CALIFORNIA LEARNING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM SCORES : 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--and 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. Level 6 is considered “advanced” understanding of the subject matter; Level 5 is “proficient,” and Level 4 is considered “basic” understanding. 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 reported for 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. The districts are listed alphabetically. Find your school under the district name.

* The Times today is reporting scores for individual schools using the composite figure provided by the state--denoting the percentage of test-takers who achieved a passing score. So, each figure listed indicates the percentage of students at that school who scored 4, 5 or 6 in a given skills area, reading (R) , writing (W) or math (M) . An asterisk indicates that a school had too few students take the test to produce a reliable aggregate score.

* Main story, A1.

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 or from your county office of education. Call your local school district for more information.

Grade 8

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Statewide 39 46 23 -- -- -- Ventura County 41 50 27 -- -- --

Briggs Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 32 45 9 -- -- -- Briggs Elementary 32 45 9 33 40 18

Fillmore Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 14 25 6 -- -- -- Fillmore Community High * * * 30 38 13 Fillmore Junior High 14 25 6 28 36 13

Hueneme Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 43 43 25 -- -- -- Blackstock 45 40 27 33 41 17 Green 42 44 22 32 40 16

Mesa Union Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 63 55 44 -- -- -- Mesa Junior High 63 55 44 52 59 35

Mupu Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide * * 16 -- -- -- Mupu Elementary * * 16 41 46 25

Ocean View Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 45 57 14 -- -- -- Ocean View Junior High 45 57 14 29 38 14

Ojai Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 53 62 32 -- -- -- Matilija Junior High 53 62 32 51 59 35

Oxnard Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 28 36 13 -- -- -- Haydock Intermediate 28 37 12 28 36 13 Fremont Intermediate 27 35 14 33 41 18

Pleasant Valley Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide * * * -- -- -- Los Altos Intermediate * * * 53 59 34 Monte Vista Intermediate * * * 52 61 36 Los Primeros * * * 62 67 44

Rio Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 19 27 4 -- -- -- Rio Del Valle Elementary 19 27 4 33 41 18

Santa Paula Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 31 26 15 -- -- -- Isbell School 31 26 15 31 39 15

Simi Valley Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 39 45 28 -- -- -- Sinaloa Junior High 40 47 23 47 55 30 Valley View Junior High 44 57 33 47 55 31 Sequoia Junior High 38 47 32 48 57 32 Hillside Junior High 33 27 25 46 55 30

Somis Union Elementary

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide * * * -- -- -- Somis Middle * * * 46 51 28

Ventura Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 43 54 28 -- -- -- Balboa Middle 47 66 25 46 54 30 Cabrillo Middle 39 44 30 50 56 32 Anacapa Middle 47 55 38 46 54 30 De Anza Middle 34 38 18 34 43 17

Conejo Valley Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 57 72 46 -- -- -- Redwood Intermediate 53 67 49 59 66 42 Colina Intermediate 67 74 51 62 68 46 Sequoia Intermediate 51 * 38 51 60 35 Los Cerritos Intermediate 59 72 44 55 62 38

Oak Park Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 66 70 47 -- -- -- Medea Creek Middle 66 70 47 60 65 43

Moorpark Unified

Results 100 Comp. R% W% M% R% W% M% Districtwide 41 54 26 -- -- -- Chaparral Middle 41 54 26 48 57 32

How to Read the Scores Find your school district. 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 three basic skill areas. An asterisk (*) indicates that a school had too few students take the test to produce a reliable score.