Valley Test Scores Make the Grade

Nearly three of every four public schools in the San Fernando Valley and its surrounding communities raised standardized test scores enough to qualify for a bonanza of achievement-based awards from the state, according to data released Wednesday.

Fully 85% of San Fernando Valley-area elementary schools qualified for the cash awards, besting the Los Angeles Unified School District rate of 75% among elementary schools. A smaller percentage of middle and high schools earned awards.

The greatest growth in academic performance in the Valley, as measured by the Academic Performance Index, was achieved by two elementary schools in Tarzana--Nestle Avenue Elementary and Tarzana School.

Seven of 14 elementary schools that showed the greatest gains in the Valley are concentrated in subdistrict C, which includes Tarzana, Valley Glen, Van Nuys, Reseda and part of Woodland Hills. Principals at Nestle Avenue Elementary and Tarzana School cheered their success but said their scores are no accident.

“We’ve been celebrating,” said Tarzana Principal Roberta Ann MacAdam. “We are real excited. The teachers worked very hard doing very intense instruction, preparing the kids for test-taking.”

Qualifying schools could gain hundreds of thousands of dollars for their improved scores.

Nestle Avenue Elementary boosted its scores 113 points, from 649 to 762. Tarzana School raised its scores 107 points, from 531 to 638. That puts both of them in the top 10% of the LAUSD in terms of improved scores.

Both schools recently started intensive reading programs, paid for by private grants, which test students four times a year. Teachers met regularly to analyze Stanford 9 scores, assess their students’ weaknesses and come up with strategies to improve performance.

Both also developed their own systems to flag children who are falling behind in reading and help them catch up, either through special tutoring or after-school programs. Tarzana School teachers had students take practice tests every Friday to make them comfortable with standardized testing.

Wednesday, in Room 11 of Nestle Avenue school, children sorted seashells. Lists and posters of words, words and more words blanketed every wall of the classroom, including items related to the ocean, the continental shelf, tide pools and the intertidal zone.

Teacher Carol Siembieda, who has taught at Nestle for 15 years, said every class at the school aims to create a “print-rich” environment.

“Everywhere you look you see print, vocabulary lists, built into the environment,” she said.

Siembieda said Nestle instructors try to teach thematically. Right now, everything they are learning is connected to the ocean, including in math, geography and reading.

In one corner of the classroom was a computer purchased with funds from an Annenberg grant. At the beginning of the year, every student is tested on the computer and rated by reading level. Then they are given a list of 100 books at their level. When they have completed a book, they take a test on the computer to measure their comprehension.

The school holds contests to reward students who read a lot and score highly.

Siembieda pulled out a folder full of test scores. Inside was a sheet breaking down Stanford 9 scores for all her classes, as well as the school’s grade-level average. Third-graders are working on strengthening critical analysis.

Teachers meet every Thursday afternoon to discuss what they need to do to strengthen students’ skills in areas where they tested poorly.

“If you can identify the area where they are weakest, you can give that greater emphasis,” she explained.

Echoing state and citywide trends, there was less improvement among middle and high school students in the Valley area. Only 40% of middle schools and 37% of high schools qualified for financial awards.

Public schools in California were ranked for the first time in January as part of the state’s public school accountability program.

Each school earned a score between 200 and 1000.

Schools scoring under the state’s goal of 800 were assigned a growth target, which took into account students’ race and economic status.

Schools that met their growth targets qualify for three state awards programs: the Governor’s Performance Awards (with a $227-million award pool), the School Site Employee Performance Bonus ($350 million) and the Certified Staff Performance Incentive ($100 million).

To qualify for the Governor’s Performance Award and the School Site Employee Performance Bonus, schools must meet or exceed 5% of their growth targets and have a certain number of students participate. That number varies depending on whether the school is an elementary, middle or high school.

A total of $677 million will be given to qualifying schools statewide.

Individual school award amounts will be announced in December, and awards are expected to be handed out in January.

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* BIG GAINS, BIG PAYOFF

Two-thirds of state’s public schools earn bonuses. A1

* TEST RESULTS

School-by-school report. B4-7