The SAUSD 2011 STAR test results are still far below the O.C. averages

The results of the California 2011 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program exams in English–language arts, mathematics, science, and history–social science, were released this week, by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

As usual, the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) tried to spin the results, as you can see in this excerpt from their press release: “Students at all three levels increased their proficient and advanced scores from 2009 to 2011 in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. Districtwide proficiency scores in English Language Arts grew from 24.6% to 26.3% across the board at the elementary, intermediate and high school levels. Mathematics stats are equally as impressive, with an increase from 23% to 26.6% Districtwide for the same period. The number of students who scored advanced also increased a few percentage points Districtwide as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federally mandated targets continue to increase each year.”

So how did the SAUSD really do?  Click here to see for yourself.  As you can see in the table above, the SAUSD’s students did a bit better this year in every category, as compared to the 2010 results.  But take a look at the Orange County summary results, above.  The SAUSD results are still far below the O.C. average, in every single category, particularly in Science where just over a quarter of our tested students were proficient.

Now take a look at the results at one SAUSD School – Carr Intermediate.  Their principal from last year, Patrick D.Yrarrazaval-Correa, transferred to Valley High School this year.  He is supposed to be the SAUSD’s shining star, but look at Carr’s 2011 test results, they fell in history and in science.  In fact they fell drastically in science, from 51.5% to 29%.  This can’t bode well for Valley.

Speaking of Valley, here is a comparison of their 2010 versus 2011 CST results:

The Valley results went a little up, but compare them to the O.C. results.  Imagine what sort of future lies ahead for SAUSD students when less than 2 out of ten at Valley are proficient in science, by the end of the school year?

It is highly irresponsible for the SAUSD to try to make it look like things are great when in fact our students are failing to become proficient in any subjects. Go back to my first table, above.  SAUSD students are NOT proficient in ANY category, from English to Science, at least not above the 50% mark. That is the truth the SAUSD would rather we not realize.

Why are so many of our students failing?  Poverty is an issue but one also has to wonder if the SAUSD ever figured out how to teach kids that weren’t proficient in English, after the Unz initiative passed.  The results speak for themselves.