High Stakes Testing in California FAQs

1. What are “high stakes” tests? These are government mandated tests used for making high stakes decisions such as grade-to-grade advancement, tracking, granting high school diplomas, rating the performance of individual schools, teachers and school administrators, providing and denying funding, disbanding and ‘reconstituting’ schools.

2. What are the high stakes tests used in California? The state has two high stakes testing programs, the California High School Exit Exam or CAHSEE and Standardized Testing And Reporting or STAR, a battery of tests given yearly to all students from grades 2 through 11. Educational Testing Service is the prime contractor for administering and servicing both programs.

3. What are arguments for and against high stakes tests?

Pro: The purpose of STAR and CAHSEE is to raise academic standards and to assure that all students, regardless of race, culture or family income are held to the same high standards. Test items are mostly drawn from California’s content standards in basic academic school subjects While tests may be imperfect they are the best we have for assuring that students, schools, teachers, and school districts are held accountable for their performance. Test scores have been rising which is evidence that these state programs are working.

Con: High stakes testing fails to improve school quality and contributes to educational inequality. Using these tests to deny grade advancement or to deny students a diploma punishes them for the failure of the state to provide adequate resources. Focusing on raising scores degrades the curriculum and restricts learning opportunities, particularly for English language learners, special education students, African American, Latino students, and students from poor families. Schools divert scarce resources to test preparation. Whatever does not contribute directly to short-term gains in test scores is curtailed or abandoned. This includes bilingual education, critical thinking, the arts, citizenship and community service programs, physical and health education, and multicultural curriculum. In addition, the claimed gains in scores are questionable and do not indicate improvements in educational quality.

CAHSEE California High School Exit Exam

1. What is CAHSEE? Passing CAHSEE is slated to become a requirement for a high school diploma in 2004 unless the State Board of Education delays its implementation by August 2003, or new state legislation is enacted. The exam is divided into two sections: English language arts (reading and writing) and mathematics. It is composed of multiple choice test items except for a standardized writing sample. It is not a timed test, but students must complete it within the testing day. Results are entered on a student's permanent record.

2. When do students take the exit exam? CAHSEE is supposed to be given three times a year beginning
in 2003. Testing dates are set locally according to state guidelines. Beginning in the tenth grade, students
have eight opportunities to pass. If students pass one section of the exam, they only retake the section they failed.

3. What is a passing score and how is that score set? Tests are scored from 250 to 450 points for each of the two sections. Students must receive at least 350 points to pass each section. Passing scores are set by the State Board of Education.

4. What if English is a student’s second language? All students must pass the exit exam in English to receive a diploma. Students who do not have a sufficient grasp of English may delay taking the exam for up to two years from the date students first enrolled in California public schools. The school district is required to provide such students with at least six months of instruction in reading, writing, and comprehension in English in preparation for the test.

5. What provisions are there for special education students? Students have the right to any accommodations or modifications included in their IEP (Individualized Education Program) or their Section 504 Plan. However, passing the exam with modifications or accommodations does not automatically qualify students for a diploma. The student’s parent or principal must in addition apply for a waiver to the school district governing board.

6. What are the failure rates on the CAHSEE? So far, of the nearly 460,000 students in 2004 graduating class only 48 percent have passed all sections of the test. Of the state's 35,000 special education students 9 of 10 have so far failed the test. After two years of trying, 81 percent of English learners, 74 percent of African-American and 70 percent of Latino students failed at least one part of the test.

7. Is help available for students who fail the test? Every 10th grader who participates in the spring 2003 administration should receive a study guide for the section(s)of the exam they failed. The study guides are available at the California Department of Education (CDE) website. A Remediation Guide is available through the Resources link on the CDE web site or from a school district’s central office. Other help may be made available by the local district or high school.

8. What are the options for students who do not receive a diploma? They may take the GED, a nationally recognized high school equivalency exam for adults. They can also attend adult education classes to earn credits toward a high school diploma though they will still be required to pass CAHSEE. Students 18 or older who fail the exam are eligible to attend California's community colleges.

STAR Standardized Testing and Reporting

1. What is STAR? STAR is a state-mandated standardized testing program for grades 2-11. It has three components: (1) CST (California Standards Tests), (2) CAT/6 (California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition), and (3) SABE/2 (Spanish Assessment of Basic Education second edition.)

