Mixed Results in California Student Performance on State Standardized Testing

Last week the California Department of Education ("CDE") issued a news release announcing the results of the California High School Exit Exam ("CAHSEE") and the Standardized Testing and Reporting ("STAR").  

CAHSEE: An estimated 95.5% of the Class of 2013 passed the CAHSEE, a 0.5% increase from the previous year, and a 5.1% increase since the first was first administered in 2006.  Pass rates for the Class of 2013 included an estimated 91.8% of African American students; 82.2% of students who are learning English; 98.5% of white students; 93.5% of students who are economically disadvantaged, and 93.8% of Hispanic or Latino students.

API: However, the Growth Academic Performance Index ("API") has declined 2 points statewide, from 791 to 789.  The API ranges from 200 to 1000, with a statewide target of 800.  The API shows that 56% of elementary schools, 50% of middle schools and only 30% of high schools are meeting the state benchmark.  Several subgroups say an increase in API, including 5 points by socioeconomically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities.

AYP:  Adequate Yearly Progress ("AYP") targets, as set forth under the federal No Child Left Behind program, continue to lag.  Only 14% of schools met AYP benchmarks, a sharp decline from 26% last year. 

For more information, please see the CDE's August 29, 2013 news release here.

Meghan Covert Russell

"Hours" Worked Cannot Be Converted To "Days" In Order To Earn Permanent Employee Status

In Cox v. Los Angeles Unified School District (--- Cal.Rptr.3d ----, Cal.App. 2 Dist., July 23, 2013), a California court of appeal considered whether a school district employee could apply hours of credit she claimed to have worked during a maternity leave as "days" for the purpose of satisfying the number of days needed to satisfy the Education Code 44908 “complete school year” threshold requirement for earning permanent employee status.  The appellate court held that the Code's specific reference to "number of days worked" plainly required probationary certificated employees to work the number of actual days, and that extra hours an employee may have worked while on leave of absence or partial days worked cannot be considered the equivalent to days for that purpose. 

For more information, see KMTG's Legal Alert. 

Legal Alert Series: Education Legislation (Set No. 2)

KMTG will be publishing a series of Legal Alerts summarizing pertinent legislation to the education community.

In the second round, we examine AB 20 (obscene matters depicting minors), AB 166 (financial literacy instruction), AB 86 (surplus property), Sb 73 (Prop 39 implementation and funding), and AB 133 (digital format for instructional materials).  To read about these recently passed bills, check out our Legal Alert.