August 18, 2009: IDEA director John Rogers quoted in AP story about the release of the 2009 STAR test results
California test results show solid academic gains
By Terence Chea
California students made solid gains on standardized tests for English and math over the past year, but the state showed little progress in narrowing the achievement gap between racial groups, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Education.
For the first time, half of students scored at the proficient or advanced level in English-language arts on the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program in 2009, up from 46 percent in 2008. The number of students meeting those levels in math rose to 46 percent, a three-point gain over the previous year.
The 2009 STAR test results show that California students have made steady academic progress since the state's standardized tests were aligned to reflect its academic standards seven years ago. Only 35 percent of students scored at the proficient level or above in both math and English in 2003.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/08/18/state/n093330D21.DTL