2. What is CST and how is it scored? CST tests are intended to assess what the state expects teachers to teach and what students are supposed to learn. Test items are based on the state's academic content standards by grade level. Except for a standardized writing test given to fourth and eighth graders, the tests are multiple-choice and are not timed. Students are scored as "far below basic, below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced." The state’s goal is for 100% of students to score at "proficient" or above by the 2014. “Proficient"—is defined as equivalent to meeting the requirements for admission to the University of California. This is clearly an impossible requirement

3. What is the CAT/6 and how is it scored? CAT/6 is a standardized, multiple-choice test of basic skills used in various states. It is a norm-referenced test. This means that the test yields standardized scores so that California students' performance can be compared to a national sample of students. Student scores are reported as the number answered correctly for each subject and as a national percentile rank. For example, a score at the 30th percentile means the student score was equal to or better than that 30% of the students in the national sample. The CAT/6, as all norm-referenced tests, is constructed so that. 50 % of students will always fall below the 50^th percentile and, in effect, fail the test.

4. What is SABE/2 and how is it scored? SABE is norm-referenced, standardized test written in Spanish for native Spanish speakers. It is intended to assess students' knowledge of mathematics and
Spanish language arts. It is required for native Spanish speaking students in grades 2-11 during their first year in California public schools. The test provides students’ percentile ranks by grade-level and subject based on a sample of 12 states with the highest numbers of Spanish-speaking students including California. The state also requires schools to administer the California English Language Development Test or CELDT to all K-12 English learners. This test is intended to monitor student progress in becoming proficient in English. Officially CELDT is not part of STAR. Note that all English learners are also expected to take the CST and CAT/6 in English in addition to taking CELDT and SABE/2

5. How much time is devoted to STAR testing? Though Standards-based tests are supposedly not timed, the state provides guidelines as to the amount of time needed by most students. For 2003 according to the state, the shortest amount of total testing time required for CST and CAT/6 combined is 7 1/2 hours for second graders. The longest is about 13 hours for grades 10 and 11. Testing is spread out over several days. This estimate does not include SABE/2 or CELDT taken by native Spanish speaking students.

6. How are the STAR tests used? CST and CAT/6 are used by the state to evaluate and rank schools on the Academic Performance Index or API. A school’s numerical score on the API is created from the average scores of a school's students. (For details about how the API works see API section below.)

7. How does the STAR program affect students? Many students experience high levels of test induced stress that significantly depresses their test performance. Students attending schools with low STAR scores are often required to participate in narrowly focused test preparation programs aimed solely at improving a school’s average STAR scores. State regulations require school districts to establish grade promotion criteria that include scores on state tests. However, school districts may not use STAR scores as the sole basis for failing to promote students. There is a state scholarship program for high scoring students. Students in grades 9-11 scoring in the top 5% statewide or in the top 10% in their school are eligible for $1,000 for each of three years. It is not known whether the state funds will appropriated funds for 2004 rewards .

8. What provisions are there for special education students? Special education students may be exempted from STAR tests by their parents or guardians. (See STAR question # 10 below for details.) If students take the test, they have the right to accommodations or modifications that are included in their Individualized Education Program or IEP. Students with severe disabilities who are unable to participate in the STAR program even with accommodations may be tested with the California Alternate Performance Assessment or CAPA which replaces multiple-choice questions with open-ended questions and teacher assistance in recording answers. School officials often fail to inform parents of their rights and options, so it falls to parents to initiate action on their children’s behalf.

9. What provisions are there for students with limited English? English learners are expected to take STAR tests as well as SABE/2 and CELDT. English language learners, as all other students, can be easily exempted by their parents or guardians from any or all STAR tests. (See STAR question #10 for details.) A court has ruled that if schools fail to meet API growth targets solely due to the low STAR scores of its English language learners, a district may apply for a general waiver to the State Board of Education. If a school demonstrates improvement on the CELDT, the State Board may grant the waiver. The court has also mandated that the Board act with a presumption in favor of granting such waivers. School officials may fail to inform parents of their rights and options, so it may fall to parents to initiate action on their children’s behalf.

