-86 264 285 295 86-87 263 276 282 87-88 268 280 281 8th Grade 85-86 227 236 236 86-87 231 236 239 87-88 236 257 239

PAUMA

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 249 255 241 86-87 337 320 311 87-88 255 263 244 6th Grade 85-86 223 271 249 86-87 276 260 272 87-88 218 235 240 8th Grade 85-86 213 233 213 86-87 275 261 268 87-88 215 251 244

POWAY

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 366 360 358 86-87 361 359 353 87-88 355 356 357 6th Grade 85-86 311 306 306 86-87 314 305 314 87-88 318 306 319 8th Grade 85-86 302 311 310 86-87 317 325 328 87-88 326 338 337

RAMONA

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 297 297 268 86-87 289 292 273 87-88 297 302 301 6th Grade 85-86 269 276 262 86-87 278 284 267 87-88 284 300 286 8th Grade 85-86 244 243 242 86-87 277 275 273 87-88 265 262 263

RANCHO SANTA FE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 381 334 390 86-87 360 361 353 87-88 349 344 370 6th Grade 85-86 331 332 343 86-87 343 351 355 87-88 352 350 341 8th Grade 85-86 274 371 407 86-87 362 365 342 87-88 375 416 369

SAN DIEGO UNIFIED

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 287 294 289 86-87 289 297 292 87-88 297 303 293 6th Grade 85-86 264 288 276 86-87 267 288 278 87-88 272 289 281 8th Grade 85-86 246 260 270 86-87 254 264 277 87-88 258 275 286

SAN DIEGUITO UNION HIGH

Reading Writing Math 8th Grade 85-86 304 299 330 86-87 298 302 330 87-88 340 342 372

SAN MARCOS

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 310 314 326 86-87 315 301 327 87-88 314 320 331 6th Grade 85-86 279 291 294 86-87 279 292 304 87-88 293 291 309 8th Grade 85-86 263 267 274 86-87 243 245 274 87-88 283 286 298

SAN PASQUAL

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 343 341 335 86-87 249 279 246 87-88 276 320 264 6th Grade 85-86 309 291 317 86-87 282 285 327 87-88 252 381 366 8th Grade 85-86 314 302 296 86-87 254 279 287 87-88 290 274 273

SANTEE

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 302 317 301 86-87 309 322 314 87-88 312 328 313 6th Grade 85-86 289 296 288 86-87 295 305 303 87-88 304 311 301 8th Grade 85-86 284 286 281 86-87 301 304 302 87-88 304 309 296

SAN YSIDRO

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 233 240 230 96-87 222 230 229 87-88 230 229 244 6th Grade 85-86 164 191 179 86-87 183 207 190 87-88 193 211 202 8th Grade 85-86 201 211 225 86-87 181 194 201 87-88 183 192 194

SOLANA BEACH

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 330 329 329 86-87 333 328 346 87-88 368 364 367 6th Grade 85-86 342 325 353 86-87 309 327 340 87-88 322 331 338

SOUTH BAY

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 283 291 306 86-87 306 313 333 87-88 299 304 340 6th Grade 85-86 264 289 285 86-87 275 293 308 87-88 282 296 314

SPENCER VALLEY

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 404 320 331 86-87 269 278 277 87-88 300 285 325 6th Grade 85-86 ---- ---- ---- 86-87 379 329 341 87-88 286 331 377

SWEETWATER UNION HIGH

Reading Writing Math 8th Grade 85-86 237 240 243 86-87 239 249 251 87-88 249 256 258

VALLECITOS

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 281 273 303 86-87 296 277 324 87-88 292 299 326 6th Grade 85-86 309 296 297 86-87 280 321 286 87-88 246 270 256 8th Grade 85-86 162 187 193 86-87 296 308 265 87-88 294 308 265

VALLEY CENTER

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 276 283 281 86-87 272 284 282 87-88 325 322 313 6th Grade 85-86 280 289 288 86-87 294 293 303 87-88 297 309 297 8th Grade 85-86 274 284 286 86-87 273 296 279 87-88 296 290 302

VISTA

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 298 307 301 86-87 304 307 306 87-88 289 291 283 6th Grade 85-86 265 269 279 86-87 253 276 275 87-88 266 273 285 8th Grade 85-86 250 258 263 86-87 254 257 266 87-88 252 259 265

WARNER

Reading Writing Math 3rd Grade 85-86 295 344 309 86-87 315 341 304 87-88 300 300 300 6th Grade 85-86 262 299 274 86-87 246 280 254 87-88 286 297 306 8th Grade 85-86 273 280 283 86-87 300 276 295 87-88 296 255 286