BHS named California Distinguished School and More

BHS Selected for Distinguished School Award-from the BHS Parents Group

BHS has been selected to receive a 2007 California Distinguished School Award! This award recognizes the state's most exemplary schools. In fact, only 171 California middle and high schools were selected this year for the award. Here's an excerpt from the California Department of Education's (CDE'S) press release:

"The selected middle and high schools represent about 7 percent of California's nearly 2400 middle and high schools. Of those, only 478 schools met the eligibility criteria based on their student achievement. Of these, 279 schools chose to submit an application, describing in-depth their curriculum, instructional program, support for students, and school climate."

The process of becoming a California Distinguished School is grueling and passing muster is a significant achievement. First, the CDE intensively reviewed all applications and selected schools they felt worthy of nomination. A committee of educators then visited those schools, including BHS, to validate their applications. The committee met with BHS staff, parent and student leaders on our SAC (School Advisory Council), our Leadership Team, Parents' Group, ASB and other leadership groups and also observed staff and students in action in the classrooms. Thanks to all of the aforementioned groups, the committee validated our application and chose BHS as a California Distinguished School!

We will be designated as a California Distinguished School through 2011. Principal Matt Biggar will pick up the award on behalf of the school at the official state ceremony in Southern California on May 18th.

This is a great honor for both our school and the SMUHSD district. Not only did BHS make the cut, but Hillsdale and Aragon did, too.

Please be sure to congratulate our teachers and staff for making BHS the great school that it is! Way to go BHS!

- Written by Cathryn Baylock

Comments

BHS Among Elite Top 1% of Public High Schools! --BHS Parents Group
The annual Newsweek ranking of public high schools has just been published. We have risen to our highest rank ever. We are now ranked #196 which places us in the top 1% in the nation. From the Newsweek article, "public schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by Jay Mathews: the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2006 divided by the number of graduating seniors." Our ratio is 2.637. Our rank in 2006 was #282. We are ranked #5 (by this measure) among all Bay Area public high schools. In our district, Mills is ranked #234, Aragon #370 and Hillsdale #678.

All this and a California Distinguished School, too! Way to go BHS!

...Just curious, where are Palo Alto High, and Gunn? Or did I miss something. Assuming this is such a great list, why are the base API scores for 2006 showing very different things? Also, not to pooh pooh the distinguished school thing, but Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, and Sequoia also received the honor this year.

BHS gets a 9 out of 10 for the API statewide ranking, but when compared to schools similar to it, it gets a 2 out of 10.

BHS - 796

Palo Alto High - 887

Gunn High - 887

Saratoga High - 986

Newsweek List:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7723397/site/newsweek/

[KRN]

Carlmont took its entire application "Team" of eight teachers and administrators to Disneyland (ceremony site) to receive their Distinguished School Award.

The following are the criteria to become a Distinguished School:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/basis07.asp

High academic expectations for all students based on California's state-adopted standards and performance levels

Visionary and collaborative school leadership committed to excellence and high expectations for all students

Regular and systematic monitoring of student progress by using a variety of assessment techniques

A strong core curriculum in all required subject areas

State Board-adopted and standards-aligned textbooks and core curriculum materials provided to all students

Varied teaching strategies that provide challenging learning experiences for all students

Strong library media services and appropriate technology that supports learning activities

Academically competent and caring teachers, and strong professional development that is aligned to standards-based instructional materials and evaluated based upon student progress

Comprehensive guidance and counseling programs for all students
Multiple learning support services for students who are learning the English language, who have physical or learning disabilities, and who have not yet reached proficiency

Support for student learning through family involvement and partnerships with business and community groups

Safe school culture that supports the inclusion of all students and promotes positive character traits, such as caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness; and proactive policies and programs that prevent bullying

Programs that foster wellness and healthy behaviors in all students
Well-maintained learning environment that communicates the importance of education in our society

[KRN]

The Newsweek "Best High Schools in America" article, now a brand, is a measurement of program, not progress. The Challenger Index, created by Washington Post Education writer Jay Mathews measures the number of students taking AP courses. It does not measure student performance. The index calculates a score by dividing the number of graduating seniors by the total number of advanced placement exams taken at the school. A high score means that (1) a school offers more AP courses than other schools, and (2) students are taking AP courses.

A national response to Newsweek's "Best High Schools in America" has been a proliferation of AP courses offered at high schools and open access to increase the number of students taking AP. Schools have seem to have forgotten that an AP course is a college course and is not intended for all students.

