O.C. California Learning Assessment System Scores : School Tests: A Guide to Tables

The performance of California public schools and their students is being measured in a new way. Students still take a test given statewide, but there are some major differences from past tests.

For the first time, student work is being compared to new standards in reading, writing and math. The standards are intentionally high, and the same for all schools--rich and poor, whether in Los Angeles or Anaheim or Salinas.

Tests are no longer mainly multiple choice and scored by machine. They include open-ended questions and require students to write their answers. Scoring is done by panels of trained teachers.

The California Learning Assessment System, or CLAS, was developed by the state Department of Education, which released the results to school districts and posted them electronically on America OnLine and Compuserve.

California Learning Assessment System tests were given to almost every fourth-, eighth- and 10th-grader last spring. The first results are being released today.

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HOW TO FIND YOUR SCHOOL

As a public service, The Times is publishing the results for local schools.

* To look up scores for your district, begin with the grade level. Turn to B4 for fourth grade, B6 for eighth grade and B7 for 10th grade. Districts are listed alphabetically by grade in reverse type. Schools follow in alphabetical order. District totals have been omitted when there was only one school at that grade level in the district.

HOW TO READ THE RESULTS

After locating the school, begin at the center column of the table under the category “Score.”

This center column shows the scale (1-6) used to score student performance in each subject. Six (6), at the top, indicates the highest level of performance. One (1), at the bottom, is the lowest score.

The three columns on the left of the table show the percentage of students at the school who achieved each score in three categories: R (reading), W (writing) and M (math).

Read the columns vertically under each category.

The three columns on the right of the table allow you to compare the school to similar schools. Average percentages are shown for the 100 schools judged by the state Department of Education to be most comparable in student demographics and socioeconomic status.

* When zeros appear in an entire vertical column, it means that fewer than 10 students took the test.

* Percentages do not necessarily total 100% because of rounding and statistical variations.

THE STATEWIDE STANDARDS

Here are shortened versions of the statewide performance standards used to score the tests. The standards are written to apply to all three grades tested.

READING

* Level 6: Students demonstrate insight as (they) consider a whole text . . . are confident and willing to take risks . . . open to considering and developing new ideas; explore complexities in depth; revise their interpretations; expand on the possible meanings of a text; connect ideas to their own experiences and to the world at large.

* Level 5: Students demonstrate perception and thoroughness in considering a whole text . . . are confident and willing to take risks . . . consider new ideas about a text and use the text to check their understanding; explore complexities and expand on the possible meanings; often revise their interpretations . . . connect some ideas to their own experiences and to the world at large.

* Level 4: Students demonstrate thoughtful understanding of a whole text; are confident in their interpretation, but have little willingness to take risks . . . usually connect their understanding of a text to their own experiences; when directed, use a text to check their understanding in a general or limited way; identify some general significance or wider application of their understanding of a text.

* Level 3: Students demonstrate a plausible, general understanding of a whole text. Make superficial connections among the parts of a text; are safe readers, unwilling to take risks, with little tolerance for difficulties; rarely question a text, and when they do the questions are likely to be simple or superficial; do not revise their first interpretation or explore other possibilities.

* Level 2: Students demonstrate superficial understanding; may not see a text as a whole, tending to focus only on portions; occasionally recognize ideas without connecting them; seldom ask questions of a text or offer meaningful evaluations of what they have read; and may not read a complete text.

* Level 1: Students demonstrate an understanding of only an individual word, phrase or title in a text. These readers do not demonstrate any understanding of the ideas or experiences offered or developed. Reading at this level is an act of recognizing a word or phrase rather than a process of constructing coherent meaning.

WRITING

* Level 6: Students respond creatively and effectively to the demands of a writing assignment. Writing is confident, purposeful, coherent and clearly focused, conveying the writer’s knowledge, values, insights and clarity of thought. Language is clear, distinct, varied and precise. Support ideas with appropriate reasons and well-chosen examples, skillfully using a variety of sentence structures, committing few if any errors.

* Level 5: Students respond well to the demands of a writing assignment. Writing is purposeful, coherent and focused, clearly communicating the writer’s knowledge, values and thoughts. Establishes an appropriate tone and uses effective language to support ideas with relevant reasons and examples. The writing employs a variety of sentence structures with few errors.

* Level 4: Students respond to the demands of a writing assignment, generally communicating the writer’s knowledge, values and clarity of thought. Writing is appropriately adapted to its audience, purpose and subject; coherent, adequately organized and developed, and supported by reasons and examples. Uses suitable language and employs some variety of sentence structure. Occasional errors.

