LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MEM

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MEM

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
MEMORANDUM
TITLE:
California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE)
Results, May 2006
NUMBER:
MEM-2615
ISSUER:
Esther Wong, Assistant Superintendent
Planning, Assessment and Research
DATE:
July 17, 2006
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this memorandum is to describe the California High School Exit
Examination (CAHSEE) Student and Parent Reports that are being delivered to the
schools and to provide sample cover letters in English and Spanish.
ROUTING
Local District Administration
Principals
Assistant Principals, SCS
CAHSEE Testing Coordinators
MAJOR
CHANGES:
INSTRUCTIONS:
I.
STUDENT AND PARENT REPORTS
Two copies of the Student and Parent Report for English-language arts and for
mathematics are provided for each student. One copy is for the school’s
records/reference. The second copy of the Student and Parent Report must be
mailed by the school to each parent/guardian by the middle of July. For schools
with SIS and where the student used a pre-coded answer document, the report is
addressed “To the Parent/Guardian of:” followed by the student’s name and
address. This is found on the back side, on the bottom left corner of the Student
and Parent Report. If the report is folded with a reverse fold, it can be placed
into a No. 10 window envelope for mailing. For the students who used handcoded documents, a mailing label must be prepared to send the report to the
parents. The school copy of each student’s report should be kept for at least ten
years.
The top part of the Student and Parent Report includes the student’s scale scores
and general information about the student. The upper left section of this report
contains the student’s total test scores for mathematics and English-language
arts. The student’s test score for each subject is reported as a scale score which
ranges from approximately 250-450. A scale score of 350 is necessary to pass
each subject. The upper right section of this report contains the student’s name,
date of birth, student identification number, grade, school name, district and
county names, and testing dates.
A.
Mathematics
The mathematics section of the report describes how well the student
performed on the mathematics portion of the test. “Your Total
Mathematics Score” on the left shows the student’s Mathematics scale
score and whether the student passed the Mathematics test. If the student
took this portion of the test with modifications as specified in the IEP or
MEM-2615
Planning, Assessment and Research
July 17, 2006
Page 1 of 3
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
MEMORANDUM
Section 504 Plan, then the student’s score is marked “Modified.” If the
score marked “Modified” was 350 or higher, the student may be eligible
for a waiver of the CAHSEE requirement. See Reference Guide Number
2109 dated January 9, 2006.
Information also is provided for each of the five major areas (strands)
tested: Probability and Statistics, Number Sense, Algebra and Functions,
Measurement and Geometry, and Algebra I. This report shows the
number of questions for each strand as well as the number and percentage
of questions the student answered correctly.
B.
English-Language Arts
The English-language arts section of the report describes how well the
student performed on the English-language arts portion of the test. “Your
Total English-Language Arts Score” shows the student’s scale score and
whether the student passed this test. If the student took this portion of the
test with modifications as specified in the IEP or Section 504 Plan, then
the student’s score is marked “Modified.” If the score marked “Modified”
was 350 or higher, the student may be eligible for a waiver of the
CAHSEE requirement. See Reference Guide Number 2109 dated January
9, 2006.
The report also provides information for each of the six major areas
(strands) tested: Word Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Literary
Response & Analysis, Writing Strategies, Writing Conventions (spelling,
grammar, and punctuation), and Writing Applications. For the first five
strands, the report shows the number of questions for each strand as well
as the number and percentage of questions the student answered correctly.
The score for the sixth strand, Writing Applications, shows how well the
student wrote an essay. The essay is scored on a four-point scale, with 1
as the lowest score and 4 as the highest. Students also can receive a “nonscorable” (NS) score if they do not write enough to score, write off topic,
write illegibly, or write in a language other than English. The essay is
read at least twice by professionally trained scorers.
II.
STUDENT LABELS
The CAHSEE test results labels for the May 2006 administration will be
delivered separately. The student’s test score for each subject is reported as a
scale score, which ranges from approximately 250-450. A scale score of 350
is necessary to pass each subject.
The student label includes the testing date, county, district and school code,
school name, student name, gender, grade, date of birth, district ID number,
English/Language Arts and Mathematics test dates, English/Language Arts
scale score with a pass or fail and the Mathematics scale score with a pass or
fail. Each student label is to be affixed to the CAHSEE Test Label Insert
MEM-2615
Planning, Assessment and Research
July 17, 2006
Page 2 of 3
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
MEMORANDUM
Card.
A request for additional CAHSEE Test Label Insert Cards (Attachment B) is
provided. Indicate the number of additional CAHSEE label cards needed and
fax the request to the Student Testing Unit.
III.
STUDENT ROSTERS
The student roster for the May 2006 administration will be sent to schools
separately. This roster alphabetically lists the names of students who
participated in the May 2006 administration of the CAHSEE. The roster also
includes the students’ pass/not pass status and scale scores for both English
Language Arts and Mathematics.
IV.
SAMPLE COVER LETTER AND SAMPLE STUDENT AND PARENT
REPORTS
Sample cover letters in English and Spanish (Attachments A1 and A2) are
provided. Contact the Student Testing Unit if additional languages are
needed.
RELATED
RESOURCES
More information about the CAHSEE program is available at
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs.
ASSISTANCE:
For assistance or further information, please contact the Student Testing Unit at
(213) 241-4104.
