FIRST AND FOREMOST STANFORD TEST SCORES INCREASE.

Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer

First-graders in Los Angeles scored above the national average in reading, spelling and math, but fell short on the language portion of the Stanford 9 basic skills test, according to results released Tuesday.

But scores were mixed in the San Fernando Valley, where schools generally perform better than the overall Los Angeles Unified School District average. Some campuses showed double-digit increases and others significant drops.

Among the success stories was Fair Elementary School in North Hollywood, where first-graders scored 13 to 18 percentile points higher in all four subjects compared with the previous year. Scores went up 18 points in math, 16 in reading, 15 in spelling and 13 in language.

Principal Maxine Matlen attributed the success of her school to a strong academic program in kindergarten, where children learn spelling, phonics and math.

``Our focus is very strong in reading ... in kindergarten, which then prepares them for first grade,'' Matlen said. ``For years, Fair has had a very academic kindergarten program.

``The teachers make it work for the children,'' she said. ``They are a phenomenal staff who believe in the children. We work hard with the parents, the boys and girls.''

Stonehurst Elementary School in Sun Valley also showed impressive gains. This year's math scores, for example, were in the 58th percentile, compared with the 36th last year.

Stonehurst Principal Donna Wheeler also credited a strong kindergarten program, along with intense teacher training and a solid curriculum.

``There is no magic formula. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of commitment,'' she said.

Districtwide, first-graders achieved at the 59th percentile in reading, the 52nd in math and the 61st percentile in spelling. However, they tested in the 48th percentile, two points below the national average, on the language portion.

Four years ago, the district's test scores were mired in the lowest third in the nation - in the 30th to 40th percentile range. But elementary test scores have risen steadily since the district adopted a highly structured, phonics-based literacy program called Open Court three years ago.

At a news conference at Dayton Heights Elementary near Silver Lake, which scored at the 74th percentile in spelling and the 64th percentile in reading, Superintendent Roy Romer called the results ``spectacular'' and proof that public education can succeed in the inner city.

Romer also noted that students of all ethnic groups are improving, narrowing the achievement gap between whites and Asians versus Latinos and African-Americans.

``If anyone is looking into public education in an urban setting, Yes, you can do it,'' said Romer, who now aims to bring the district's scores past the 70th percentile in all four subject areas.

Seeing that students who attend kindergarten are less likely to be held back later for poor performance, school board member David Tokofsky is now pushing to expand early education.

Tokofsky argued that upfront investment is much more cost-effective in the long run than spending millions later on remedial programs to help older students, who may have fallen too far behind to ever catch up.

``Half the price and it yields better,'' said Tokofsky.

The state only requires standardized testing for public school students in grades two through 11, but the LAUSD has been testing its first-graders since 1997 in order to catch those who need early intervention and prevent failure in upper grades.

Alice Furry, project director for the Governor's Reading Institute in Los Angeles, a professional development program, said even though testing children in first grade is controversial, it's a smart idea.

``The statistics suggest that without any special intervention after first grade, only just one out of eight will be performing at grade level in future years,'' she said.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box, chart

Photo:

(color) First-graders at Lanai Road Elementary School read ``Rags'' during their Open Court phonics-based literacy program, credited with helping to raise Stanford 9 test results.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Box:

STANFORD 9 -- FIRST-GRADE RESULTS

Chart:

ETHNIC SCORES

Source: LAUSD