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Published on 11/24/1997 All articles from this issue

Schools officials await questionable new state achievement test

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

The California State Legislature approved a new standardized achievement test Nov. 14 for grades 2 through 11 that has left local administrators raising their eyebrows.

Under the state's new STAR program, all public school districts in California must use the "off-the-shelf" Stanford Achievement Test 9 to test students annually in basic skills such as mathematics, reading and spelling beginning this May.

Local administrators say districts must either throw out the achievement tests they have formally used, along with any long-term data results or continue using their old tests in addition to the state approved one - something that could cost schools more money and could take away from classroom teaching time.

"Unless (schools) continue with their old tests, some longitude will be thrown out. That's the challenge," said Dick Liewer, assistant superintendent of curriculum. "No one knows what the effects of the new test will be."

Brigitte Sarraf, associate superintendent of educational services at the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, described the state's decision to adopt the SAT 9 as "disappointing" and "frustrating."

She said the district worked vigorously four years ago to select a test that would best gauge student knowledge in the district and could be established as a uniform assessment test with feeder districts. The high school district along with other local K-12 districts selected the California Achievement Test 5, she said.

State superintendent Diane Eastin, who reviewed all of the potential standardized tests, said none of the tests submitted to her reflected California's standards.

"None of them has the rigor, nor the breadth and depth of content that California needs," Eastin said in a press release. "All were seriously flawed and below grade-level expectations."

Eastin had recommended to Governor Pete Wilson that the state use the CTB/ McGraw-Hill exam for one year until a better test could be found.

Sarraf said the district is reluctant to "put more money out" if the test is only going to be used for one year.

"The truth is I don't really know how it is going to affect the district," Sarraf said. "The district has tens of thousands of dollars invested in (the CAT 5)."

Sarraf said even though the state will reimburse districts $5 per student for testing under the STAR program, the new test could cost up to $15 per student.

Sarraf said she is uncertain if the district will use both the CAT 5 and the new state test.

Liewer said the SAT 9 is similar in structure to the CAT 5, the test also used by the K-8 district.

"The district doesn't have much trepidation entering this, but I'm going to be very leery until after the first year," Liewer said.

"I think the children will do fairly well."

Liewer said the district previously used money from its general fund to test students because it did not test all grade levels and therefore didn't qualify for state funding.

Under the STAR program, the district will now receive reimbursements for the state test, he said.

Liewer said without any previous data to compare with, the new test will not say "anything" about the effectiveness of the class size reduction program.

He said the district has not determined if it will continue to use both the CAT 5 and the SAT 9 exams.