School test scores up for some, down for other area schools
October 02, 2013
By Brian D. Wilson
Santa Paula News
By Brian D. Wilson
Santa Paula Times
Trustees of the Santa Paula Unified School District heard a report at their most recent meeting on test score results for the district schools.
They learned that some results were down from last year, but a couple of schools showed growth. In particular Barbara Webster Elementary School’s Academic Performance Index (API) number went from a base of 818 last year to 830 for this year. The school met its growth targets at all levels. Isbell Middle School also showed growth over the 2012 base. It went from 766 to 784 and all growth targets were met. The only other school to see growth was Renaissance High School that went from a base number of 594 to 598.
Jeff Madrigal is the new principal at Barbara Webster. He said the school has shown consistent growth year after year. He noted that test scores in most similar schools in the state went down, with the average around 726. He had high praise for the school staff. “this group can get there because of their attitude,” he said. “They work together really well. It’s like a family here. It reminds me of a neighborhood store. We’re really a neighborhood school.” His goal is to reach 850, but he said the real goal is to get students all reading at grade level.
Assistant Superintendent Robin Freeman told the board that although it looks a little gloomy, of the 211 schools in Ventura County, only 19 met all the criteria.
The other test schools have to take into account is the Federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2003.
None of the district’s schools met the AYP target in language arts. In mathematics Bedell School and Barbara Webster are the only two to have met the AYP target.
A number of Santa Paula schools are in what is called Program Improvement Status. Those schools are: Santa Paula High School (Year 4), Bedell Elementary (Year 1), Blanchard Elementary (Year 3), Glen City Elementary (Year 3), McKevett Elementary (Year 3), Grace Thille Elementary (Year 1) and Isbell Middle School, (Year 5). For each year that a school or district is in Program Improvement, there are specific changes that must be made and/or services that must be provided to the students. Throughout the entire process of a school or district being in Program Improvement, there are specific requirements for notifying parents of their rights and choices. In particular, parents have the right to transfer their student to another school within the district that is not in Program Improvement.
