Many local schools did not receive test money

By Rebecca Ray

Most local schools aren't cashing in on standardized test money as they did during the 2000-2001 school year. And its not because schools didn't receive high test scores or improve their performance.

Since 2000-2001, the state has given schools money for improving their scores on the annual Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition, known as the SAT9. The SAT9, which is administered by the state, is part of the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program, or STAR. The SAT9 tests second- through 11th-graders in various subjects.

The state Department of Education gives each school an Academic Performance Index (API) score that ranges from 200 to 1,000, based on how well students perform on the SAT9. Schools that receive scores of at least 800 are said to be performing to state standards.

Every school in Los Gatos and Saratoga scored above 800 points except Rolling Hills Middle School, which scored 792 points. Alta Vista, Daves Avenue, Lexington and Marshall Lane elementary, as well as C.T. English and Fisher Middle Schools will receive money, since they met all the provisions set forth under Senate Bill 735.

Gov. Gray Davis signed Senate Bill 735 Oct. 15, which changed the standards schools must meet to receive money. In addition to having to meet or exceed certain growth targets, schools must improve their scores by at least five points, and all ethnic and socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups of at least 100 students must improve their scores by at least four points.

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Academic Scores: How local schools performed on the 2001 tests.

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The state changed the standards because of criticism that most of the money went to high-performing schools in 2000-2001, said Pat McCabe, manager of the state Educational Planning and Information Center.

Davis earmarked $157 million in Governor's Performance Award money for the qualifying schools. Each of these schools will receive about $75 per test-taker around February 2002.

Educators at Alta Vista are especially thrilled about receiving money, since the school missed out on money in 2000-2001.

Although Blue Hills and Blossom Hill elementary schools improved their API scores by eight and 10 points respectively, they won't receive money because the subgroup of white students at each school didn't improve its score by at least four points.

Other schools must wait to find out whether they will receive money.

Lakeside Elementary School improved its API score by 25 points, and its only subgroup, white students, improved its score by 14 points. But it won't receive money unless Davis approves Assembly Bill 1295. The bill would allow schools with 11 to 99 test-takers to receive money. Lakeside had 98 test-takers.

Loma Prieta and McAuliffe elementary schools didn't receive API scores. This is because at least 10 percent of the parents in the school area boundaries chose not to have their children take the exam.

The state Department of Education will determine whether the test-takers at each school represent the schools' populations. If the test-takers do represent the populations--and if less than 20 percent of the parents at each school waived the test--then the schools' scores will be available by December.

All the waivers at Loma Prieta came from the home study program, said Principal Mary Ellen Lewis.

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