Only 2 of 58 Low-Scoring Schools May Turn to State

Although 58 low-scoring Ventura County schools are eligible for state money and assistance under California’s new accountability program, only two campuses plan to apply for the grant, school officials said Thursday.

Some district officials are confident they can boost students’ performance without outside help, while others worry about raising the required matching funds or losing local control of their schools.

“I’m always concerned about the state acting like big brother,” Ventura Unified Supt. Joseph Spirito said. “I don’t think it’s worthwhile to spend money on outside evaluators because they don’t know the community, the staff or the kids.”

Based on their Stanford 9 scores from 1998 and 1999, one-third of Ventura County’s public schools can each apply for a $50,000 state grant intended to improve student performance.

Statewide, 3,144 schools are eligible for their share of the available $16.5 million, according to a list released by the state Department of Education this week. Students at those schools scored in the lower half of the statewide distribution on the standardized achievement test.

Local districts with eligible schools include Briggs Elementary, Conejo Valley Unified, Fillmore Unified, Hueneme Elementary, Moorpark Unified, Ocean View Elementary, Oxnard Elementary, Oxnard Union High School, Rio Elementary, Santa Paula Elementary, Santa Paula Union High, Simi Valley Unified and Ventura Unified.

Of those, only Oxnard Elementary and Conejo Valley Unified have decided to volunteer for the program. Moorpark is still considering participating. Ocean View, Hueneme Elementary and Simi Valley administrators could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Oxnard Elementary administrators said the program could provide an opportunity to improve achievement, with some additional assistance from the state. And Conejo Valley Supt. Jerry Gross said the extra money could help boost performance at Conejo Elementary, the only eligible school in the district.

“Anything that will improve the chance for these girls and boys to get the help they need and the teachers to get the training they need is very valuable,” he said.

Under the program, schools could receive up to $200 per student to pay for educational reforms over the next three years. Districts are required to match those funds.

During that time, outside evaluators will monitor students’ progress. Schools that show improvement could receive financial rewards. But schools that don’t could face being taken over by the state.

That is what Briggs Elementary Supt. Carol Vines fears.

“We want to make sure we maintain local control,” she said. The new program is “kind of an unknown.”

Fillmore Unified Assistant Supt. Jane Kampbell agreed.

“It’s a program that might have some merit, but we really haven’t had adequate information or time to know if it is going to be beneficial,” Kampbell said.

Other districts, including Rio Elementary, are concerned about raising matching funds. All five Rio schools are eligible, but Assistant Supt. David Lopez said the district simply can’t afford it.

“We think it’s a good structure to improve schools and raise accountability, but volunteering an individual school could mean a financial burden for us.”

And Gary Davis, assistant superintendent for the Oxnard Union High School District, said he is confident his schools are making significant progress without outside help. “We know that the funds are there, but we feel that we can show the state that we are improving,” Davis said.

Bill Brand, superintendent of the Santa Paula Union High School District, said he is also working closely with staff members to improve standardized test scores, and doesn’t believe a state evaluator is necessary. He also said the Stanford 9 is only one assessment, and the state should use other factors to determine which schools need help.

County Supt. of Schools Chuck Weis said he isn’t surprised districts are reluctant to participate.

“The schools that volunteer this year are taking a huge risk,” he said. “They are really going into this on faith. But I’m optimistic that those that volunteer will benefit.”

And whether or not low-performing schools apply for the program, Weis said he plans to focus on raising test scores at those sites.

Interested schools must apply to the state Department of Education by Thursday, with the state planning to award the grants based on a first-come, first-served basis. But if 330 schools do not volunteer, officials will choose schools at random. The state Department of Education will post the final list on the Internet Sept. 1, and schools would receive funding in spring or summer of 2000.

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List of Schools

List of Ventura County schools eligible for the “immediate intervention/underperforming schools program”:

* Briggs Elementary School District

Briggs Elementary

* Conejo Valley Unified School District

Conejo Elementary

* Fillmore Unified School District

Fillmore Middle

Fillmore Senior High

Piru Elementary

San Cayetano Elementary

Sespe Elementary

* Hueneme Elementary School District

Bard Elementary

Blackstock Junior High

Green Junior High

Hathaway Elementary

Haycox Elementary

Hueneme Elementary

Larsen Elementary

Parkview Elementary

Sunkist Elementary

Williams Elementary

* Moorpark Unified School District

Peach Hill Elementary

* Ocean View Elementary School District

Laguna Vista Elementary

Mar Vista Elementary

Ocean View Junior High

Tierra Vista Elementary

* Oxnard Elementary School District

Brekke Elementary

Chavez Elementary

Curren Elementary

Driffill Elementary

Frank Intermediate

Fremont Intermediate

Harrington Elementary

Kamala Elementary

Lemonwood Elementary

Marina West Elementary

McAuliffe Elementary

McKinna Elementary

Rose Avenue Elementary

Sierra Linda Elementary

* Oxnard Union High School District

Channel Islands High

Hueneme High

Oxnard High

Rio Mesa High

* Rio Elementary School District

El Rio Elementary

Rio Del Valle Elementary

Rio Lindo Elementary

Rio Plaza Elementary

Rio Real Elementary

* Santa Paula Elementary School District

Bedell Elementary

Blanchard Elementary

Glen City Elementary

Isbell Middle

McKevett Elementary

Thille Elementary

Webster Elementary

* Santa Paula Union High School District

Santa Paula High

* Simi Valley Unified School District

Lincoln Elementary

* Ventura Unified School District

De Anza Middle

Foster Elementary

Sheridan Way Elementary

Will Rogers Elementary