Pasadena Unified School District Releases California Standards Test Results and Reports on Progress

All Grade Levels Show Growth Since Baseline Year Although Growth Slows from 2006 to 2007

Pasadena Unified School District released the results of the California Standards Tests administered in Spring 2007 for grades 2-11 on Wednesday, August 15, 2007.

There was good news in English Language Arts (ELA) where the percentage of students scoring at proficient and advanced has increased for all grades by over 10% points and these gains were higher than those made by Los Angeles County and the state since the baseline year of 2001. Mathematics scores have also shown an increase since the baseline year of 2002, including all end-of-course math scores at the secondary level. The gains in math were also higher except for a few areas compared to the County and state with grades three, four and five posting over 20% increase since 2002. However, in spite of the gains math achievement remains low especially at the secondary level. District wide, scores increased minimally in most areas from 2006 to 2007, however there was a slight decrease in Middle School Math scores.

“Although many of our schools have seen significant growth since the baseline year, I am concerned that some of our schools and subgroups have had little or no growth, and secondary scores remain low,” said Superintendent Edwin Diaz. “We must accelerate growth, especially at the secondary level, by building on our successes, spreading our best practices across all schools, and by consistently implementing our system of a standards-based curriculum, use of data and assessments, and professional development and teacher collaboration.”

Double digit increases in the percent scoring proficient and advanced have been seen at 23 of PUSD’s schools in English Language Arts since 2001, while 19 elementary schools have had double digit gains in Math. Willard Elementary saw scores increase the most since the baseline year, with a 37% increase in ELA scores, and a 43% increase in Math scores. In spite of the good news, secondary achievement lags significantly behind elementary. Even at the elementary level, there is a large disparity between the rate of growth at individual schools.

From 2006-2007, 12 elementary schools, one middle school and three high schools showed an increase in the percentage of students scoring at proficient or advanced in ELA. All subgroups increased in the percentage of students scoring at proficient and advanced in ELA from last year. The greatest growth occurred at Sierra Madre Elementary, where ELA scores increased by 12%, and gains were seen at every grade level.

Other schools that experienced significant growth in ELA scores from last year include Longfellow Elementary which increased by 7%, followed by Hamilton Elementary and Webster Elementary which each increased by 6%, and Jackson which saw an increase of 5%. Wilson Middle School and Marshall Fundamental showed the biggest increase at the secondary school level, with each increasing their ELA score by 5%. Pasadena High School and Blair IB Magnet also showed increases in ELA of 3% and 1% respectively.

The ELA scores this year indicate that 50% or more of PUSD students are scoring at or above proficient at Sierra Madre (63%), Don Benito (63%), Norma Coombs Alternative (59%), Hamilton (55%), Willard (54%), McKinley (54%) and Marshall Fundamental (50%).

From 2006-2007, students scoring at proficient or advanced in Mathematics increased at 12 elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Like the ELA results, the greatest gain occurred at Sierra Madre School where there was a 12% increase in their Math scores. Hamilton followed with an 11% gain, Loma Alta Elementary’s scores increased by 8%, and Roosevelt and Jackson followed with a 6% gain each. Wilson Middle School increased by 4% and Pasadena High School saw a gain of 3%.

SThis year’s Math scores indicate that 50% or more of PUSD students are scoring at or above proficient at 14 elementary schools: Willard (75%), Hamilton (70%), Sierra Madre (68%), Don Benito (65%), Norma Coombs Alternative (63%), Washington Accelerated and Webster (55%), Field (54%), Cleveland, Roosevelt, Longfellow and McKinley (53%), and Burbank (52%).

Students scoring at proficient or advanced on the grade 5 and grade 8 Science tests continued to grow, while scores on the grade 10 Science test decreased slightly. End-of-course Science test scores at the secondary level were mixed, as scores rose for Chemistry and Earth Science, but decreased for Biology and Physics. Overall scores for Biology and Chemistry increased since the baseline year of 2002.

History-Social Science tests, which are administered to students in grades 8 and 11, both increased.