[BHS etree] ADMIN: STAR test and Exit Exam, important info

[bhs at idiom.com]

For information regarding this announcement, contact: Vice Principal 
Maggie Heredia-Peltz mailto:mhp at berkeley.k12.ca.us

Note from etree: In a letter mailed home Thursday Vice Principal 
Maggie Heredia-Peltz, who is administering the upcoming STAR test, 
stressed the importance of the STAR test both for individual students 
and the community as a whole.  The letter is reproduced below. 
Please note that the mailing includes not only Ms. Heredia-Peltz's 
letter but the STAR schedule and, for 10th grade students, the 
results of the EXIT exam which they took in February.

Dear Berkeley High Community:

On April 22nd, 2008, Berkeley High School will begin administering 
the STAR, or Standardized Testing and Reporting program for all 
students in grades 9, 10, and 11. The exams will be given on 4/22, 
4/23, 4/24, and 4/25. We will have regular classes on Monday, April 
21st.  A copy of the schedule is included in this mailing.  STAR 
consists of California Standards Tests in English-language arts, 
mathematics, science, and history/social science. These tests are 
designed to measure and assess student performance in relation to the 
grade-level content standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

While a variety of opinions exist regarding testing, we encourage all 
students to fully participate in this year's exams.  The STAR has 
been aligned with the state content standards and can indeed be 
useful for teachers, students, and parents to determine how effective 
Berkeley High teachers are in teaching to the standards.  In 
addition, students gain valuable practice taking standardized tests 
which many colleges require, the SAT or ACT.

Federal legislation does require all schools to attain a 
participation rate of 95% or better on the STAR. Failure to achieve 
this benchmark could, unreasonably label our school as 
"underperforming" and move us into "program improvement" status. 
Program Improvement places us in a position where the state could 
progressively reduce our autonomy by prescribing specific curriculum 
and professional development for our staff. In addition, the school 
could to lose a significant amount of federal funding should we not 
meet the requirements.  Last year less than 70% of our students took 
the STAR test.

For 10th grade families we have also enclosed a copy of your 
student's CAHSEE results.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email.

Sincerely,

Maggie Heredia-Peltz,
Vice Principal
510-644-6120