SPECIAL REPORT ON SCHOOL TEST SCORES : Community News Focus : About the Tests

The Times today is publishing key scores from the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) tests, which were designed to measure students’ knowledge and abilities against objective standards. To do that, CLAS establishes six performance levels in each of the three subject areas covered by the test--reading, writing and math. Every student scores at one of those levels.

For example, students who performed at Level 1 in reading understood only single words or phrases in the assigned reading passage and were unable to take away a “coherent meaning” from what they read.

Students at the highest level, Level 6, were able to “demonstrate insight” as they wrote about the passage and showed an ability to “explore complexities in depth” and “expand on the possible meanings of a text.”

In math, students who scored at Level 1 made major mathematical errors or provided little or no explanation of how they solved problems. Exams scored at Level 6 provided clear and logical explanations of solutions and made effective use of mathematical language, diagrams and graphs.

On the writing exams, Level 1 essays were brief and disorganized and included major errors in grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Essays graded at Level 6 presented a complex range of ideas, supported with logical reasons and detailed answers, and were written in a distinctive style.

Exams scored at the other four levels rated between those two extremes. Students who scored at Level 3 or below, in effect, failed to demonstrate the understanding that would merit a passing grade on a conventional test.

The tests were scored by specially trained evaluators, whose work was periodically reviewed by teachers who had trained them.

The scores given to individual schools reflect the percentage of students performing at each level, in each subject. Theoretically, the best result would be for 100% of the students to achieve at Level 6. The worst would be if 100% of the students were at Level 1.

This year, the state has also released a composite score--the combined percentage of students scoring at Levels 4, 5 or 6 at each school--to make it easier to compare schools to one another.

The tests were given to students in the 4th, 8th and 10th grades.

How to Read the Scores

Find your school district under the appropriate grade level. The districts are listed alphabetically. Find your school under the district name. The score recorded for each school reflects the percentage of its students scoring at Levels 4, 5 or 6--in effect, those who demonstrated at least “basic” understanding of the subject matter in the three skill areas.

An asterisk (*) indicates that a school had too few students take the test to produce a reliable score.

A double asterisk (**) indicates scores were released though less than 50% of eligible students took exams. State officials stand by the statistical validity of those scores, but some local educators question results based on so few tests.

Categories labeled “100 Comp” show the reading, writing and math scores of 100 demographically comparable California schools.

Additional Information on the Scores

California Learning Assessment System scores for individual schools, districts or the entire state may be obtained in several ways:

* On the ‘Net: Use an Internet service to contact the California Department of Education “gopher” server at “goldmine.cde.ca.gov”.

* Using a modem and a computer: Download files from the department’s computer at (916) 657-4881 or (916) 657-5371. CLAS files can be found from the main menu with the following commands: type F, for file menu; type L, for list of available files and type 7 to select the CLAS file area. The files are in a compressed format and may be viewed only when downloaded and decompressed.

* Locally: Scores are available from your local school district. GRADE 4

Top 10 Reading School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Andersen Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 80 Harbor View Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 68 Greenville Fundamental (Santa Ana Unified): **67 La Tierra Elementary (Saddleback Valley): 62 Landell Elementary (Cypress Elementary): 59 Lincoln Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 59 Santiago Elementary (Saddleback Valley): 59 Meadow Park Elementary (Irvine Unified): 59 Deerfield Elementary (Irvine Unified): 57 Courreges Elementary (Fountain Valley Elementary): 55

Bottom 10 Reading School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Lincoln Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Monroe Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Sepulveda Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Hazard Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 2 Walter Elementary (Magnolia Elementary): 2 Peters Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 5 Holder Elementary (Savanna Elementary): 6 California Elementary (Orange Unified): 7 Adams Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **7 Walker (Santa Ana Unified): **7

Top 10 Writing School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Andersen Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 83 Landell Elementary (Cypress Elementary): 77 Olinda Elementary (Brea Olinda Unified): 72 Lincoln Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 71 Harbor View Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 70 Deerfield Elementary (Irvine Unified): 70 Alderwood Basics Plus (Irvine Unified): 68 Greenville Fundamental (Santa Ana Unified): **67 Vista Verde Elementary (Irvine Unified): 66 Bonita Canyon Elementary (Irvine Unified): 66

