The District maintains an annual testing program comprised of nationally normed, standardized tests, criterion-referenced tests, and district-developed assessments.
1. Basic proficiency in reading/language arts and mathematics is assessed in grades K-12, using both standardized tests and district-developed assessments.
2. Annually, students in grades 2-11 take the STAR California Standards Tests, which assesses proficiency in reading/language arts and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8 and 10 take a science test. Students in grade 8 take a history/social science test. Students in grades 7-11 take end-of-year mathematics tests.
to identify new students who are English learners, in kindergarten through grade 12.
4. Physical Fitness is assessed in grades 5,7, and 9 each school year in accordance with State mandates.
5. The Academic Performance Index (API) measures performance and progress of a school. It is numeric index or scale that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000. The state has set 800 as the API score that schools should strive to meet. Schools that fall short of the target will be required to meet annual growth targets until their goal is achieved. Schools that already meet or exceed the 800 API should continue working to improve the academic performance all students. Results of the norm-referenced test and California Standards Test, and the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) in the spring as part of the state's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, are used to calculate a school's API.
6. Seniors in the class of 2006 were the first California public school students who must pass a High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) to receive a high school diploma. State law authorized this new graduation requirement in 1999 (Senate Bill 2, Statutes of 1999). The purpose of the CAHSEE is to help improve student achievement in high school and make sure that graduates meet identified state content standards in reading, writing and mathematics.