Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Vallecitos has notable jump in test scores

The Vallecitos School District has seen a jump in its California Standards Test (CST) scores as a result of a boost in professional development.

According to David Jones, superintendent at Vallecitos, the teachers needed a boost in development, which would allow the students to reach higher levels of achievement.

“The focus really needs to be on the teachers,” said Jones. “The motivation level had been really low, but now our morale and school climate is improving. The added bonus was our math and reading proficiency levels reaching 50 to 70 percent.”

According to Jones, the Vallecitos district implemented a professional learning community model.

“I have received extensive training on the model, and have implemented it as a principal,” said Jones. “It is highly effective in improving student learning. Instead of trying to teach all the standards, we are selecting the essential standards. We want to focus on the right things, instead of that which is unrelated to improve student learning.”

The school-wide goal is to improve literacy in all grades.

“We are setting up interventions with a small group of students being instructed by certificated teachers to work on the areas of deficiency they may have,” said Jones. “All students below proficiency work with strong teachers in small groups focusing on weaknesses and skills.”

The teachers are working as a team, collaborating on what to do with students.

“There is a lot of discussion and data talking with each other,” said Jones. “We really focus on teaching practices. I am really surprised how responsive teachers have been to the new professional development. We also have forthcoming development with technology and a focus on improving teaching practices. We have some hurdles to overcome, but we have a great teaching staff that is motivated to try new things.”

An example of the hard working staff is Kathi Bollinger, said Jones.

“She had a seventh grade class of students that all scored proficient or advanced in the CST testing,” he said. “She has very high expectations for her students, is passionate in what she does, and doesn’t stop until the job gets done.”

Bollinger stated that she does not allow her students to make excuses for not meeting the goals set for them at the beginning of the year.

“I take as much time as it takes to meet those goals with my students,” said Bollinger. “If we need to meet before or after school, then that’s what happens.”

Bollinger, who has been teaching at Vallecitos since 1992, stated that this type of success has never happened before.

“The stars were in alignment, and I had a very good mix of students that were hard working,” she explained. “[Jones] had a huge role in that he let the teaching staff be more focused in what has to happen in the classroom.”

Jones stated that he and the rest of the administrative staff want to focus on giving teachers the tools needed for effective teaching practices.

“We also have a new intervention being put into place to help every single child that is not proficient in reading. We will bring volunteers from the high school, local churches and the community to read with these kids,” said Jones. “We call it Read with a Viking. This will help us extend our school day, which is helpful since we might be facing 12 furlough days this year.”

Bollinger stated that she noticed it has been hard to have students focus on academics, so having the teachers collaborate with each other is tremendously helpful.

“To a large extent, students are distracted by what is going on outside and at home,” said Bollinger. “Academics are not the focus.”

Bollinger believes that the staff is dedicated to helping Vallecitos students succeed, regardless of circumstances.

“We have a staff that has been here a long time,” she said. “We are hugely dedicated to this school and will do whatever it takes to make sure the students succeed. Everyone here is working just as hard as I am.”

Test scores for local elementary schools

Vallecitos (Rainbow)

8th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 47%

Proficient: 41%

Vallecitos 8th grade proficiency percentage rate in General Math

Advanced: 35%

Proficient: 41%

Vallecitos 7th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 77%

Proficient: 23%

Vallecitos 7th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 59%

Proficient: 27%

Vallecitos 6th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 29%

Proficient: 14%

Vallecitos 6th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 43%

Proficient: 57%

Vallecitos 5th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 9%

Proficient: 27%

Vallecitos 5th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 0%

Proficient: 25%

Vallecitos 4th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 33%

Proficient: 38%

Vallecitos 4th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 62%

Proficient: 33%

Vallecitos 3rd grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 5%

Proficient: 32%

Vallecitos 3rd grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 16%

Proficient: 47%

Vallecitos 2nd grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 38%

Proficient: 45%

Vallecitos 2nd grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 59%

Proficient: 24%

*Scores in specialty math tests can be found at star.cde.ca.gov/star2012

Fallbrook Union Elementary School District

FUESD 8th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 39%

Proficient: 30%

FUESD 8th grade proficiency percentage rate in General Math*

Advanced: 6%

Proficient: 33%

FUESD 7th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 30%

Proficient: 34%

FUESD 7th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 17%

Proficient: 34%

FUESD 6th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 36%

Proficient: 29%

FUESD 6th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 25%

Proficient: 35%

FUESD 5th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 29%

Proficient: 31%

FUESD 5th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 22%

Proficient: 34%

FUESD 4th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 34%

Proficient: 30%

FUESD 4th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 37%

Proficient: 31%

FUESD 3rd grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 15%

Proficient: 29%

FUESD 3rd grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 36%

Proficient: 30%

FUESD 2nd grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 27%

Proficient: 29%

FUESD 2nd grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 27%

Proficient: 29%

Bonsall Union School District

BUSD 8th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 43%

Proficient: 26%

BUSD 8th grade proficiency percentage rate in General Math*

Advanced: 0%

Proficient: 14%

BUSD 7th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 51%

Proficient: 33%

BUSD 7th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 42%

Proficient: 35%

BUSD 6th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 54%

Proficient: 30%

BUSD 6th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 50%

Proficient: 34%

BUSD 5th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 47%

Proficient: 32%

BUSD 5th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 45%

Proficient: 36%

BUSD 4th grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 61%

Proficient: 23%

BUSD 4th grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 57%

Proficient: 22%

BUSD 3rd grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 37%

Proficient: 27%

BUSD 3rd grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 57%

Proficient: 27%

BUSD 2nd grade proficiency percentage rate in English Language Arts

Advanced: 46%

Proficient: 33%

BUSD 2nd grade proficiency percentage rate in Math

Advanced: 61%

Proficient: 27%

 

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