Local Schools Show Gains in State Test

By Jorge Casuso

Oct. 16 -- Ten of 13 Santa Monica and Malibu public schools exceeded the goals set by the state for standardized test scores, with several of the schools showing marked improvements, according to a report released by the California Department of Education Wednesday.

Three of the four schools that failed to reach the state's eventual target of 800 (on a scale of 200 to 1,000) were among those that saw the biggest gains in the Academic Performance Index, the controversial cornerstone of the state's comprehensive accountability system that became law in 1999.

"Nearly all of our schools have API scores above 800," said Superintendent John Deasy. "This is remarkable and particularly gratifying. We'll have every school above this level within three years."

Eight of the 10 elementary schools scored above the 800 level, with the two that failed to reach the goal making major strides. The largest increase in the district was posted by John Muir Elementary, which gained 60 points to reach 787, while Will Rogers Elementary gained 19 points, posting a score of 759.

Roosevelt Elementary, which gained 25 points to reach 856, showed the second-largest gain after John Muir. McKinley Elementary was one of four schools that showed a drop, going from 825 to 817, while Point Dune Elementary in Malibu showed the biggest drop of any school, falling 23 points to 866, still good enough to rank third among the 13 schools.

The highest scores were posted by Franklin Elementary on Santa Monica's upscale north side, which gained 8 points to reach 910, and Webster Elementary in Malibu, which gained 12 points to reach 873.

Of the three middle schools, Lincoln and Malibu posted scores that exceeded the 800 mark, but John Adams showed the greatest improvement, gaining 23 points for a score of 739. Malibu showed a slight gain of 2 points, while Lincoln dropped 14 points.

At the senior high level, Malibu High scored 802, gaining 2 points, while Santa Monica High had a 6-point decline that brought its score to 705, the lowest among the 13 schools.

"While this score exceeds that of most other large comprehensive high schools in the State, we're far from satisfied with it and we're also aiming at breaking 800 in the next few years," said Principal Ilene Straus.

Straus said the high school is counting on several measures that should help improve the test scores. They include an emphasis on literacy, a district initiative that calls for all students to complete Algebra I in the 8th grade and Geometry in the 9th grade and the school's California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) "remediation efforts" in reading, language arts and mathematics.

The reorganization of Santa Monica High School into a series of highly personalized "small schools" also should result in higher test scores, Straus said.

"The growth pattern in API signals strong improvement in teaching and leadership," Deasy said. "This is what our community expects and is getting."