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Welcome to My School Stats for Edison Elementary School. In this issue, we take a look at the GreatSchools Test Score Ratings, both overall and by grade, to show how your school compares to schools across the state.

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The GreatSchools Test Score Ratings for Edison Elementary School

Overall Rating: 10

 
Source: Based on data provided by the CA Dept. of Education, 2004-2005
  English
language arts		 Math Combined
All Students 10 9 10
By Grade
Grade 2 10 9 10
Grade 3 10 10 10
Grade 4 9 8 9
Grade 5 10 9 10
What the Ratings Mean
  • The GreatSchools Test Score Ratings, developed by GreatSchools.org, provide a summary overview of the state standardized test score performance at your school and a convenient way to compare your school with schools across the state. GreatSchools developed these unique ratings, based on test score data provided by the state Department of Education, to help you better understand complicated school data.
  • The ratings give you the opportunity to compare schools by overall rating as well as by subject, grade level and year-over-year performance.
  • Schools are rated from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest). For example, an overall rating of "10" means that a school is in the top 10% when compared to schools across the state with the same grade levels. A "1" means that the school is in the bottom 10%.
  • For the combined rating for math and reading, the rating is calculated by giving equal weight to both math and reading scores.
  • The ratings by grade tell you how students at a particular grade level performed relative to students at that grade level statewide. The grade-level ratings also give you a comparative view of how students at different grade levels at your school perform on state tests.
  • The arrows tell you whether scores improved, declined or remained the same, in comparison to last year's results. A double arrow up or down shows a strong improvement or decline.

More information on GreatSchools.org:
See more information about student achievement at this school
Five Ways to Get Smart About Test Scores
Wondering What to Think About All These Tests?
Issues to Consider
What does it mean if one grade level gets a significantly higher rating than other grade levels?

It could mean a number of things. It's possible that the particular class at this school has an unusually large number of high-achieving students. Or it could mean that the teaching at that grade level is excellent. In either case, if you see a large difference among grade levels, you'll want to dig deeper by asking questions at your school.

What does it mean if the ratings indicate a decline from one year to another?

It could mean that the group of students in a particular grade is not performing as well as the group in the previous year, or that there are more students with special needs or more English language learners. It could also mean that the teaching is not as effective as in the previous year. To determine the cause, you'll want to ask questions at your school.


How are the GreatSchools Ratings different from the California Academic Performance Index (API)?

The California API is designed to show how your school measures up to state standards. The GreatSchools Ratings are designed to let you compare schools across the state. With the GreatSchools 1-10 rating, you can easily see where your school stands in relation to other schools. (For example, a school that receives a "10" ranks in the top 10 % of schools statewide.) With the GreatSchools Rating, you can also compare particular grade levels and groups of students across schools.

Are the Test Score Ratings an effective way to judge a school?

The GreatSchools Test Score Ratings are a good way to get an overview of academic performance at the school, and to compare your school with others across the state. By looking at the Test Score Ratings, for example, you can instantly know if your school is in the top 10% of schools across the state. (That would be schools that receive a "10".) By looking at the arrows, you can get a quick view of whether scores are declining or improving over time.

But the ratings don't tell the whole story. They tell you about test score performance but not about the richness of the academic program-- whether there is art or music, or opportunities for individual or group exploration into a particular subject. The Test Score Ratings don't tell you about the level of parent involvement or whether the school has a safe and nurturing environment. These are also important factors to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of your school.
GreatSchools Grade by Grade
Do you have a child in kindergarten, first, second or third grade? Sign up for the GreatSchools grade-specific newsletters. Each month, you'll get information about what to expect your child to learn, appropriate books for your child's grade level, fun learning activities to do at home, healthy snack tips and advice from experts on solving school-related problems.

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Parent Reviews: Beyond the Numbers
What's great about your school? What needs improvement? Take a moment to tell other parents about your views on the quality of your school. The more parent reviews we post, the more valuable this feature will be, so we are counting on you not only to read what other parents have to say, but also to add a review about your school; and while you're at it, tell a friend to do the same!

 


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