* Level 3: Students respond inconsistently to the demands of a writing assignment, usually addressing all parts of the task, but having difficulty communicating knowledge and values. Writing may contain some insights, but also demonstrates confused, superficial or illogical thinking. Writing often limited in development . . . predictable vocabulary . . . simple, repetitive sentence structures and noticeable errors.

* Level 2: Students partially meet the demands of a writing assignment. Seriously limited in communicating the writer’s knowledge and values, and may address all or parts of a writing task, but with lapses in coherence. Writing is typically brief, disorganized and undeveloped, or may be vague and difficult to understand . . . frequent errors.

* Level 1: Students do not meet the demands of a writing assignment. Extremely limited in communicating the knowledge and values, and exhibit little or no concept of an audience. The writing is brief, incoherent, disorganized and undeveloped, and exhibits only a rudimentary facility in using language. Many errors in grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spelling.

MATHEMATICS

* Level 6: Rigorous mathematical thinking and in-depth understanding of essential mathematical ideas. Responses meet and often exceed expectations; they are consistently correct and complete. . . . Generalizations and connections are supported by precise, logical arguments.

* Level 5: Solid mathematical thinking and full understanding of mathematical ideas. Responses fully meet expectations; are usually correct and complete . . . although sometimes containing minor flaws. Some of the student work contains generalizations and connections supported by effective arguments.

* Level 4: Substantial mathematical thinking and understanding of essential mathematical ideas, including appropriate representations (for example, words, diagrams, graphs, pictures). Responses are usually correct although the work may contain flaws. Student work exhibits appropriate use of mathematical tools and techniques.

* Level 3: Partial mathematical thinking and understanding of mathematical ideas. Some responses are correct; however, gaps in conceptual understanding are evident and representations (for example, words, diagrams, graphs, pictures) need elaboration.

* Level 2: Limited mathematical thinking and understanding of mathematical ideas. While responses are sometimes correct, student work often falls short of providing workable solutions. Tools and techniques are rarely used or are used inappropriately.

* Level 1: Little or no understanding of mathematical ideas. Responses show little or no progress toward accomplishing mathematical tasks. There is little correct or appropriate use of tools, techniques or representations.

NOTE: For information on ordering test scores, send $5 to Times on Demand Reprints, P.O. Box 60395, Los Angeles, Calif. 90052. For orders of 10 copies or more, the cost is $2.50 each. Price includes postage, handling and sales taxes. Make checks payable to the Los Angeles Times. Allow three to four weeks for delivery. For additional information, call (800) LA TIMES, Ext. 76696.

About the Tests

The California Learning Assessment System became the new method for measuring student achievement under a 1991 law. It is designed to compare student work to statewide performance standards.

The first exams in reading, writing and math were given to 1 million students in fourth, eighth and 10th grades.

The reading and writing portion of the test took three class periods to complete. Students read a passage and answered questions about it, met in small groups to clarify their thoughts, then completed a writing task.

The math section took one class period and asked students to solve two open-ended problems and answer a series of questions.

Grade 8 STATEWIDE

R% W% M% Score 1 1 0 6 7 9 2 5 31 32 9 4 40 37 15 3 19 17 39 2 2 3 33 1

ORANGE COUNTY

R% W% M% Score 1 1 0 6 12 13 2 5 37 38 13 4 36 35 18 3 12 12 37 2 1 2 29 1

Anaheim Union High Districtwide

R% W% M% Score 1 0 0 6 9 7 2 5 35 32 9 4 39 42 16 3 15 17 40 2 1 2 33 1

Ball Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 0 0 0 6 0 1 0 3 4 1 5 6 7 1 29 32 4 4 30 30 7 41 41 17 3 40 40 13 25 18 42 2 21 18 40 2 2 36 1 3 4 38

Brookhurst Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 5 6 1 5 6 7 1 32 21 10 4 28 30 7 40 45 19 3 41 40 13 17 24 38 2 22 18 40 4 3 32 1 3 4 38

Dale Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 4 1 0 6 0 0 0 17 7 3 5 4 6 1 38 30 9 4 27 29 6 31 38 14 3 42 40 12 9 20 39 2 23 19 40 0 4 36 1 3 4 39

Lexington Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 1 0 6 1 1 0 10 12 8 5 9 12 2 39 36 13 4 36 37 12 37 37 19 3 40 36 20 11 13 40 2 14 12 39 2 2 20 1 1 2 26

