Seniors set high bar on new standardized test

On the Smarter Balanced test taken in spring by the current seniors, Saratoga High students exceeded expectations by scoring remarkably higher than the state and county averages in each subject.

In English and Language Arts, 73 percent of Saratoga High students exceeded the standards and 23 percent met the standards. In Mathematics, 70 percent exceeded the standards and 21 percent met the standards.

In contrast, only 56 percent of students statewide and 66 percent of students in Santa Clara County were able to meet or exceed the standards for the English and Language Arts assessment. For mathematics, 29 percent of students statewide and 48 percent of students in the county met or exceeded the standards.

“This is a phenomenal achievement, especially when state and county averages are around 50 percent,” principal Paul Robinson said.

The new assessment was fully implemented for the first time during the 2014-2015 school year, replacing existing English and math tests for grades 3-8 and high school. Issued by the Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium, the purpose of the standardized test is to further the development of Common Core State Standards, while providing an indicator for teachers, students and parents as they prepare for colleges and careers.