Media Advisory
1450 Herndon, Clovis, CA 93611-0599
(559) 327-9000; Fax (559) 327-9099
www.cusd.com
October, 24 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kelly Avants, Administrator, Communications & Board Relations
Phone: 559-327-9092 Fax: 559-327-9099
or
via e-mail
Recalculation of demographic data forces API Growth Report delay for CUSD
CLOVIS- When the California Department of Education (CDE) releases 2003 Growth API scores today at 10 a.m. Clovis Unified’s results will be conspicuously absent. Along with many other school districts in the State, Clovis Unified is waiting for the CDE to recalculate API scores using corrected demographic data.
“In closely examining our STAR test reports released in August, we discovered errors in demographic data regarding students participating in some special programs,” said Dr. Ginny Boris, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “This does not affect the overall scores reported for our schools, but does affect individual student placement in subgroups such as Title I, English Language Learners or special education.”
Upon discovering several reporting anomalies, the District’s Coordinator of Assessment examined all subgroup data for each of the 26,000 CUSD students tested last spring. Following appropriate reporting procedures, Clovis Unified then submitted approximately 2,000 corrections in subgroup classifications to the CDE. Though the recalculated subgroup data was provided to CDE before its filing deadline, the corrections have forced a delay in CDE’s calculation of API Growth Scores for Clovis Unified.
“This delay in no way reflects irregularities or improprieties in Clovis Unified test scores,” Boris said. “When you look at each of our individual school sites, their test scores will remain the same. What may change is the number of students in a given subgroup reported in STAR or in the Federal Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) Report,” Boris said.
“With the implementation of No Child Left Behind, CDE is collecting much more complex data. Close isn’t good enough now, we have to have zero data errors in all of our testing and demographic data,” said Dr. Dick Sparks, director of assessment.
According to the Department of Education, Clovis Unified’s corrected data will be released in December 2003 along with the third phase of the Federal Annual Yearly Progress Report.
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