BSD schools give testing score updates

Local schools are back in session and administrators in the Burton School District are raring to go after receiving their California Standard Test scores.

Though the Sept. 8 board meeting lasted three hours, presentations from three district schools kept attendees attentive as they listened to the plan to raise test scores and help students.

While school administrators explained their gains or losses in testing percentages, district officials continually referenced they called the “infeasibility” of No Child Left Behind standards.

The legislation, passed in 2002, requires all public school students to register 100 percent proficiency on mathematics and reading skills tests by 2014.

“That’s the tyranny of NCLB. Not a civilization, current or past, has had all its citizens proficient in anything,” Superintendent Gary Mekeel said.

The testing data presented was overshadowed by the looming spectrum of the increased percentages that schools must meet this year. Last year, students needed an average 60.86 percent and 49.73 percent, respectively, for reading and mathematics.

For the current school year, the required percentages are 68.69 and 59.79 percent, respectively.

Burton Elementary School principal Marcus White said administrators are focusing on increasing parental involvement. He and vice principal Troy Hayes presented their idea regarding increasing communication with parents, including community nights and a campus newsletter.

“This is still a work in progress. We’re only three weeks in [to the school year] and we’ll probably still be working on it on the last day,” said Hayes, who is also the campus intervention specialist.

Principal Treasure Weisenberger of Oak Grove Elementary School followed the elementary school report with uplifting news about gains made by the English language learner subgroup.

“They made huge gains that we’re really proud of,” she said.

Weisenberger echoed concerns about the percentages each school is expected to reach this school year.

“They are a lot higher, so we have a lot of work to do this year,” she said.

English language learners at Burton Middle School, however, didn’t fare so well last year. Principal Michelle Pengilly and Vice Principal Stephen Bradley presented their scores, noting that English language learners did not meet state standards in any core subject areas.

They reported they plan to increase emphasis on testing in grade calculations to ensure that students realize the impact of test performance.

Weisenberger noted that many high schools make test scores a large factor in student grades.

-- Contact Sarah de Crescenzo at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or sdecrescenzo@portervillerecorder.com.