SOME LAUSD SCHOOLS SCORE HIGHER ON STATE TEST

By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer | LA Newspaper Group (from the Contra Costa Times online)

Posted: 09/15/2009 09:33:32 AM PDT  :: Updated: 09/15/2009 09:41:34 AM PDT

The Los Angeles Unified School District continues to make steady gains in academic performance, according to state test results released today.

LAUSD's average score on the Academic Performance Index -- the state's academic benchmark -- increased by 13 points from to 694 in 2009. Statewide the average score was 755, up 14 points from last year.

The API scale ranges from 200 to 1,000, with a statewide target of 800. The score is one of of many used to gauge a district's progress toward the federal targets asked for by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

For LAUSD these latest scores are being watched even closer this year as these could be used to decide which 200 under-performing schools could be taken over by an outside operator, under a new district reform effort.

Schools in the San Fernando Valley continued to show amazing progress on their test scores including at Arminta Elementary in North Hollywood, where scores increased by 84 points. Walter Reed Middle School increased their test scores by 46 points, among the highest gains for a district campus and Panorama High School also increased their test scores by 41 points - more than any other comprehensive high school in the Valley.

Still many schools showed little progress, and others saw their test scores decline by double digits figures. Also, scores of LAUSD campuses and the district itself, remained on a federal watch list for schools and districts that fail to meet federal benchmarks for test scores in math and English.