##### U.S. Department of Education September 2003

**2003-2004 *No Child Left Behind---Blue Ribbon Schools Program***

**Cover Sheet**

Name of Principal [Mr. Alan Montgomery]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Homestead High School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address [21370 Homestead Road]{.underline}
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

[Cupertino CA]{.underline}
\_[95014]{.underline}\_-[0203]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

Tel. [(408) 522-2500]{.underline} Fax [(408) 736-8631]{.underline}

Website/URL [http://www.hhs.fuhsd.org]{.underline} E-mail
[al_montgomery@fuhsd.org]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge all information is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Principal's Signature)

Name of Superintendent[\* Dr. Steve Rowley]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name [Fremont Union High School District]{.underline} Tel.[(408
)522-2200]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(Superintendent's Signature)

Name of School Board Member

[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Mrs Nancy
Newton]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(School Board President's/Chairperson's Signature)

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

**\[Include this page in the school's application as page 2.\]**

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each
of the statements below concerning the school\'s eligibility and
compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
(OCR) requirements is true and correct.

1.  The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12.
    (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an
    entire school.)

2.  The school has not been in school improvement status or been
    identified by the state as \"persistently dangerous\" within the
    last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the
    state's adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2003-2004 school
    year.

3.  If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language
    as a part of its core curriculum.

4.  The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from
    at least September 1998.

5.  The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to
    information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to
    conduct a district‑wide compliance review.

6.  The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school
    district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a
    whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
    violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if
    the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to
    remedy the violation.

7.  The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging
    that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has
    violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
    Constitution\'s equal protection clause.

8.  There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with
    Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education
    monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
    question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has
    corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

**PART II ‑ DEMOGRAPHIC DATA**

**All data are the most recent year available.**

**DISTRICT** (Questions 1‑2 not applicable to private schools)

1\. Number of schools in the district: \_\_\_\_\_ Elementary schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Middle schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Junior high schools

\_\_5\_\_ High schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Other (Briefly explain)

\_\_5\_\_\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_\_8071\_\_\_\_\_\_

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_\_7137\_\_\_\_\_\_

**SCHOOL** (To be completed by all schools)

3\. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

> \[ \] Urban or large central city
>
> \[ \] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
>
> \[ x \] Suburban
>
> \[ \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [4]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in her/his
position at this school.

If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this
school?

5\. Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in
applying school:

  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
  **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of                **Grade      **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of     **Grade
              Males**   Females**              Total**                  Males**   Females**   Total**

  **K**                                                     **7**                             

  **1**                                                     **8**                             

  **2**                                                     **9**       253       243         496

  **3**                                                     **10**      231       216         447

  **4**                                                     **11**      230       246         476

  **5**                                                     **12**      186       199         385

  **6**                                                     Other                             

                                    **TOTAL                                                   1804
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL →**                                                
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [51.93]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [2.26]{.underline} % Black or African
American

[11.69]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[33.63]{.underline} % Asian/Pacific Islander

[.44]{.underline} % American Indian/Alaskan Native

[.05]{.underline} % Unknown

**100% Total**

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
\_\_9.35\_\_%

> (This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or
> from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school
> year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of
> October 1, multiplied by 100.)

  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------
  **(1)**     Number of students who transferred 61
              ***to*** the school after October  
              1 until the end of the year.       

  **(2)**     Number of students who transferred 110
              ***from*** the school after        
              October 1 until the end of the     
              year.                              

  **(3)**     Subtotal of all transferred        171
              students \[sum of rows (1) and     
              (2)\]                              

  **(4)**     Total number of students in the    1828
              school as of October 1             

  **(5)**     Subtotal in row (3) divided by     .0935
              total in row (4)                   

  **(6)**     Amount in row (5) multiplied by    9.35
              100                                
  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school: \_\_8.70\_\_%

\_157\_\_Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: \_\_18\_\_\_

Specify languages: **Burmese, Cantonese, Farsi, Filipino, French,
German, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin,
Portuguese, Punjabi, Bulgarian, Vietnamese, other.**

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: \_\_\_8.20\_\_%

\_148\_\_\_Total Number Students Who Qualify

> If this method does not produce a reasonably accurate estimate of the
> percentage of students from low‑income families or the school does not
> participate in the federally‑supported lunch program, specify a more
> accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it
> arrived at this estimate.

10\. Students receiving special education services: \_\_7.76\_\_%

\_140\_\_\_Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act.

