SCHOOL--BY--SCHOOL EIGHTH--GRADE WRITING ACHIEVEMENT SCORES : Assessment Exams Affect Curriculum, Survey Shows

If one of the goals of regular statewide testing is to help shape what goes on in the classroom, then state education officials have reason to be cheered by results of a statewide survey that looks at the newly revised California Assessment Program’s writing exam.

“To show continued success on the CAP writing test, schools must develop a multiyear approach to writing instruction that crosses all grade levels and subject areas,” state Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig said when the test results were made public in February. And that is apparently what is happening.

The statewide survey by two college professors showed that the writing exam is having an effect on the English curriculum in junior highs and middle schools.

Profs. Sandra Murphy of San Francisco State University and Charles Cooper of UC San Diego sent their survey to eighth-grade teachers at 600 randomly selected schools, and more than 90% of English teachers responding said the test will strengthen the curriculum at their schools.

The annual test, administered to 308,000 eighth-graders last spring, covers eight types of writing. All essays must be completed in 45 minutes, and each is scored to measure thinking and writing process skills as well as such mechanics of writing as spelling and grammar.

More than 90% of the survey respondents also said they have already changed the way they teach writing because of the test, and 78% said they now make more writing assignments.

Four types of writing--autobiographical incident, evaluation, problem solution and report of information--were introduced when the writing assessment program was launched in 1987. First-hand biography and story were added in 1988, followed last year by the addition of observational writing and speculation about causes or effects.

A writing exam for 12th-graders was begun in the fall of 1988 and will be fully implemented with eight tests this November. State officials are considering whether to add writing tests for sixth-graders and possibly for third-graders.

HOW TO READ THE SCORES

Here are the school-by-school results of the California Assessment Program’s writing exam that was administered to eighth-graders throughout the state last spring.

The exam consists of eight tests of writing ability and represents the state’s biggest step to date away from the much-criticized multiple-choice method of testing academic achievement.

Results are listed by school district and by individual school so that parents can compare the performance of youngsters in their community with that of students in the rest of Los Angeles County and throughout California. (Schools are listed alphabetically by district.)

Because the exam was changed substantially last year with the addition of two more writing tests, only the latest round of scores is listed.

Scaled score is a combination of results on each of the eight separate writing tests. The statewide average score was 255 for eighth-graders, and the average in Los Angeles County was 230.

Relative rank is a way to compare a district or school with another that is similar to it in terms of student ethnic and socioeconomic makeup and students’ ability to speak English fluently, as well as how often those students move from school to school. The value listed is the school’s percentile rank within its comparison group.

State rank shows the school or district’s rank (on a scale of 1 to 99), comparing its scores to scores of every other school or district in the state.

ABC Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 280 74 60

CARMENITA

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 288 77 34

HASKELL

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 283 73 53

KILLINGSWORTH

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 189 9 24

ROSS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 258 54 45

TETZLAFF

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 291 79 67

WHITNEY

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 439 99 99

Bellflower Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 259 55 44

BELLFLOWER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 248 44 47

MAYFAIR

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 271 64 40

Compton Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 145 1 2

BUNCHE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 121 1 1

DAVIS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 146 2 1

ENTERPRISE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 145 1 2

ROOSEVELT

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 144 1 1

VANGUARD

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 167 3 2

WALTON

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 159 3 3

WHALEY

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 133 1 1

WILLOWBROOK

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 155 2 3

Downey Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 260 56 56

EAST

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 272 65 49

GRIFFITHS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 275 67 61

SOUTH

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 236 34 41

WEST

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 262 57 73

East Whittier City Elementary DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 254 50 37

EAST WHITTIER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 252 47 54

GRANADA

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 260 56 27

HILLVIEW

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 249 45 27

El Rancho Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 209 17 33

BURKE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 230 29 36

NORTH PARK

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 211 17 49

RIVERA

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 186 9 9

Little Lake City Elementary DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 248 45 57

LAKE CENTER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 250 45 58

LAKESIDE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 247 43 56

Long Beach Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 232 31 38

BANCROFT

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 266 61 45

DeMILLE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 223 24 23

FRANKLIN

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 202 14 40

HAMILTON

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 203 15 15

HILL

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 237 35 60

HOOVER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 234 32 38

HUGHES

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 263 59 33

JEFFERSON

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 228 27 41

LINDBERGH

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 204 15 27

MARSHALL

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 224 25 40

NEWCOMB

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 321 92 88

ROGERS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 254 49 23

STANFORD

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 233 32 51

STEPHENS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 240 38 37

WASHINGTON

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 172 4 12

Los Angeles Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 202 16 21

GAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 178 7 17

NIMITZ

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 178 7 16

SOUTH GATE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 183 8 20

Los Nietos Elementary DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 221 20 42

LOS NIETOS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 221 22 42

Lowell Joint Elementary DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 284 76 37

RANCHO-STARBUCK

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 284 74 37

Lynwood Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 186 2 20

HOSLER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 186 9 20

Montebello Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 224 24 57

BELL GARDENS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 207 16 45

EASTMONT

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 220 22 59

LA MERCED INTERMEDIATE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 235 33 53

MACY

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 272 65 79

MONTEBELLO

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 217 21 56

SUVA INTERMEDIATE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 211 17 49

Norwalk-La Mirada Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 235 34 39

GLENN HIGH

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 212 18 46

LA MIRADA HIGH

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 246 43 18

NORWALK HIGH

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 245 42 52

Paramount Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 184 2 15

ALONDRA

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 196 11 17

CLEARWATER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 174 5 14

South Whittier Elementary DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 227 26 67

SOUTH WHITTIER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 227 27 67

Whittier City Elementary DISTRICT AVERAGE

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 237 37 56

DEXTER

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 237 35 63

EDWARDS

Scaled Relative State Year Score Rank Rank 88-89 237 35 47