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Sonoma County students improve in STAR testing
Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 9:44 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 9:44 a.m.
The percentage of Sonoma County students who scored proficient or advanced in English Language Arts increased in every grade tested in the 2009 Standard Testing and Reporting program, or STAR test, over the prior year.
Facts
How your school measures up in state testing (SEARCH OUR DATABASE BELOW)
The state's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program serves as the basis for determining whether schools are meeting both state and federal accountability goals. Use the lookup table below to find results for tests taken in 2009 and 2008.
For each test students receive one of five grades: advanced, proficient, basic, below basic and far below basic.
The state's goal is that all students score at least proficient, a level that is essentially on track to enter a university after high school. The scores shown here represent the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced, the top two of five achievement levels.
All students are tested in English language arts and math. Other subject tests are given only at specific grade levels. High school students, regardless of grade level, often take the same subject-based exams. Combined grade level scores are represented in grade "13" in the charts.
Scores are not reported whenever 10 or fewer students were tested in the same grade. Some small schools are not included here for that reason. More detailed results are available at http://star.cde.ca.gov.
Local students also improved in math, with the percentage of students who scored proficient or advanced in grades two through seven increasing over 2008. A general mathematics test is given until seventh grade after which students are tested in individual math disciplines.
Overall, more Sonoma County students scored in the top two tiers of testing in all but a handful of specific disciplines that include ninth grade world history, tenth grade biology, tenth grade chemistry, 11th grade earth science and 11th grade physics.
State Superintendent Jack O’Connell released the latest STAR data Tuesday morning.
More than 4.7 million public school students in grades 2 through 11 take the STAR test in the spring. In the coming weeks, the results will be used to determine which schools met state and federal accountability standards.
In general, a STAR score of proficient or advanced indicates a child is on track for a college prep curriculum. A score of basic equates to a C grade, and below basic or far below basic mean a student needs intervention to meet standards.
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