\_\_\_\_Autism \_1\_\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_Deafness [12]{.underline}\_\_Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_116_Specific Learning Disability

\_\_\_\_Hearing Impairment \_\_8_Speech or Language Impairment

\_2\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_Traumatic Brain Injury

\_\_\_\_Multiple Disabilities \_2\_\_Visual Impairment Including
Blindness

\_9\_\_ Severely Emotionally Disturbed

11. Indicate number of full‑time and part‑time staff members in each of
    the categories below:

    **Number of Staff**

**[Full-time]{.underline}** **[Part-Time]{.underline}**

Administrator(s) \_\_\_\_5\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_0\_\_\_

Classroom teachers \_\_\_76\_\_\_ \_\_\_13\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_\_5\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_3\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_\_4\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_1\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_\_25\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_9\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_\_115\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_26\_\_\_

12\. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio: \_\_\_28\_\_\_\_

13\. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a
percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The
student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering
students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From
the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number
of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering
students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly
explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout
rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply
dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)

  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                           2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  Daily student attendance 97%         96.8%       96.5%       97.4%       96%

  Daily teacher attendance 99%         99%         99%         99%         99%

  Teacher turnover rate    5%          7%          9%          9%          7%

  Student dropout rate     1.9%        3.4%        1.76%       1.74%       .26%

  Student drop-off rate    3.8%        5.3%        3.06%       .74%        2.67%
  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

14\. **(*High Schools Only*)** Show what the students who graduated in
Spring 2003 are doing as of September 2003.

+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Graduating class size                               | > 446\_\_\_    |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Enrolled in a 4-year college or university          | > 68%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Enrolled in a community college                     | 28.5%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Enrolled in vocational training                     | N/A%           |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Found employment                                    | > 1%           |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Military service                                    | > 1%           |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Other (travel, staying home, etc.)                  | > 1.5%         |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Unknown                                             | > N/A%         |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| **Total**                                           | > 100 %        |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+

**PART III ‑ SUMMARY**

***Homestead High School is a community which aspires to:***

***Develop an appreciation of diverse cultures and the arts.***

It is a brisk fall day in Cupertino, California where 1800 students are
bustling across a newly renovated campus. The diversity of Homestead's
student body paints a tapestry of color, rich in its blend of
ethnicities -- Filipino blends with Chinese, and Korean; Latinos talk
with African-Americans and

Caucasians. Classroom bells ring, and the carefree looks are replaced
with disciplined, serious students heading into English, Science and
Math classes. Homestead students are masters at balancing academics and
activities in their young lives. There is a depth of opportunity, from
award-winning music programs to service clubs, sports of all kinds,
along with academic clubs; students might sample from many of these in
their first year of high school, but soon learn to focus on one or two
as they mature.

***Develop motivated lifelong learners and creative innovative
thinkers.***

After all, there are academics to attend to, here in Cupertino,
California. Homestead students strive to do more than merely fill
graduation requirements; opportunities abound not only outside the
classroom, but inside as well. From Honors Chemistry and American
Literature to English AP and Biology AP, there are choices for everyone.
Teachers encourage students to take a risk, try a class, and learn to be
a motivated lifelong learner. Not only in the honors classes, but also
in every class on campus, the wandering observer will notice the push to
become creative, innovative thinkers.

***Practice honesty, integrity, social responsibility, accountability,
and respect.***

Homestead High School's students have the benefit of exceptional
teachers wherever they turn. The faculty feels the full responsibility
of everything from guiding the students through academic challenges, to
showing by example that honesty; integrity, social responsibility,
accountability and respect are equally as important in life as straight
A's. Classrooms not only have the latest laboratory equipment, but
teachers who personalize that learning process.

***Respond to the academic and personal needs of all students.***

Having just changed to a block schedule in the year 2003-2004, students
now sit, one-on-one with teachers at tutorial, four days a week.
Ninety-five minute blocks of time allow the classroom to become a
learning, discussing, thinking environment. The block schedule, created
by teachers and a community looking to constantly improve themselves and
their school, has allowed the staff to better respond to academic and
personal needs of all students.

***Be supportive and active members of the community at large.***

The next bell rings, and students slowly move out of the classroom and
into the quad for brunch time activities. Brunch, just like the prior 95
minutes, is a time of learning, exchanging, supporting, and discussing.
Homestead High School, on a brisk fall day in Cupertino, California, is
alive and well, prospering, teaching, creating, and busily producing
socially responsible young men and women who will one day be leaders in
this and many other communities throughout California.

**PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS**

***School's Assessment Results***

**1.**Homestead High School has had consistent success in our
achievement scores. Our main focus has been on closing the achievement
between our highest achievers and our lowest achieving students. Each
spring we administer the California's Standardized Testing and Reporting
(STAR) program. There are two elements of this testing. The first is a
nationally- normed assessment, the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). The
second part is a criterion-referenced test, the California Standards
Test (CST), which based on performance standards identified by the state
for all major subject areas.

The results of these tests are combined into the Academic Performance
Indicator (API). The API is the system for ranking schools statewide
according to results from the STAR. The ranking includes ten deciles,
decile one being the lowest. The API is also broken down for each
racial/ethnic and socio-economically disadvantaged subgroup once they
reach a total of 100 students. The scores are then used to rank schools
statewide and by similar schools. The target goal is 800 out of 1000.
Although we are already a high performing school, Homestead has met its
school wide growth targets each of the last three years. Our most recent
ranking also shows that we score significantly higher than other
California schools with similar socioeconomic demographics.

The data provided in the accompanying charts, reflects three years of
SAT 9 math scores and three years of CST English Language Arts scores.
Our SAT 9 scores in math have consistently improved over the last three
years for those students scoring 75^th^ percent quartile or above. In
1999/00 there were only 51% of the students in the 75^th^ percent
quartile. However, by 2001/02 it had grown to 59%. We have also
decreased the number of students who score in the lowest quartile (25%
or below). In 2001/02 10% of our students scored here, compared to 12%
in 1999/00.

The CST scores also reflect growth in English/ Language Arts with the
percentage of students scoring Proficient or Above growing from 60% to
65%. Another area of success has been with our socio-economically
disadvantaged group. We have seen the percent of students in the At or
Above Proficient category leap from 8% in 2001 to 21% in 2002, to 40% in
2003. At the same time we have experienced a jump in our numbers of
students who qualify as economically disadvantaged. We have doubled from
13 in 2001 to 26 in 2003 just in the 10th grade. Overall, we have
remained well above the state average in every category. We are
especially proud of our efforts to close the achievement gap in this
area.

In addition to the STAR and the CST, the state of California requires
all high school students to pass the High School Exit Exam (CHSEE). This
exam is tied to the stringent state standards for math and English
Language Arts. The test is administered to all sophomores in the spring.
Students continue to take the test until they pass both sections. Our
two years of math scores show a significant improvement. In 2002 69.3%
were at the Proficient or Above and in 2003 78.4% were at Proficient or
Above.

***Using Assessment Data to Understand and Improve Student
Performance***

**2.** ***Staff continually re-evaluates assessment methods.*** Our Data
Resource Group is developing a three- tiered process in which data will
be examined at the school, department, and classroom level. As a school
community we have revised our Stakeholder surveys to collect more useful
data that will be part of the decision-making process.

Grade level teachers disseminate scores and creating new foundation
curriculum. ***English*** utilized reading scores to determine
curricular changes in grammar, vocabulary, and written expression.
Foundation English teachers administer the Gates/McGhinity reading test
at the beginning and end of the year. Through analyzing standardized
test scores and California Exit Exam data, a Reading for Academic
Success course was implemented this year to support students with low
reading scores.

Each fall and spring math students take the Berkeley Readiness math test
that correlates with their math level. The ***Math Department***
assesses whether the curriculum is addressing the state standards. Math
created an Algebra course integrating Geometry with CPM (need acronym)
books after looking at sophomore scores from the SAT 9 and Exit Exam.
Last year 85% of our sophomores passed the Exit Exam incorporates
Geometry.

***Science*** determined through score analysis that Biology needed to
be a freshman requirement in order to meet the needs of the SAT 9
Standards Exam. A curriculum was developed and is in place this year.
Standards-based test scores will be analyzed to determine success and/or
need for change.

***Communicates Student Performance to Parents, Students, and
Community***

**3.** Student performance is communicated through progress reports,
report cards, weekly progress checks, and various web based programs.
Students and their families receive progress reports every six weeks.
Each semester families receive a report card. Progress reports are a
communication tool to let students and families know how students are
doing before they reach the semester grades. These are reported to
families and sited on transcripts. Weekly progress checks are available
to any student or parent wishing to track their progress on a weekly
basis. Families receive unofficial transcripts twice a year.

Student assessment data, such as SAT 9 and Exit Exam are sent home each
spring. Our English and Math department also send home scores from
reading and math readiness tests that are given each fall and spring.
Our community views standardized assessment data through local
newspapers, our district and school website. A school profile which is
sent with every college application includes SAT, PSAT, and Advanced
Placement data. The profile is available through our school office and
website.

