Outstanding STAR Schools Shine

Elementary STAR Awards for large student achievement gains this week celebrated the fifth and best year yet with 17 schools receiving the award, the highest number ever to qualify. Two schools received the STAR award for the third consecutive year: Lowell and Tucker. Seven schools were honored for the second year in a row: Burroughs, Garfield, International, Roosevelt, Stevenson, Sutter and Whittier. Eight schools were first-year recipients: Buffum, Edison, Kettering, King-Edison, Longfellow, Mann, Muir and Webster. To receive the STAR (student Success terrific Teaching Academic Results) Award, a school must - triple its API and each sub-group growth target, - show English Learner positive growth toward proficiency on the California Standards Tests (CST), - have more students reach grade level proficiency in their reading benchmark and math facts than the year before, and - make significant gains in reducing its achievement gap.