Countywide : 10 County Schools Are High Scorers

Ten Ventura County schools, including five in the Conejo Valley, ranked among the highest statewide for achievement on a standardized test, according to a recent independent study.

The study, compiled by California School Surveys of Walnut Creek, compares scores of students who took California Assessment Program tests in May, 1990.

Schools are ranked on four “top 100 lists,” reflecting the four grade levels--third, sixth, eighth and 12th--that are tested. Students are quizzed on subjects including math, reading, writing, science and history, depending on their grade level.

In the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Meadows Elementary School ranked 71st for third-grade CAP scores, Westlake Elementary School ranked 88th for sixth grade, Redwood and Los Cerritos intermediate schools tied for 97th place for eighth grade and Thousand Oaks High School ranked 97th for 12th-grade scores.

Richard Simpson, an assistant superintendent, said the high test scores are the result of improved curriculum over the past decade. He said the district has focused on skills such as writing.

“This isn’t a test that you can study for overnight. It has to reflect long-term efforts,” Simpson said.

Five other county schools also received recognition for their 1990 CAP test scores. Oak Park High School in Agoura ranked 44th for 12th-grade scores, Hollow Hills Elementary School in Simi Valley ranked 48th for third grade, Mound Elementary School in Ventura ranked 52nd for third grade, Medea Creek Middle School in Agoura ranked 52nd for eighth grade and Los Primeros Structured Elementary School in Camarillo ranked 70th for eighth-grade scores.

Cupertino Union Elementary School District in Northern California was the top-ranking school district in the state in 1990, with 18 of its 22 schools placing on top 100 lists.