Low-Scoring Valley Schools to Get State Help

Twenty-four San Fernando Valley schools that have scored poorly on standardized tests have been chosen to participate in a new state program designed to improve test scores.

As part of a state push to raise scores, the schools--five high schools, eight middle schools and 11 elementary--will receive hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next three years. Each school will work with an outside evaluator who will offer suggestions for how to improve the curriculum and will monitor student progress.

Though the potential gains are tremendous, applying for the state money--known as Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools program--is a risk.

If scores improve, the schools will receive more money. If they don’t, the schools risk staff reassignment, removal of a principal, or--in extreme cases--state takeover.

Aimed at campuses where standardized test scores are in the lower half of state Academic Performance Index standings, the program is a crucial part of Gov. Gray Davis’ plan to improve the performance of public education. In addition to scoring in the lower 50th percentile of the API, schools must have fallen short of their state assigned growth targets.

This year, 936 California schools were eligible for the program, and 430 of the 550 who applied were selected.

Principals in smaller school districts tended to know they were on the state list--which was posted in the Internet on Friday afternoon--and were already discussing plans.

But in the Los Angeles Unified School District, applications were filed by the district on behalf of all 133 eligible schools. Ninety were selected for participation, said John Liechty, the district’s administrator of extended day programs. That is in contrast to last year, when schools decided on their own whether to apply and just 11 were selected.

“We notified each of the 11 subdistrict superintendents, met with them [and] gave them a list of the schools who were eligible for the program . . .,” Liechty said.

Liechty said the district was drafting letters Monday to send out to subdistrict superintendents and selected school principals to let them know they had been chosen.

Principals reached at three Valley schools Monday afternoon did not know their schools had applied, or that they had been selected.

“There are lots of groups who want to come in and help, but I’ve heard nothing about any kinds of funds we are going to get from the state,” said Principal Alan La Roy McCall, of Brainard Avenue School in Lake View Terrace.

Although his school’s API scores of 594 out of a possible 1,000 were higher than many in the Valley, the school went down 12 points from last year, and fell short of its growth target of improving by 10 points.

Principal Kiyo Fukumoto of Anatola Avenue School in Van Nuys was equally surprised, and slightly taken aback.

“Our scores have been improving all along,” Fukumoto said. “No one from my district office has told me I am on that list, or the reasons I am on it. I don’t feel that we are not achieving. I don’t feel that we are in desperate need of redoing our plan.”

Anatola Avenue Elementary bested its state-assigned growth target by five points, but Doug Stone, spokesman for the state Department of Education said even if schools meet their overall growth target, they may fall short of targets for certain racial or socioeconomic groups.

Selected schools will now have to work with their evaluator to come up with a plan to improve student achievement by this spring. If that plan is approved by the state the school will receive a $50,000 grant, followed by up to $168 per student.

Most schools’ plans are approved. If they are not, they are often asked to rewrite them and submit them again.

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Participating Schools

The following San Fernando Valley schools are among 430 statewide selected to participate in the Immediate Intervention / Underperforming Schools Program.

High Schools

Birmingham

Grant

North Hollywood

Reseda

San Fernando

Elementary Schools

Anatola Avenue

Blythe Street

Brainard Avenue

Dyer Street

Hamlin Street

Lemay Street

Plummer

Rio Vista

Shirley Avenue

Vinedale

Winnetka Avenue

Middle Schools

Columbus

Holmes

Mulholland

Northridge

Pacoima

Sepulveda

Van Nuys

Madison