10. Are all students required to take STAR tests? No. Students are usually told they are expected to take STAR tests, but the tests are not required. Parents and guardians have an unqualified right to waive any and all STAR tests for their children. Students who do not take the test may not be punished or in any way disadvantaged by school officials if parents exercise their right to a waiver. A parent or guardian need only send a one line written request to the principal; no reasons are required. A 2002 court ruling held that school administrators’ efforts to gag teachers are illegal. Teachers are free to initiate discussion with parents and guardians to provide them with information about the availability of waivers and individualized advice on the appropriateness or inappropriateness of the STAR tests for a student. Teachers are not allowed to “solicit” or “encourage” waivers.

11. Will schools lose federal Title I funding if more than 5% of students in a school opt out of STAR tests? The threat that the school will lose Title I funding if fewer than 95% of students take STAR tests is groundless. This is a misreading of the provisions of 2002 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) also called the “No Child Left Behind Act.” Its provisions do not control California’s assessment policies. Section 1905 of ESEA asserts that federal officials may not “mandate, direct, and control a state, local education agency, or a school’s’ specific instructional content, academic achievement standards and assessments, curriculum or program of instruction.”

API Academic Performance Index

1. What is the API and how is it used? The API is a numerical score used to rank public schools in the State of California. A school is given a score of 200-1000 based on a school’s combined average scores on two STAR tests, the CST and CAT/6. Schools that meet or exceed "growth targets" are eligible to receive additional per student state expenditures and bonuses for teachers and the other school staff. It is doubtful, however, that funds for these rewards and incentives will be appropriated by the legislature during the state’s current fiscal crisis. Schools that repeatedly fail to achieve their growth targets are designated as “low performing”. Such schools are subject to more state intervention, and should a school repeatedly fall short of its growth targets, it is subject to being disbanded, and the principal and teachers demoted, reassigned or possibly fired. Since API relies entirely on STAR test results, consult FAQ questions on the STAR program (see above) for more information on the consequences of API policies.

2. What is considered a "good" API score? The State Board of Education has selected 800 as the minimum score considered as acceptable. Schools that score at or above 800 are expected to at least maintain their scores. Schools that score below the 800 mark are expected to show improvement not only for the student body as a whole but also for "subgroups" of students (based on family income, race and ethnicity). Schools that score below 800 are expected to close the gap between their score and 800 by 5% each year. For example, if a school scored 600 in 2003 its "growth target" for the 2004 would be 610.

3. All schools receive a ranking of 1-10. How is a school’s rank determined and what does it mean? Each school is ranked from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) based on API scores. Each number represents 10% or a "decile" of the state's schools. A ranking of 1 for a high school, for example, means that 90% of the state's high schools scored better than that school on the API. Schools in decile 1 overwhelmingly serve students of color, English language learners, and low-income families. These schools are far more likely to be overcrowded and on year-round schedules. They are more likely to have teachers who have not completed all requirements for certification. Schools in decile 10 have few English language learners, have nearly 100% fully qualified teachers. Note that the conversion of API scores to a decile scale ensures that there will always be a fixed percentage of low and high-ranking schools.

4. Are rich and poor schools compared on the same scale? Yes. All schools are required to meet the same standards (a score of 800 or better). Every school receives a second 1-10 based on a social and economic profile of families the school serves. Schools that serve relatively poor communities, for example, are compared to a sample of 100 demographically similar schools. This second rating is not used by the state for evaluating school and teacher performance.

5. Are all California public schools rated with no exceptions? Rankings do not include schools that are very small, run by a county office of education, or are in a special category such as continuation schools. The state has a separate accountability system for these schools.

Where can I get more information? California Department of Education: www.cde.ca.gov/statetests California Coalition for Authentic Reform of Education.: www.CalCare.org FairTest: www.fairtest.org

Assessment Reform Network: www.fairtest.org/arn/arn.htm Californians for Justice: caljustice.org

Harvard Civil Rights Project: www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu

Educ. Policy Research Unit, Arizona State Univ.: www.asu.edu/educ/epsl/epru.htm

Document may be duplicated. Source: H. Berlak 4.23.03 r2.