SCHOOL EVALUATIONS ARE More than just TEST SCORES
On Sept. 8, the California Department of Education (CDE) approved a new way to evaluate schools. The old evaluation did not allow schools to show the different regions in which they excelled. It solely focused on the test scores for specific subjects, general state testings for all grades and college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT. This new form of evaluation will take into account factors other than just test scores. Some elements include preparedness for future education and careers, graduation rates, progression of English learners, suspension rates, standardized test scores, attendance rates, progress in implementing standards, engagement of parents and guardians and the overall school climate.
Schools will now be ranked using these elements, and all schools will be given a color level, which represents the overall grade the school has earned. The levels, in order of lowest to highest, will range from Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue. In the coming years, all California schools will eventually implement the above factors into the new form of evaluation. By doing so, anyone included in the evaluation process can better judge the progress and environment of each school in all the categories.
English 1 Honors and 4 teacher Kate Peters agrees that it would be beneficial to evaluate schools based on test results, but she thinks that it should not be the only factor accounted for when schools receive grades.
“[Teachers] want to make sure that they cover things that are going to prepare the students for the future, and [the evaluation of testing scores] does matter because colleges can know that our school tests well,” Peters said.
According to Peters, this new system will be fairer and will level the playing field for all California schools. It will allow schools that are lacking in one area yet succeeding in all others to still achieve a good evaluation. Not all schools can rank well all-around, so the new evaluation will emphasize the unique traits found within the students and the climate particular to each school.
This approach does not center on one specific aspect; it is inclusive of all parts that can provide an accurate evaluation of each school when put together. It will measure the overall progress through multiple years of evaluation instead of just providing an end result. This tactic will also use the color score system to compare the grades earned from one school with the grades of other schools and contrast the different areas in California where schools are found to see how the environment affects school life.
Sophomore Sydney Bambardekar believes the inclusion of all aspects that make up each student is important for the state to see.
“[Different aspects may be evaluated] seeing that a student can excel in multiple academic aspects, not just in test scores,” Bambardekar said. “I believe that the school evaluations can be based on more than test scores in order to get a well-rounded idea of a student’s education and their abilities.”
In addition to making the evaluations fair by allowing all schools to be evaluated the same way, the new form of CDE-approved evaluation will help showcase the different ways students themselves can succeed. The new evaluation opens up many opportunities for students, and it can potentially help show their success. Each part will be ranked and combined to form one official ranking. The total score will define the success of schools and eventually will be used in examining their progress as the years go on.
Peninsula has always done its best to give students the resources to be well-rounded in all areas on or off campus. They recognize and showcase the aspects unique to every student.
“Schools [most likely] feel that it is not just a grade that composes a student,” sophomore Holly Harris said. “There are other factors to consider [when evaluating a school and the students at the school].”