Bottom 10 Writing School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Remington (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Pyles Elementary (Magnolia Elementary): 9 Crosby (Garden Grove Unified): 11 Oak View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 11 Franklin Elementary (Westminster Elementary): 12 Carver Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 13 Wakeham Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 13 Walter Elementary (Magnolia Elementary): 13 Pomona Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 13 Riverdale Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 14 Wilson Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 14

Top 10 Mathematics School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Andersen Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 87 Harbor View Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 81 Allen Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 74 Deerfield Elementary (Irvine Unified): 74 Meadow Park Elementary (Irvine Unified): 73 Eastwood Elementary (Westminster Elementary): 72 Circle View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 71 Turtle Rock Elementary (Irvine Unified): 71 Bonita Canyon Elementary (Irvine Unified): 70 Eastshore Elementary (Irvine Unified): 70

Bottom 10 Mathematics School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Diamond Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Edison Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Lincoln Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Martin Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Oak View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 4 Madison Elementary (Santa Ana Unified): **6 Hazard Elementary (Garden Grove Unified): 7 Schmitt Elementary (Westminster Elementary): 7 Edison Elementary (Anaheim Elementary): 8 Whittier Elementary (Newport-Mesa Unified): 8

GRADE 8

Top 10 Reading School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Vista Verde Elementary (Irvine Unified): 92 Moiola Elementary (Fountain Valley Elementary): 83 Hewes Middle (Tustin Unified): 76 Lakeside Middle (Irvine Unified): 75 Mac Arthur (Santa Ana Unified): 74 Brea Junior High (Brea Olinda Unified): 73 La Paz Intermediate (Saddleback Valley): 71 Fulton (Fountain Valley Elementary): 69 Masuda Middle (Fountain Valley Elementary): 68 Thurston Middle (Laguna Beach Unified): 68

Bottom 10 Reading School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Spurgeon Intermediate (Santa Ana Unified): **17 Carr Intermediate (Santa Ana Unified): **21 Imperial Middle (La Habra Elementary): 25 South Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 31 Sycamore Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 34 Buena Park Junior High (Buena Park Elementary): 34 Johnson Intermediate (Westminster Elementary): 35 Brookhurst Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 36 Walton Intermediate (Garden Grove Unified): 36 Spring View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 36 Vista View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 36

Top 10 Writing School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Vista Verde Elementary (Irvine Unified): 97 Mac Arthur (Santa Ana Unified): **94 Moiola Elementary (Fountain Valley Elementary): 84 Hewes Middle (Tustin Unified): 83 La Paz Intermediate (Saddleback Valley): 80 Brea Junior High (Brea Olinda Unified): 76 Masuda Middle (Fountain Valley Elementary): 76 Los Alisos Intermediate (Saddleback Valley): 75 Thurston Middle (Laguna Beach Unified): 74 McAuliffe Middle (Los Alamitos Unified): 74

Bottom 10 Writing School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 South Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 28 McGarvin Intermediate (Garden Grove Unified): 37 Lathrop Intermediate (Santa Ana Unified): **38 Carr Intermediate (Santa Ana Unified): **38 Brookhurst Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 40 Sycamore Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 40 Doig Intermediate (Garden Grove Unified): 41 Vista View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 42 Jordan Intermediate (Garden Grove Unified): 44 Walton Intermediate (Garden Grove Unified): 44

Top 10 Mathematics School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Vista Verde Elementary (Irvine Unified): 68 Sowers Middle (Huntington Beach City): 62 Niguel Hills Junior (Capistrano Unified): 55 La Paz Intermediate (Saddleback Valley): 53 Hewes Middle (Tustin Unified): 52 Newhart (Capistrano Unified): 51 Thurston Middle (Laguna Beach Unified): 51 Forster Junior High (Capistrano Unified): 50 MacArthur (Santa Ana Unified): 50 Fulton (Fountain Valley Elementary): 48 Rancho San Joaquin Intermediate (Irvine Unified): 48