MEM-2615
Planning, Assessment and Research
July 17, 2006
Page 3 of 3
Los Angeles Unified School District
Planning, Assessment and Research
MEM-2615
July 17, 2006
ATTACHMENT A1
ENGLISH SAMPLE COVER LETTER TO SEND WITH STUDENT AND PARENT REPORTS
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Your student, along with other 10th, 11th and 12th grade students at our school,
participated in the administration of the California High School Exit Examination
(CAHSEE) in May 2006. Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, all students must
pass this state test to receive a high school diploma.
The purpose of the CAHSEE is to improve student achievement in high school
and to help ensure that students who graduate from high school can demonstrate
competency in the California academic content standards for English-language
arts and mathematics, adopted by the State Board of Education.
Grade 10, grade 11 and grade 12 students who had previously not passed all or
part of the CAHSEE were allowed an opportunity to test. Enclosed you will find
a CAHSEE Student and Parent Report indicating the results for each part of the
CAHSEE for your student.
Students who now have passed both parts of the CAHSEE are to be commended
for their outstanding effort. For those students who have not yet passed both parts
of the exam, please be assured that there will be more opportunities next school
year to do so. Class of 2006 non-graduates who have not passed one or both
sections of the CAHSEE must be actively enrolled at a high school or adult
school to be eligible to take the test during the 2006-2007 school year. Students
only retake the part(s) of the exam they have not yet passed. Our school’s testing
dates will be announced annually. We also will be providing additional
instruction to help students who need assistance.
Parents and guardians and students are reminded that, in addition to passing the
CAHSEE, school district requirements must be completed by students in order to
graduate. If you have any questions about the CAHSEE results for your student,
please contact the school office. Our entire staff will be working closely with
parents and guardians and students to successfully implement this important
testing program.
(Note: Principals who have planned parent and guardian information meetings to
explain the CAHSEE results and have plans in place to help students should add the
meeting schedule to the bottom of this letter.)
Los Angeles Unified School District
Planning, Assessment and Research
MEM-2615
July 17, 2006
ATTACHMENT A2
SPANISH SAMPLE COVER LETTER TO SEND WITH STUDENT AND PARENT REPORTS
Estimados padres de familia y tutores:
Su hijo(a), junto con otros alumnos del grado 10, 11 y el grado 12 en nuestra escuela,
participo en el examen de egreso de enseñanza secundaria superior de California
(conocido en inglés como California High School Exit Exam – CAHSEE) en Mayo del
2006. A partir del año escolar 2005-2006, todos los alumnos tendrán que aprobar este
examen estatal para recibir un diploma de graduación de la escuela secundaria.
La meta del CAHSEE consiste en mejorar el aprovechamiento estudiantil en las escuelas
segundarias y garantizar que los alumnos que se gradúen de dichas escuelas puedan
demostrar dominio de las normas adoptadas por la Junta Directiva de Educación Estatal
relacionadas con el contenido académico en artes de lenguaje en inglés y matemáticas.
Los estudiantes en el grado 10, grado 11 y grado 12 que no habían pasado una o ambas
partes del CAHSEE tuvieron la oportunidad de tomar el examen de nuevo. Adjunto
encontrarán un Informe de CAHSEE para Estudiantes y Padres que indica los resultados
de su hijo(a) en cada parte de dicha prueba.
Elogiamos por su labor sobresaliente a los alumnos que ya han aprobado ambas partes del
examen. Los estudiantes que todavía no han aprobado ambas partes de la prueba pueden
estar seguros de que habrá otras oportunidades de hacerlo durante el próximo año escolar.
Los estudiantes del grado 12 que no se graduarán este año y que no han aprobado una o
ambas partes de la prueba tienen que estar registrados en una escuela secundaria superior
(preparatoria) o en una escuela para adultos para ser elegibles a tomar el examen en el
año escolar 2006-2007. Los alumnos sólo tienen que volver a tomar la(s) parte(s) del
examen que no hayan aprobado. Se anunciarán anualmente las fechas de los exámenes en
nuestra escuela. Asimismo, proporcionaremos enseñanza adicional para ayudar a los
estudiantes que necesiten ayuda.
Se les recuerda a los padres de familia, tutores y estudiantes que, además de aprobar el
CAHSEE, los alumnos tienen que cumplir con los requisitos del distrito escolar para
poder graduarse. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta sobre el CAHSEE o los resultados de su
hijo(a), haga el favor de comunicarse con la escuela de su hijo(a). Todo nuestro personal
trabajará estrechamente con los padres de familia, tutores y alumnos para implementar
con éxito este importante programa de exámenes.
(Note: Principals who have planned parent and guardian information meetings to explain the
CAHSEE results and have plans in place to help students should add the meeting schedule to the
bottom of this letter.)
Los Angeles Unified School District
Planning, Assessment and Research
MEM-2615
July 17, 2006
ATTACHMENT B
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMINATION
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL CAHSEE TEST LABEL INSERT CARDS
SCHOOL:
PHONE NO.:
CAHSEE COORDINATOR:
DATE:
PRINCIPAL’S SIGNATURE:
DATE:
Please indicate below the number of additional CAHSEE Test Label Insert Cards requested:
ITEM
Quantity Needed
CAHSEE Test Label Insert Cards
FAX ORDER TO (213) 241-8461
or
Mail to Student Testing Unit, Beaudry Building, 21rd Floor
Date Filled: ____________________________
Filled By: ________________