Area high schools improve STAR test scores

By MICHAEL MARESH
Valley Press Staff Writer

A percentile score of 50 is considered the national average; while most Valley schools improved in the last three years, most still failed to meet the standard.

Quartz Hill High School scored higher than the national average in most areas, and students there improved more than any other high school in the Antelope Valley during the past three years.

Every score at Quartz Hill High increased by four to 13 percentile points between 1997-98 and 1999-2000, test results show.

In reading, ninth-grade scores improved from 42 three years ago to 51 this past year. Tenth-grade scores rose from 40 to 47 and 11thgrade scores jumped from 42 to 48 the past two years.

In mathematics, Quartz Hill ninth-grade scores rose 12 percentile points, 10th grade scores increased by eight points and 11th grade students improved by 10 percentile points.

Language scores followed the same pattern, with ninth-grade scores going up by 13 points over the last three years, while 10thgrade scores rose seven points and 11th-graders improved by eight points.

Science scores increased by six points for ninth grade, five points for 10th grade and 10 points for 11th grade.

Scores in the social sciences also increased. Ninth- and 10th-grade social science increased by four points and 11th grade rose 11 percentile points.

On the downside, 10th- and 11th-grade science scores dropped from 1998-99 by one and three percentile points, but increased overall since 1997.

Ray Monti, deputy superintendent of educational services, credits Quartz Hill's international baccalaureate program for the high scores.

Several top high school students transfer to Quartz Hill through the district's open enrollment program because of the program. That influx of good students impacts the district's total scores, Monti said.

Quartz Hill Principal Barbara Willibrand said her school always strives to do better.

"We are pleased our scores our high, but we want to make them higher," she said, adding that the staff and the students deserve most of the credit.

"I was pleased we did well, but there is a lot of room (to improve)," she said, adding that it was good to be the top school in the Valley.

"We want to be the best in the state," Willibrand said.

Antelope Valley High improved slightly over the last three years. Principal Mark Bryant said while it was good to see the overall improvement, there is more work to do.

"We are not near where we want to be," he said. "We are gradually improving."

Language scores were still well below the national average, as ninth-graders scored in the 43 percentile range while 10th-graders scored 32 and 11th-graders 40 last year. Bryant noted these areas improved over the last three years by 10 points for ninth grade, and five points each for 10th and 11th grades.

Math scores at Antelope Valley generally were in the 30 percentile range, with little improvement except by ninth-graders, who went from 34 in 1997-98 to 40 last year.

Antelope Valley is looking for ways to improve, including adding training for staff and a communication hub for parents so they will be able to better monitor their child's development, Bryant said.

"Naturally, we would have liked to be higher," Bryant said, adding that he was surprised the scores were not as high as expected.

Scott Schaufele, vice principal at Littlerock High, said he is excited with the slight increases that occurred in every level except one at his school.

Littlerock students excelled most in language and mathematics.

Ninth-grade language scores rose by 15 percentile points in the past three years to reach the national average of 50, while 10thgraders improved by seven points to a 36 percentile mark and 11thgraders saw their scores go from 37 to 43.

"The ball is now starting to roll," Schaufele said. "It's a representation of what the Littlerock kids can do. We are not going to rest until we see Littlerock in the top 10 percentile in the state of California."

Lancaster High is in the middle of Valley schools, with student scores increasing in nine areas and falling in five others.

Gil Lara, assistant principal for curriculum and instruction, said he was pleased with the overall results but disappointed with the reading scores because the school made a conscious effort to improve in this area.

Reading scores for the ninthgraders remained the same over the last three years at 37, while 10th-grade scores rose nine points to 35 and 11th-graders dropped six percentile points to 42.

Administrators went to classes to help out in reading last year, apparently to no avail, he said.

"Reading comprehension has been a weakness for us," Lara said. "The biggest surprise was reading scores didn't improve more."

Lancaster's goal is to continue to narrow the gap to the national average, Lara said.

Palmdale High scores increased marginally in almost all subjects over the last three years, but the percentiles dropped this year from 1998-99, especially for 11th grade.

Reading and science decreased by six percentile points each for 11th-graders, while mathematics dropped five points for the same grade.

Monti noted Palmdale High School's scores were up in almost every area, not counting the decreases from 1998-99. What pleased Monti the most at Palmdale High School was the increase in the language scores.

Over the last three years, both ninth- and 10th-grade percentiles increased by three points to 45 and 33 respectively, while 11th-grade scores rose seven percentile points.

Highland High had the secondhighest scores in the district behind Quartz Hill, improving in all areas except for ninth grade, which remained the same.

On the whole, Monti said he was pleased with the district's growth in language and math, saying several schools showed doubledigit increases. The deputy superintendent said while most scores did improve, they are not yet where they want to be.

"From a district perspective, we hope to get to the national level as soon as possible," he said. "Even though there is growth, the reality is that we have a long way to go."

Uploaded July 14, 2000