Schools

Oakland Unified Students Score Below Average In State Tests

The 2013 STAR scores were slightly below last year's results at most grade levels as the district prepares for a new exam next year

For the most part, Oakland Unified School District students scored below the statewide averages in the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) test results released Thursday by the California State Superintendent of Schools office.

Overall, the 2013 STAR scores decreased slightly statewide from the 2012 results.

Across California, 56.4 percent of students scored proficient or above in the English language arts section. That was 0.8 percent lower than a year ago.

In math, 51.2 percent of students scored proficient or above, a decrease of 0.3 percent.

In science, 59.1 percent of students were proficient or above, down 0.4 percent. In history and social sciences, 49.4 percent scored proficient or above, up 0.6 percent.

Superintendent Tom Torlakson said the results were satisfying given the budget cuts and other problems schools faced this past year.

“As you would expect for a school system in transition, results varied from grade to grade, subject to subject, and school to school, but the big picture is one of remarkable resilience despite the challenges,” Torlakson said. “While we all want to see California’s progress continue, these results show that in the midst of change and uncertainty, teachers and schools kept their focus on students and learning. That’s a testament to the depth of their commitment to their students and the future of our state.”

In the Oakland school district, the results were divided up by grade level.

In English language arts, every grade except for one was below the 56 percent statewide average. The only one above was the 4th graders with 58 percent proficient or above. The lowest results were the 11th graders with 29 percent and the 10th graders with 33 percent.

In mathematics, the lower grades did better than the upper grades with several above the state average of 51 percent. The highest were the 5th graders at 64 percent. The 2nd, 3rd and 5th graders were all at 59 percent. The lowest were the 8th graders at 28 percent and the 7th graders at 29 percent.

The 8th through 12th grade scores were separated by subject matter such as algebra I, algebra II and geometry.

The history, social science and science scores are also divided up by subject matter.

This year's West Contra Costa Unified scores were slightly below the 2012 results at most grade levels.

Troy Flint, a spokesman for Oakland Unified, said part of the reason for the decline is the district's teachers have been preparing their students for a new exam coming next year called the Common Core State Standards.

"We're strong believers in the Common Core as a way to provide more meaningful instruction for students," said Flint, "one that emphasizes deeper, critical thinking, explanatory and argument-based writing skills, as opposed to mere proficiency at multiple choice test where the answer is already provided on paper. Unfortunately, the current tests are not aligned to the Common Core and don't measure what's being taught and what students are learning in Oakland schools."



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