Bottom 10 Mathematics School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Carr Intermediate (Santa Ana Unified): **0 Willard Intermediate (Santa Ana Unified): **11 Sycamore Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 12 South Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 13 Dale Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 15 Buena Park Junior High (Buena Park Elementary): 16 Orangeview Junior High (Anaheim Union High): 17 Alamitos Intermediate (Garden Grove Unified): 17 Spring View Elementary (Ocean View Elementary): 18 Johnson Intermediate (Westminster Elementary): 18

GRADE 10

Top 10 Reading School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Woodbridge High (Irvine Unified): 71 Troy High (Fullerton Joint Union): 70 Los Alamitos High (Los Alamitos Unified): 70 Laguna Hills High (Saddleback Valley): 68 Irvine High (Irvine Unified): 68 University High (Irvine Unified): 66 Edison High (Huntington Beach Union): 65 Trabuco Hills High (Saddleback Valley): 64 Los Amigos High (Garden Grove Unified): 62 Brea Olinda High (Brea Olinda Unified): 61

Bottom 10 Reading School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Richland Continuation (Orange Unified): 0 Lake Continuation (Garden Grove Unified): 10 Orange High (Orange Unified): 18 Laurel Continuation (Los Alamitos Unified): 19 Brea Canyon High (Cont.): (Brea Olinda Unified): 20 Katella High (Anaheim Union High): 23 Savanna High (Anaheim Union High): 27 Gilbert Continuation (Anaheim Union High): 28 Westminster High (Huntington Beach Union): 34 Loara High (Anaheim Union High): 35 Western High (Anaheim Union High): 35

Top 10 Writing School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Brea Olinda High (Brea Olinda Unified): 75 Sunny Hills High (Fullerton Joint Union): 71 University High (Irvine Unified): 71 Laguna Beach High (Laguna Beach Unified): 70 Troy High (Fullerton Joint Union): 68 Edison High (Huntington Beach Union): 67 Trabuco Hills High (Saddleback Valley): 66 Los Alamitos High (Los Alamitos Unified): 65 Irvine High (Irvine Unified): 64 Laguna Hills High (Saddleback Valley): 63

Bottom 10 Writing School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Richland Continuation (Orange Unified): 5 Lake Continuation (Garden Grove Unified): 10 Laurel Continuation (Los Alamitos Unified): 13 Orange High (Orange Unified): 23 Saddleback High (Santa Ana Unified): **23 Valley High (Santa Ana Unified): **23 Gilbert Continuation (Anaheim Union High): 24 Silverado Continuation (Saddleback Valley): 28 Tustin High (Tustin Unified): 29 Katella High (Anaheim Union High): 33 Magnolia High (Anaheim Union High): 33 Aliso Niguel High (Capistrano Unified): 33

Top 10 Mathematics School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Irvine High (Irvine Unified): 42 Troy High (Fullerton Joint Union): 40 University High (Irvine Unified): 38 Foothill High (Tustin Unified): 35 Dana Hills High (Capistrano Unified): 33 Sunny Hills High (Fullerton Joint Union): 33 Laguna Hills High (Saddleback Valley): 32 Trabuco Hills High (Saddleback Valley): 32 Woodbridge High (Irvine Unified): 32 Los Alamitos High (Los Alamitos Unified): 32

Bottom 10 Mathematics School (District): % Scoring 4-5-6 Brea Canyon Continuation (Brea Olinda Unified): 0 La Vista Continuation (Fullerton Joint Union): 0 Lincoln Education Center (Garden Grove Unified): 0 Richland Continuation (Orange Unified): 0 Laurel Continuation (Los Alamitos Unified): 0 Lake Continuation (Garden Grove Unified): 2 Valley High (Santa Ana Unified): **2 Gilbert Continuation (Anaheim Union High): 3 Saddleback High (Santa Ana Unified): **4 Silverado Continuation (Saddleback Valley): 5