O.C. Aces Statewide Test of School Performance

Orange County high schools continue to outperform campuses across California in key academic areas, with Irvine’s University High and Fullerton’s Sunny Hills High boasting the most impressive records, according to figures released today by the state Department of Education.

Compared to other counties, Orange County had the second highest percentage of juniors and seniors who scored a 3 or better on advanced placement tests, which is considered by most colleges as acceptable for college credit.

Orange County also ranked near the top when comparing average Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores and the percentage of seniors who scored above national averages on the SAT and the American College Testing (ACT) exam, the 1994-95 California High School Performance Report shows.

“Historically, Orange County schools have outperformed other state schools in almost every area, and we did that again this year,” said William Habermehl, assistant superintendent of educational services at the Orange County Department of Education. “From looking at this report, I think we can say good things are happening in Orange County.”

The percentage of Orange County students going on to California public colleges and universities dropped by 2.8% from 1992, but educators attribute this decline at least in part to the growing number of students selecting private colleges or schools outside of California.

There is statewide concern, however, that many students are turning away from the state’s public colleges and universities because of rising tuitions and a court ruling that effectively barred many illegal immigrants from the state’s two-year colleges.

“Every message California sent to prospective college students in the first half of the 1990s was a negative one,” said Patrick Callan, executive director of the California Higher Education Policy Center, a San Jose think-tank.

“Through the early ‘90s, until last year . . . UC had raised tuitions 135%, and CSU by 100%. Financial aid didn’t keep up. Among people who worry about public schools, there is a huge concern that we are chilling kids’ aspirations for college.”

The state performance report used high school completion rates, standardized tests scores, high school course enrollment records and college attendance rates to measure the performance of California’s comprehensive high schools.

The report summarized each school’s performance over two years and compared it with all schools and with campuses having similar demographics.

In Orange County, the report indicates a startling disparity between the county’s well-to-do and poor school districts.

Schools in affluent areas, such as University High, Sunny Hills High, Corona del Mar High in Newport Beach and Laguna Hills High, consistently ranked at the top in almost every category, while schools in Santa Ana almost always fell to the bottom.

For instance, more than 63% of University High’s seniors scored above the national average on the SAT or ACT, the highest percentage among county schools. At Santa Ana High, only 2% of seniors met this criteria.

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On advanced placement tests, University High once again soared to the top, with 82% of its juniors and seniors taking the tests scoring at least a 3 out of a possible score of 5. The comparable figure for Santa Ana’s comprehensive high schools ranged from 8.3% to 3.5%.

Kathi Jo Brunning, president of Santa Ana’s Council of PTAs, said Santa Ana’s numbers do strike her as low, but they don’t reflect the district’s entire academic program.

“Some parents will look at those figures and then look for other schools to send their children to,” Brunning said. “But for parents who are involved in the system, we know we have excellent schools, each with its own unique programs and strengths.

“Tests are useful to get an idea of a school’s strengths and weaknesses, but they don’t reflect the true ability of schools and teachers.”

Santa Ana also is challenged by the fact that 57% of its students have limited-English skills and more than half meet federal poverty standards.

But Sal Mendoza, Santa Ana’s school board president, said educators shouldn’t attribute low test scores exclusively to socioeconomic factors.

“We can have excuses that we have a high [limited English-speaking] population, but after awhile it becomes an old story,” he said. “Being accountable is so important in our society. We need to look at these results and figure out how we can be more effective.”

Meanwhile, the Irvine Unified School District continued its tradition of posting the highest rankings in almost every academic area.

It had the highest percentage of seniors scoring above the national average on the SAT and ACT; it had the highest percentage of students completing high school; it had the best rate on advanced placement tests; and it had the highest SAT average.

“There’s no question that we benefit by having a community that’s supportive of education,” said Irvine Supt. Dennis Smith. “The credit also goes to our teachers. We really have dedicated and extremely professional teachers who are focused on providing quality instruction.”

Despite its $8-million loss in the Orange County bankruptcy, the Irvine school district was able to keep its academic program intact by making budget cuts that would have the least impact on students.

“The bankruptcy was extremely difficult for our district, but it didn’t change what was going on in the classroom,” Smith said.

Jacquie Boslet, PTA president at University High, said she was pleased but not surprised by the school’s top ranking.

“It’s kind of been a legacy that we have these kinds of scores,” she said. “The school sets its standards very high. But what I really love about this school is that when students are having a difficult time, the school finds alternative ways for them to achieve their goals and attend college.”

In other comparisons, Esperanza High in Anaheim came out on top for the county in terms of the percentage of students completing high school. About 99% of the school’s ninth-grade students stay in school through their senior year, the figures show.

“We’re extremely stable,” Principal Bert Raiche said. “And the expectation here is not whether you’re going to college, but where you’re going to college.”

Raiche said parents are likely to be pleased by the school’s academic standing.

“I think parents care a lot about this type of thing,” he said. “If a school is performing well, that’s something they take a great deal of pride in.”

* SCHOOL COMPARISONS

How O.C. campuses, districts rank in test scores. A16

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Academic Leaders

Orange County ranked among the top counties statewide in both average Scholastic Assessment Test scores and the percentage of juniors and seniors getting scores on advanced placement tests that earn credit at most colleges:

Average SAT Scores*

(County: Score)

Humboldt: 999

Marin: 991

El Dorado: 981

Santa Barbara: 973

Yolo: 973

Orange: 972

* Includes verbal and math

Successful AP Scores

Percentages of juniors and seniors getting scores on advanced placement tests that earn credit at most colleges:

(County: Pct.)

San Benito: 19.9%

Orange: 19.5%

Santa Clara: 16.7%

San Francisco: 16.4%

San Diego: 15.5%

Source: California Board of Education