ENGLISH LEARNERS GET MIXED RESULTS ON TEST.Byline: Amy Raisin Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Children of Latino immigrants in the Newhall School District The Newhall School District is a school district in the Santa Clarita Valley that serves the Valencia and Newhall communities within the city of Santa Clarita, California, as well as the Stevenson Ranch community in unincorporated Los Angeles County. - with a high concentration of English learners - are struggling with their new language, according to state test results released Tuesday. The 2001 California English Language Development Test The California English Language Development Test, or CELDT, has been administered since 2001 as a formal assessment of where a student’s proficiency of English stands. The test is administered to any student from grades K-12 who have a home language other than English. was given to 379 Newhall district students - nearly 6 percent of the district total - who scored mostly in the least advanced - or ``beginning'' - bracket. ``We welcome this base line data, but that's the emphasis here - it's base line data. It's an indication of the number of kids who are coming into our schools learning English for the first time,'' said Paul Cordeiro, assistant superintendent of instructional services for the Newhall district. The CELDT CELDT California English Language Development Test identifies new English learning students in kindergarten through 12th grade, determines their level of English proficiency and provides an annual assessment of their progress in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Cordeiro emphasized the Newhall district's continuing commitment to assisting families and students whose first language is not English, with special classes at Newhall and Wiley Canyon schools that ease English language learners into course work. More than half of the 1,385 William S. Hart Union High School District students who took the test scored in the advanced bracket. More than 20 percent scored in the top level, while less than 10 percent ranked in the lowest category. Students tested at Castaic Middle School performed at or above the intermediate level, which, according to the state's initial assessment, labels the 130 students ``possible fluent English proficient.'' Introduced to the state Assembly in 1997, the concept for the test was refined and administered to students beginning May 2001. Students will begin taking the 2002 test in July. ``California is one of the first states in the nation to require the use of one state test to identify and monitor English proficiency,'' Delaine Eastin, state superintendent of public schools, said in a statement. ``In this regard, our state is a leader in meeting the new federal requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), commonly known as NCLB (IPA: /ˈnɪkəlbiː/), is a United States federal law that was passed in the House of Representatives on May 23, 2001 of 2001.'' CAPTION(S): chart Chart: SANTA CLARITA VALLEY The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. REPORT CARD Source: California Department of Education The California Department of Education is a California agency that oversees public education. The Department oversees funding, testing, and holds local educational agencies accountable for student achievement. |
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