California schools pass a tense week of standardized testing
The high-stakes state exams measure campus' achievement each year. Getting students to show up is a major concern; dull pencils and the wrong type of scratch paper can create havoc as well.
Five-foot-two Erica O'Brien pushes a tall stack of gray cartons across the floor, straining as if they were full of coal, not tests. The office on the top floor of Banning High School is stuffy, even though it's only 6 a.m. But when the phone rings, O'Brien answers affably.
"Penthouse," she says.
That's what life is like these days for testing coordinators such as O'Brien. After weeks of preparing in the background, they suddenly become the most important person on campus. Students across the state last week took high-stakes standardized tests, which can bring a school glory through improved test scores, or, in the worst-case scenario, state sanctions. To make sure the tests go smoothly, O'Brien distributes tests, sharpens pencils and deals with the unexpected.
There's a note next to her computer screen that reads "Vomit."
"A kid threw up on his test, so we had to find him a new one. Poor guy," O'Brien explained.
STAR testing contributes to a campus' all-important Academic Performance Index rating and presents a big challenge to administrators. The results have no bearing on a student's academic record and aren't even available until August.
This contradiction isn't lost on the students. They know they could spend the entire testing time drawing smiley faces on their answer sheets or skip school altogether, which could be even worse because a campus is required to have 85% attendance for the test results to be valid.
So O'Brien also includes a small packet of raffle tickets along with the pencils and paper and attendance sheets in each of the 122 classroom bins. The school has a daily raffle, offering Jamba Juice gift certificates and other treats, and in June will have a party for test-takers. Other schools hold pep rallies, offer shorter school days during testing week, and send notes home urging parents to send their children to school after giving them a healthful breakfast.
Test results are especially important for Banning High in Wilmington. The school had trouble drawing the minimum number of students in 2005 and scored a below-average 567 on the API, which uses the standardized tests and other indicators to measure achievement in math, science and other subjects. Last year, more than 90% of students took the tests, and Banning raised its API score to 606. The state target score last year was 800.
Last week, more than 90% of the 2,822 students scheduled to take the test came to school.
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