EDUCATION GAP:

Year after year at Sunkist Elementary School in Anaheim, students turn in some of the highest scores in the state on the California Assessment Program tests. Meanwhile, in Huntington Beach, Oak View Elementary School struggles with scores that rank near the bottom. The contrast illustrates the vast differences among Orange County schools, disparities that challenge educators even in a county known for its consistently above-average scores on the tests. In today’s Section U, a special report gives school-by-school scores for Orange County third, sixth and eighth graders tested last April. The report also examines the reasons for the gaps among schools, explains how to interpret the scores and explores the debate over their value in measuring academic performance.