This past August, the California Department of Education released students’ scores for the California Standards Tests, which are part of the California STAR Testing Program. According to a Department press release, budget cuts and the implementation of the Common Core State Standards are cited as reasons why scores dropped by a fraction of a percentage point.
While scores may have fallen on the whole, some students actually excelled and have received the recognition they deserve. Overall, more than 100 high school students in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District received perfect scores on parts of the CST or the California High School Exit Exam, the Santa Maria Times reported.
The CST features sections devoted to English language arts, mathematics, science and history-social science. Meanwhile the CAHSEE allows educators to gain a sense of their students’ competency in reading, writing and mathematics. John Davis, assistant superintendent of curriculum for the District, told the news outlet just how much success on this assessment matters.
“It represents the difference between a student graduating with full diploma or not,” Davis said. “In that sense, the pressure is on to give the absolute best effort possible, and these students rose to the occasion.”
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