There is no measurement of success in the index, only program extension. In response to this expansion without standards, the College Board is conducting a national audit of ALL AP programs to ensure that schools are actually teaching advanced subject matter and not just putting a new title on courses.

The title "Best High Schools in America" has been under attack because it is misleading as it doesn't really measure academic performance, but instead it measures program and participation.

[Mac]

It's good to be distinguished for something positive, that's for sure.

[Audrey Bojack]

In regard to the Newsweek list, everyone should read the Mercury News today(Peninsula edition)for two very interesting articles; check out section A, page 14A. The number of students passing/scoring 4-5 on the AP tests would be much more indicative of the quality of the schools on this much hyped list...let's keep looking at what is really going on in our schools and not be swayed by the "spin" some administrators put on easily manipulated numbers. We should not be fooled by those who would try to convince us that these numbers define quality.

[KRN]

Here are a few links to related articles. Palo Alto has refused to take part in the Challenger Index.

Audrey, are these the articles that you mentioned?

Palo Alto high schools refuse to join Newsweek survey of best schools
RANKINGS DON'T PASS TEST

http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_5946833?nclick_check=1

Newsweek high school rankings ignore basic standards

http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_5984085

Fisher: Schools can't be defined by stats in Newsweek index

http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_5965012

[KRN]

BHS AP Data

These are the growth changes over a two-year period 2003-04 to 2005-06

# of test takers 206 to 282 (this is the number of students taking AP tests)
Net Change 76 Change of 36.89%

# of passing exams (above 3)
338 to 463
(A single student can pass multiple exams)
Net change of 125
Change of 36.98 %

# of exams with a superior score of 5
86 to 94
Net change of 8
Change of 9.3 %

# of exams with a superior score of 4
118 to 166
Net change of 48
Change of 40.68 %

# of exams with a pass score of 3
134 to 203
Net change of 63
Change of 51.49%

# of exams with a non-passing score of 2
122 to 212
Net change of 90
Change of 73.77 %

# of exams with a non-passing score of 1
42 to 147
Net change of 105
Change of 250.00 %

Data may be collected at http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

[Mac]

SMUSHD needs as much positive P.R. as possible. These accolades are more indicative of politically savvy leadership than the "visionary leadership" referred to in the criteria for becoming a distinguished school.

[Audrey Bojack]

Hmm...what do those numbers mean? Seems like lots of kids are now failing (is "failing" to "non-passing" as "used" is to "previously owned"?)the exams...can we really tell anything, though without knowing how many kids took multiple tests?

[Mike Skrable]

I am just concluding my 11th year of teaching math at Burlingame High School. It is truly refreshing to read the last several posts concerning the Newsweek rankings of the 'best high schools in America'. I actually submitted a letter to Newsweek last year expressing enormous concern with the methodology of the rankings. It is nice to read that others see the same problems that I do. For those that are not aware of the AP scoring system, all AP tests are scored on a 1-5 scale. A score of 3 is generally considered passing and often allows the student to earn college credit by 'omitting' that course in college. Some universities will only that to occur with a score of 4 or better.

The incredible flaw that I find with Newsweek's ranking system is that it does not factor in the scores a student earns on the AP tests. Thus, you can have the following ridiculous situation:

Suppose School A and school B have equal enrollments. Now, suppose School A has 100 AP tests taken by students and each earns a 1 (the lowest score). And, School B has 99 AP tests taken by students and each earns a 5 (the highest possible score).

Under Newsweek's system, School A will earn a higher ranking because it has more AP tests taken per student. In my professional opinion, this is absolutely outrageous. How can a ranking system based on AP tests ignore the actual results (and, therefore, competency in the subject) of the tests themselves?? A school can boost its ranking in the Newsweek index by simply having any student enroll in an AP class and pay the fee to take the test. It doesn't matter whether the student has actually learned anything in the subject area or whether the subject matter has been adequately taught.

I submitted to Newsweek a system that I personally thought to be much more mathematically reasonable. My proposed system was to simply multiply the number of AP tests taken at the school by the average score on the AP test. Thus, the ranking would factor in both the number of AP tests taken (the criteria used by Newsweek which admittedly does demonstrate access to AP courses as well as an overall measure of how much [and how many of] the students are being challenged) and the actual performance on the exams, which would demonstrate overall achievement in those subject areas. This second factor would reflect, to varying degrees, the following: student learning, teacher competency, adequate preparation of students for the challenge of an AP course and other factors that I haven't thought of at the moment.

Unsurprisingly, I received no response to my proposal and the methodology in this year's rankings is identical to the previous year's rankings.

Anyways, it truly is refreshing to see a number of critical thinkers in the community.

