The Lincoln Log

All students in Calif. public schools in grades two through 11 are required to take the Calif. Standards Test (CST) ten days after or before 85 percent of the school year has passed. At the high school level, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are required to take English, math and science subject tests. In addition, sophomores and juniors are required to take the history-social science test.

The CST is one of the four components of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program. Along with the CST, the STAR program consists of the California Alternate Performance Assessment, California Achievement Test and Aprenda.

The purpose of these tests is to measure Calif. students’ knowledge of state content standards. The results of the STAR program as well as those of the Calif. High School Exit Examination (CASHEE) determine the school’s Academic Performance Index (API) score, which describes a school’s performance level. Students’ performance on the CST English-language arts portion and on the CASHEE English-language arts and Mathematics portion equally weigh the most in determining the API score.

If a school’s API score declines, it faces state or district intervention. The school would be watched over to check if district policy was being implemented, review teachers’ curriculum to determine if they were following the correct course material and check if attendance records were all in order.

In 2006, Abraham Lincoln High School score a 728 API score, down from a 722 API score in 2005, on a scale from 200-1000 possible points. Though 800 is the aspiration score, Lincoln’s score is considered to be high.

“Lincoln is still a great school. We’re not [on top] yet, but the way the API is set up, it is much more difficult to maintain than come from the bottom up,” assistant principal Barnaby Payne said.

Students’ CST score not only can be held against the school, but also can be consequential for the student. For incoming freshmen especially, CST scores are used to determine class placement. Low test score students are identified by the district as those who need help. Students are placed in non college accredited classes which could prevent them from meeting the correct qualifications to apply to college.

For those students who have demonstrated understanding of high school knowledge by scoring a scaled score of 370 or above on certain CST subjects throughout high school, they become eligible for the golden state seal merit diploma. Those students who become eligible receive a gold embossed insignia on their high school diploma and a black and white insignia to be printed on the student’s transcript.

Limited time and resources make it difficult for school administration to give individual attention to students to determine specifically what content areas they need to improve on to advance their CST score.

“Every student at Lincoln needs to be aware of their own personal date of the CST. That way you can know your strengths and weaknesses and make goals accordingly. [It’s also] important for teachers to make their own assessments so we really know here our kids stand,” Payne said.