Orangeview Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 4 3 0 5 5 6 1 36 33 3 4 28 29 6 47 51 19 3 43 40 12 13 11 42 2 21 19 42 0 1 36 1 3 4 39

South Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 10 5 0 5 5 6 1 37 31 10 4 28 28 6 37 47 14 3 41 41 11 14 14 42 2 22 19 39 1 3 33 1 3 4 42

Sycamore Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 7 7 2 5 5 5 1 33 35 5 4 26 26 5 44 38 12 3 42 41 10 15 17 39 2 24 21 39 1 2 42 1 3 4 43

Walker Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 1 6 0 0 0 16 7 2 5 6 8 1 36 36 16 4 31 33 7 35 40 16 3 43 40 15 12 17 38 2 18 16 43 1 1 25 1 2 3 33

Brea-Olinda Unified Brea Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 0 3 1 6 1 1 0 16 14 3 5 11 13 2 46 44 26 4 37 38 13 29 30 21 3 38 35 20 9 7 27 2 12 11 38 0 1 21 1 1 2 25

Buena Park Buena Park Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 17 14 2 5 5 6 1 41 41 3 4 28 29 6 26 30 17 3 43 41 12 14 14 39 2 21 19 41 2 1 39 1 2 4 39

Capistrano Unified Districtwide

R% W% M% Score 2 2 0 6 14 16 1 5 43 42 13 4 33 34 16 3 8 6 32 2 0 1 37 1

Marco F. Forster Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 2 2 0 6 1 1 0 19 18 3 5 9 12 2 47 44 19 4 34 36 10 29 27 26 3 38 35 17 3 8 37 2 17 14 40 0 1 15 1 2 2 30

Fred Newhart Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 2 2 0 6 1 1 0 12 19 0 5 13 17 3 41 41 0 4 40 40 17 35 30 2 3 35 31 23 10 8 25 2 10 9 36 0 0 72 1 1 1 20

Niguel Hills Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 2 1 0 6 1 1 0 14 12 2 5 14 17 4 43 42 24 4 40 40 17 34 39 26 3 34 31 23 6 5 32 2 9 9 35 0 1 16 1 1 1 21

Shorecliffs Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 2 6 1 1 0 12 13 0 5 8 12 2 41 40 18 4 35 36 11 34 43 21 3 40 35 19 13 4 41 2 15 14 40 0 0 17 1 2 3 28

Fountain Valley Districtwide

R% W% M% Score 1 2 0 6 18 19 2 5 50 41 16 4 26 31 24 3 4 7 39 2 0 0 18 1

Harry C. Fulton Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 0 6 1 1 0 25 20 3 5 14 17 3 39 34 24 4 40 41 17 28 33 25 3 35 31 23 5 12 32 2 10 9 35 0 0 15 1 1 1 21

Kasuo Masuda Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 2 2 1 6 1 1 0 14 14 3 5 11 15 3 48 38 13 4 37 38 14 35 40 21 3 35 33 19 2 4 38 2 13 12 38 0 1 22 1 2 2 25

Fred Moiola Elementary

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 4 6 0 6 1 1 0 30 29 2 5 9 13 2 53 50 10 4 37 38 14 8 10 28 3 39 35 21 6 4 44 2 13 12 39 0 0 14 1 1 2 23

Samuel E. Talbert Middle

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 0 1 0 6 1 1 0 9 18 1 5 8 12 2 63 45 14 4 34 37 12 22 28 24 3 42 36 19 5 8 43 2 14 12 40 1 0 18 1 2 2 26

Fullerton Districtwide

R% W% M% Score 1 0 0 6 13 11 3 5 39 39 12 4 32 37 16 3 13 12 35 2 1 1 30 1

Ladera Vista Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 2 1 0 6 1 1 0 12 10 3 5 8 11 2 41 37 10 4 34 35 10 33 43 17 3 39 36 16 12 8 41 2 17 14 39 0 2 30 1 2 3 32

Nicolas Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 7 8 2 5 6 7 1 27 33 5 4 28 30 7 37 40 8 3 41 39 13 25 17 38 2 21 18 40 3 3 43 1 3 4 37

D. Russell Parks Junior High

100 Comp. Results Schools R% W% M% Score R% W% M% 1 0 0 6 1 1 0 17 16 4 5 13 17 3 47 45 20 4 39 40 16 28 29 23 3 36 30 22 5 11 29 2 11 10 36 1 0 19 1 1 1 22