[ed larios]

I have been teaching for a number of years and there is one constant, the high acheiving students will acheive at a a high level regardless of what school they attend. Many of the schools in our district are fortunate enough to have these type of students. They will acheive and succeed because they have a support system at school and at home. The true test is how much improvement will be seen by under performing students, who will not be taking AP tests. The Newsweek process ignores this segment of a public school's population yet the true test of a schools' ability to educate our students is how much "all" students acheive.

[Audrey Bojack]

I'm not sure how to link to articles/op-ed pieces in the Mercury News, but the article I was referring to is by Patrick Mattimore who is described as being an AP psychology teacher at a college preparatory high school in San Francisco. One of the more interesting bits of info in his piece is the assertion that the Newsweek No 2 ranked school in California (19th nationally) is Eastern Sierra Academy in Bridgeport (a bustling metroppolis!!!) which had a total of five (5) students graduate last year; there are 22 in the entire school. Mattimore says that the nationally ranked No.1 school has fewer than 200 students. One begins to see how numbers can be misleading without more background info. Mr. Skrable leaves me in the dust mathematically, but his system does sound much more reasonable. The whole ranking system is just another attention getting/publicity stunt from Newsweek--and I should add the disclaimer that I've been totaly sucked in by Newsweek's college rankings--in fact I think I could probaly tell you by memory the Newsweek top 50 (in order no less) ranked small liberal arts colleges!
In my view the point has to be to keep focused on the true quality and not just the test scores/Newsweek rankings.

[Guest Teacher]

In all the focus on the fluff, some of BHS's top teachers are being lured away. Parents need to wake up, as some these top teachers are currently interviewing in other districts. School may open in the fall without some of the best teachers around.

[KRN]

Major universities also learned how to scam Newsweek's college rankings. According to Newsweek, one measurement of a great college is an admissions system are not based upon SAT scores.

In a strategic move, a few colleges dropped the SAT as an entrance requirement and shot up the Newsweek list! The increase in the ranking then increased applications to the school and increased freshman enrollment. A great school or just a strategic move?

A note on the high school list:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7723397/site/newsweek/

Take a look at school #10, the Pruesse School in San Diego. (Don't let the La Jolla fool you, the school is on the UCSD campus) This school is 100% low income students. (subsidized lunch program in ranking column)

This innovative program has created a magnet school for high potential, low income students who are the first in their family to go to college. The students are immersed in a honors environment from grades 6-12. 100% of the students graduate and 96% move on to a 4-year college. These kids travel up to 45 minutes to school (each way) in order to attend this charter school.

[Audrey Bojack]

Isn't the Preusse School experience in some ways an argument for opening up honors/AP classes to all interested students? Perhaps if the classes were open to all students, but the class size were kept to 20-ish, teachers would be more open to the idea of different perceived ability levels being in the same classroom? I can only think that even if all the students are perceived as "belonging" in honors/AP, that 30+ in a class is just too many...

[KRN]

The selection process for Pruess is very competitive. Students must meet strict requirements and some still don't get into the school. Students must also uphold strong standards once they are in the school and parents are REQUIRED to participate.

In short, Pruess is ability grouped with smaller classes. Pruess is an argument for tracking by ability group.

[KRN]

Pruess was created to give low income students the opportunity to get a high end education in a public school. Most all students come from very low income areas with low performing high schools. Pruess is highly selective in its admissions process which begins in the 6th grade. Students begin in the 6th grade so that they can learn the proper skills to be used in higher level courses. Pruess is not an "open access" school that allow anyone to take honors courses, but it is Honors/AP magnet school where all of the students are highly skilled, but have been slowed down in development because of a lack of challenging courses at their local schools. Pruess does not employ differentiated instruction but instead places students into an environment of motivation and success. Students received a vertically integrated curriculum from grades 6-12.

Why did I mention Pruess? It is the right way to promote honors/AP. It has a focus upon what works rather than what is polically correct. Pruess has had to implement some programs such as a longer school year and longer school day to help these students "catch up" to their peers in advanced programs at other schools. The extended day and year also keep these students engaged in their school rather than "other" things that may be in their neighborhoods.

"The Preuss School's recent academic performance index score of 861 90% of the class of 2006 has been offered admission to the following universities and colleges: UC San Diego UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, New York University, Stanford, MIT, Dartmouth, St. Mary's, USD and many of the Cal State universities including San Diego State and Long Beach."

[Mac]

With any luck, SMUHSD's new leadership will provide much needed vision and intelligence that goes beyond political motivations and/or ambitions. SMUHSD needs the real deal, not a cardboard cut-out,