Many of you know that next week (May 18th through the 20th ) we will
hold California Standards Tests (CST) at LACHSA. The CSTs are a part
of the California's Public School Accountability Act of 1999 more
informally known as the Standardized Testing and Reporting or STAR.
Some
of you may know my personal views regarding the impact of
state-mandated standardized tests. I am fully supportive of quality
tests intended to be used as one diagnostic tool used to inform the
practice of teachers and schools over time. Standardized tests that assist our
schools and teachers in monitoring their own progress, are beneficial to
students, families, schools, and communities.
I do worry about the amount of instructional time devoted to administering
these tests--three days. More importantly, however, standardized tests can place disproportionate emphasis on a singular metric to
assess the knowledge of our students. Seldom are these tests part of
comprehensive assessment system which allow our students to demonstrate
their knowledge in multiple modalities. I am grateful that we are part
of a community of artist-scholars where authentic assessments are a part
of our everday existence at LACHSA. Our students are able to demonstrate what they know in many different ways at our school everyday and are not defined by a multiple choice test.
The CSTs are a battery of
standards-aligned, multiple choice tests in science, English,
mathematics, and social students for 9th through 11th graders. The
results of these tests are compiled and reported to families and
schools, and are factored into a composite calculation to determine the
Academic Performance Index (API). The API is a number that measures
the academic performance and growth of schools using a variety of
academic measures. The API for LACHSA in 2009 is a record 844.
Many
parents use the API to judge the quality of a school's academic
program. While this number in no way captures the quality of education
our students receive--after all many of our programs are not assessed by these tests--it
is important to many of our stakeholders as one measure of academic
strength.
While these tests are in no way linked to grades on
our LACHSA transcript and are not a requirement for graduation--as in
the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE), it is important
that all of our eligible students sit for these examinations. I would
like to encourage all families to discuss the importance of taking
these exams with their children prior to next week's exams. Absences obviously affect our budget and they will also risk affecting the overall API for our school.
All
students are aware of the testing procedures--locations and proctors--but
I wanted to share with you some other information. All 9th
through 11th graders will sit by examanination for the duration of the test. Students who complete the exam early will not be allowed to leave the
test area and have been instructed to bring a book. There is no option
for students to complete homework during this time.
Because
these three days will be very intense for our students, we would also
like to encourage them ensure that they receive enough sleep and bring a healthy snack for each day as time to
go to Dolcini's or a vending machine will be limited. Please note:
arts classes will be in full session during this week.
If you
have any questions or concerns about our upcoming testing week please
do not hesitate to let me know. Our extraordinary teachers have been
working to prepare our students for success on these tests and our
students have been hard at work reviewing concepts and refining skills
from throughout the year. They need our support!
Sincerely,
George Simpson
LACHSA Principal
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