8th-Graders’ Reading Scores Drop

Glendale’s eighth-grade reading scores for 1990 fell below the state average for the first time, and scores in three other categories tested by the California Assessment Program also dipped slightly, according to results released this week by the state Department of Education.

School officials said Tuesday that the decline in reading scores possibly could be linked to a 6% increase in the district’s enrollment of students who speak limited English. They said administrators and teachers, however, are still trying to determine the exact cause of the drop.

“As our proportion of limited-English proficient students increases, I think it could be expected that that’s an area we would have some difficulty with,” said Don Empey, deputy superintendent of instruction.

The statewide testing program measures the performance of students in grades three, six, eight and 12 in a variety of subjects. It is designed to produce scores for districts and individual schools, but not for individual students.

Statewide, eighth-graders achieved slight improvements in reading, math, science, and history and social science. The students’ written language skills also were tested, but those results will not be available for several weeks, state officials said.

Glendale third- and sixth-graders scored about the same as last year in the categories of reading, math and written language, and remained comfortably above the state average.

Third-graders’ scores of 296 in reading and 297 in math remained unchanged from last year and were above the state averages of 275 and 283 in those categories. Their written language score dropped from 299 to 298, compared to the state average of 277.

Sixth-grade students’ reading scores dropped by three points to 275. The sixth-grade math score was up four points to 285, and the written language score rose one point to 283. Statewide, sixth-graders averaged 261, 270 and 268, respectively, in those areas.

“Overall, we’re pleased with the results,” Empey said. “Compared to where we were five years ago, our schools are doing quite well.”

But the reading scores of eighth-graders dropped from 267 to 256, compared with a one-point increase, from 256 to 257, in the state average. The district’s eighth-grade scores also dropped from 288 to 286 in math, from 274 to 267 in history and social science, and from 282 to 277 in science.

The reading score was the district’s lowest in that category since 1985, when testing for eighth-graders began, test results showed.

In the La Canada Unified School District, which has three elementary schools and one high school, third-grade scores dropped from last year in reading, written language and math, but remained well above the state average in all three areas.

The district’s sixth-grade scores fell in reading and written language but rose in math, while the eighth-grade scores improved across the board.

La Canada students consistently have placed in the top 96 percentile of districts statewide in all areas tested, said Andrew Meyer, the district’s assistant superintendent.

“The scores are high overall, and that we are pleased about,” Meyer said. “But on the other hand, there are a couple that show a decline, and we are trying to figure out what might have influenced that.”

Gov. George Deukmejian in August virtually eliminated the California Assessment Program when he vetoed its $12.4-million budget. As a result, no statewide testing of 12th-grade students is being done this year. But Glendale officials have decided to give their own writing test in January or February to high school juniors and seniors, Empey said.

HOW TO READ THE SCORES

These are results of the California Assessment Program tests for third, sixth and eighth grades.

State officials say the scores are intended to provide a way to assess schoolwide academic performance. Students do not receive individual scores.

Schools are listed alphabetically by district. Scores are scaled between approximately 100 and 400, although a few scores may be higher or lower. A school’s scores may be compared to district and state averages. For example, if the third grade at your school scored 295 in math, and the state average is 283, children at your school are performing at a higher level than most third-graders statewide.

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

Students in grades three and six last spring were given multiple-choice tests in reading, written language (including grammar and spelling) and mathematics. Last spring’s eighth-graders were tested in reading, math, history-social sciences and science. Eighth-graders also took an essay test to assess their writing skills. Results of the essay test are expected next month.

In some cases a specialized or “magnet” school has its campus on the grounds of a regular school. State officials have combined the scores, so separate results are not available.

Schools in this section generally are in Glendale (see home edition for these scores), Northeast Los Angeles (see home edition for most of these scores) and La Crescenta-La Canada. Scores for the rest of Los Angeles Unified schools will appear over the next several days. Additional scores will appear in appropriate suburban sections.

STATEWIDE AVERAGES

These statewide averages may be useful in comparing the performance of students in elementary and junior high or middle schools. 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 275 277 283 88-89 277 278 278 87-88 282 284 281

6rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 261 268 270 88-89 262 269 267 87-88 265 273 270

8th Grade

Reading Math SS Sci 89-90 257 271 260 269 88-89 256 269 259 267 87-88 252 264 253 263

1990 CAP SCORES La Canada Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 352 335 341 88-89 359 346 346 87-88 386 368 358

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 305 317 337 88-89 334 327 331 87-88 335 333 347

8th Grade

Reading Math SS Sci 89-90 347 363 376 349 88-89 345 352 354 333 87-88 359 365 365 357

LA CANADA 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 359 334 343 88-89 337 329 344 87-88 389 365 337

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 329 326 343 88-89 329 318 326 87-88 348 334 341

LA CANADA HIGH 8th Grade

Reading Math SS Sci 89-90 347 363 376 349 88-89 345 352 354 333 87-88 359 365 365 357

PALM CREST 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 357 329 344 88-89 373 366 346

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 300 305 336 88-89 327 318 313

PARADISE CANYON 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 342 340 338 88-89 373 349 347 87-88 383 371 374

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 293 319 333 88-89 345 341 346 87-88 326 331 351

Los Angeles Unified DISTRICT AVERAGE 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 237 238 240 88-89 239 241 236 87-88 240 243 237

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 230 236 237 88-89 230 235 234 87-88 228 238 234

8th Grade

Reading Math SS Sci 89-90 212 226 217 226 88-89 211 225 215 225 87-88 205 220 207 219

BUSHNELL WAY 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 227 226 227 88-89 232 230 231 87-88 212 216 227

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 244 255 243 88-89 238 234 220 87-88 217 235 244

CLIFFORD STREET 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 274 251 255 88-89 284 280 263 87-88 304 270 235

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 216 250 248 88-89 268 261 291 87-88 260 290 272

GRANT 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 238 221 249 88-89 228 253 253 87-88 258 257 251

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 233 236 243 88-89 233 248 252 87-88 233 241 236

KING, THOMAS STARR 8th Grade

Reading Math SS Sci 89-90 231 232 227 234 88-89 211 231 225 232 87-88 204 223 210 221

SAN PASCUAL AVENUE 3rd Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 250 270 244 88-89 269 288 278 87-88 268 289 263

6th Grade

Reading Writing Math 89-90 254 274 276 88-89 250 267 254 87-88 244 293 269