ABC State Testing Scores = Teachers Working Harder and Smarter

Last week at the ABCUSD School Board Meeting Assistant Supt. Valencia Mayfield presented the 2012 State and Federal Accountability Report to the school board and the community. As I watched the results unfold in her presentation it occurred to me that most teachers have very little direct information about how the entireABC District as a whole except for the quick glance before they move on to their school site scores. 

Most teachers in ABC are informed and instructed about their particular school site statistics and very little time is spent on the broader picture. Therefore, this year at the November at the union representative meeting we will discuss the Accountability Report with the site reps so that the have information that they can share with their staffs. Hopefully, this will give all teachers in ABC the opportunity to understand the current state of the District and over time they will see trends in the statistics.  The ABCFT will provide an abbreviated version of the Accountability report that will be posted on the ABCFT news bulletin so that teachers have more access to this information.

Below is a good description of how the state accountability systems are calculated.

Here you can see that ABC continues to be above the State Target and the State average. In fact, ABC test scores increased their test scores by an extra 5 points over the state average so that ABC is now sixty points over the state average. Congrats to ABC teachers, staff and administrators!

ABC students continue to raise their scores on the CAHSEE. Does the public know about how much more academically prepared our students are for the 21st Century than ever before. Just look at the increases across the board! Way to go Teachers and Students of ABC!

Here are some interesting charts. Remember, ABC is a school district that is functioning over sixty points over the state average in API but the catch is in the AYP. The AYP the "Adequate Yearly Progress" and it evaluates specific subjects and groups.  When you look at the chart you will notice how steep the increases are in the proficiency targets and that by 2013-214 (next year!) EVERY student will be 100% proficient in both language arts and math. 

Think of it in these terms, it's like saying that every driver in the state of California will obey every driving law with 100% compliance. How about Albert Pujols will hit the ball 100% of the time or that parents will help their sons and daughters homework 100% time. 

These Federal targets are unreasonable and just another way for POLITICIANS to fool the public into thinking that the public school system isn't doing a good job.  I challenge any Californian to take the 11th grade STAR Exam and see if they would get a score of proficient. Many would be scored as being proficient but I bet the adult population of California would fall far short of being 100% proficient in both reading and math.

Here is how ABC faired this year.....still over the State average.

Here's the same ludicrous targets for math. This is what happens when politicians make educational policy yet they can't get 2/3 of the congress to agree on anything. Ironic.

Here are the math scores for ABC.

Okay, so the short and skinny of it is that ABC is doing a hell of a job. Politicians have created a system of failure for there own propaganda needs and the STUDENTS of ABC are prepared for their future. Let's just hope for their sake that life is more than just a series of standardized questions.

GO ABC!!!!                          

Ray Gaer
President of the ABC Federation of Teachers