California Department of Education's Spin on 2012 Test Results

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - The California Department of Education headlines for the 2012 Standardized Testing and Reporting test results read “State Superintendent Tom Torlakson Notes Progress Despite School Budget Cuts “ and “2012 STAR Results Mark Ninth Straight Year of Rising English and Math Scores” supported with statements like:

"In less than a decade, California has gone from having only one student in three score proficient to better than one student in two,..... That's nearly 900,000 more students reaching proficiency now than in 2003—a remarkable achievement that represents real, sustained improvements in learning. ...Even more remarkable is the fact that our students continue to make gains even as our schools—and the teachers, administrators and school employees working in them—are getting by with so much less," 

according to Torlakson and goes on to blame budgets.

"As pleased as I am by the great progress many students are making, the deep school budget cuts of recent years make it ever less likely these gains will continue. Preventing further cuts and beginning to restore what's been lost are essential to helping every student learn and prepare for the future."

The reality is that on the 2012 STAR tests, the percentage of students at or above the proficient level increased by a mere 3 percentage points in English–language arts and 1 percentage point in mathematics over last year. In other words, no real improvement!

And while the percentage of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level increased by 22 percentage points since 2003 in English-language arts, or from 35 percent to 57 percent and 16 percentage points in mathematics, from 35 percent to 51 percent , ONLY 54 percent of students taking the Summative High School Mathematics exam, scored proficient or above, nd 52 percent of students taking the biology exam scored proficient or above. I other words, close to half of the students in California are not proficient in English and or Mathematics – this has nothing to do with budget cuts and more to do with what we call, the culture.

The State Board of Education has established the "proficient" level as the desired achievement goal for all students. That level represents a point at which students demonstrate a competent and adequate understanding of the knowledge and skills measured by the assessment at a particular grade, in a particular content area. This achievement goal is consistent with school growth targets for state accountability and

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