Administration implements new STAR testing schedule and senior seminars

Friday, May 28, 2010
By Alec Lautanen
Contributing Writer

The new and condensed Standardized Testing And Reporting schedule implemented this year was considered successful and efficient by school administrators. It included senior seminars and a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain for seniors.

Aside from the inherent difficulties in condensing three weeks of testing into three days, such as less preparation time and more stress on teachers, administratiors  said the timetable provided minimal disruption from day-to-day schooling.

“It’s easier for the teachers to stay with one class than moving books to and from each one. Overall, the feedback was  very positive from teachers and students alike,” Vice Principal Jaime Mancilla said.

Because this is Principal Julie Ruisinger’s final year as principal of Mira Costa, she maintains that she is attempting to implement lasting plans that favor both staff and students. Teachers and administrators supported the new STAR schedule and say they believe it is best for students to complete the testing all at once.

“Some people didn’t like doing all those tests in two days. I wouldn’t mind doing that; I’d rather get it over with. If you’re not doing that, you’re sitting in your classes doing schoolwork all day anyway,” Ruisinger said.

Since seniors do not take standardized tests, a trip to Six Flags, a dodgeball tournament and seminars were organized for the senior class only.

These seminars covered a wide range of topics, such as media censorship and planning for college. However,  student reactions to the seminars were generally not positive.

“The seminars were so pointless. If the school wants to keep us in class for an extra day for the money, they should’ve just come clean and said it, as opposed to patronizing us with the seminars,” senior Alex Murad said.

This new schedule was also targeted to improve testing scores, hopefully leading to a California Distinguished School Award. The process is very selective  and is based solely on STAR scores.

The new schedule was designed to  provide the best scores possible by maximizing focus on the tests instead of spreading them out.

“Our STAR score results were really important this year because next year is the year for high schools to get invited to be California Distinguished Schools. It would be a real shame for us not to be one of those schools,” Ruisinger said.

Although the administration felt that the new schedule worked wonderfully, some students are still reluctant to adapt to the new policy. According to administrators, the schedule needs to be proven effective before plans are worked into a permanent Costa procedure.

“I hope to make this the practice for at least three years and to make it so easy that people just go with it,” Mancilla said.

The date that the tests are administered still stresses students, as some material has not been covered. Testing dates are controlled by the state and are traditionally administered after 75 percent of the school year has been completed.

“It was way too early to have the STAR test. We hadn’t even learned the things in those classes and I didn’t like it. I thought it was too soon to test us on the stuff we were supposed to have learned,” freshman Kami Brawer said.