SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Test Scores Top State, National Averages

Students at all grade levels in the Capistrano Unified School District scored well above state and national averages on a variety of assessment tests last year.

District officials told trustees Monday they believe the results validate the work of teachers and administrators from kindergarten through high school.

“Where all student scores are factored in, we are enjoying continued improvement and a positive growth curve,” said Assistant Supt. Barbara F. Smith.

The tests included aptitude and achievement tests for college placement to standardized tests measuring elementary school pupils’ progress.

“I am extremely proud of what is happening in our school district,” Trustee Annette B. Gude said.

District officials said they were especially pleased with results from the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the entrance exam used by hundreds of state and private universities and colleges.

Although a greater percentage of seniors took the SAT in 1993 than in 1992, which often will drive down the districtwide results, the average verbal score increased 10 points and the average math score went up 9 points.

In 1993, 46% of Capistrano Unified’s seniors took the SAT, compared to 44% in 1992. The average 1993 verbal score was 457 and the average math score was 528. The combined score of 985 placed the district 44 points above the state average and 50 points above the national average.

Patrick Levens, coordinator of secondary instructional support, noted that students who reported themselves in the top 10% of their graduating class did exceptionally well.

“Their scores are absolutely phenomenal when you compare them to the state and national data,” he said.

The average combined verbal and math score for the top students was 1193, 107 points higher than their state counterparts and 94 points above the national mean. Their performance also showed a 20-point increase from 1992 and a leap of 60 points from five years before.

Seniors performed similarly on Advanced Placement tests, college board achievement tests and the American College Testing Program tests. The composite ACT score in 1993 dropped to 23.3 from 23.6 in 1992 because of declines in math and reading, but stayed ahead of the state and national scores of 21.3 and 20.7, respectively. Twenty-five more students, 269, took the test in 1993.

High school and middle school students also placed above average in the Golden State Examinations administered by the California Department of Education. The exams tested students’ abilities in first-year algebra, geometry, U.S. history, economics, biology and chemistry. Whereas 37% of students statewide received special recognition for strong performance on the tests, 58% of Capistrano Unified students achieved the honor.

Finally, in the California Achievement Test that measures basic skills of young pupils, 95% of the district’s elementary schools recorded averages at or above grade level.