Our Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA) and School Site Council
(SSC) both review school-wide data and make recommendations for school
improvement. Our Principal delivers reports to our Board, parent groups,
and staff. Each of these reports is advertised to encourage our
community to attend.

***Sharing Successes with Other Schools***

**4.**Everyone from the superintendent to our PTSA will share Homesteads
successes. We will share our successes via web information for all to
access. Our successes will be posted on our school and district website.
Our Library Technology teacher and a group of industrious students will
continually update both web- sites.

Our superintendent meets with districts from all over the state to share
in our schools' successes. Department chairs already meet with their
counterparts from other schools and this will be expanded beyond our
district. Districts will be invited to visit our campus and meet with
our staff. We have already been in discussions with two outside
districts regarding our successes with our Algebra program.

Homestead PTSA participates in statewide gatherings to share successes
from a parental standpoint. Schools will be welcome to visit our school
and meet with administration and/or staff. Our staff will continue
attending conferences and providing opportunities for other schools to
learn about our programs.

Our student government will provide information to other student groups
within our district and anywhere else. Our student groups do exchanges
with other schools in order to share information and experience new
schools. Our students will continue to exchange successes with schools
in and around our district.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

***School's Curriculum***

**1.**Curriculum in all content areas, texts and supplemental materials
are aligned to California standards. Additionally, departments identify
essential standards for each subject area in order for teachers to
create consistent lesson plans that reflect alignment to those
standards. Departments create rubrics that include assessment used to
measure the units, and the standards each one applies to. These rubrics
support backwards planning and serve as guidelines for new teachers.
Core curriculum is articulated across departments through staff
development activities. Departments plan sequential curriculum across
grade levels to ensure consistency from one course to the next level.

***English*** uses literature that focuses on aesthetic, ethical,
cultural, and political issues and themes; uses active learning
strategies that help students integrate thinking, reading, speaking,
listening, and writing. Writing instruction focuses on the process of
writing and on self -discovery: connecting personal experience to the
ideas and issues of literature. Speaking and listening activities are
integrated into all classes.

***Math*** incorporates practical application and exploratory
development within all levels. Students experience connections,
extensions, and applications while spiraling up through the mathematics
curriculum. Mathematically powerful students think and communicate by
drawing on mathematical ideas and by using math tools and techniques.
There is an emphasis on connecting math with science, technology, and
social sciences.

***Social Studies*** examines how students' lives have been and will
continue to be affected by domestic and international politics,
demographics, economic flux, technological change, and social change.
Students will study the continuity and change in human events to
appreciate how ideas, events, and individuals have intersected to
produce change over time.

***"Science for all Americans"*** is the primary commitment for our
students. The new state framework emphasizes relevancy throughout the
curriculum. The focus is on understanding concepts, which center around
six fundamental themes that cut across all disciplines. Students
participate in a variety of open-ended activities that demonstrate the
scope and limitations of scientific methods.

***Foreign Language*** students learn to use, understand, and
communicate a language, both in spoken

and written form. Students learn the cultural heritage of other lands
and become acquainted with customs and

thoughts of other people. Individual elements of the language provided
by the learning activities are used by

students to communicate their own ideas.

***Art*** teaches symbolic structure of the visual arts so that students
can respond to their experiences in ways that

are not dependent on the coding and decoding of verbal language.
Students explore the elements of design, a

variety of media, develop a personal vision. Literacy is stressed
throughout the art program through portfolios,

self-assessment, and research of professionals in the art field.

***English Curriculum***

**2.** Our English program ***integrates reading, writing, and speech in
a progressive and sequential program, which is divided into two parts
Foundation and Selective.*** Freshman and sophomores take Foundation
courses. Juniors and seniors take Selective courses that range from
Mythology, American Literature, British Literature, Humanities, or
Contemporary Literature. (See previous question for more curriculum
information)

By having an integrated, sequential program teachers can collaborate as
subgroups and as a whole department to create a comprehensive
curriculum. This curriculum includes reading as a major component.
Teachers compile remediation folders that contain information and a plan
to assist students. The folders follow the students through high school.

***Reading is integrated throughout the English curriculum*** through a
multitude of strategies devised specifically to improve literacy.
Teacher have collaborated and established techniques such as time on
task for reading development. Reading aloud in a supportive environment
establishes inflection and active reading techniques, which develops
vocabulary and understanding through tracking. Required readings for all
9^th^ and 10^th^ graders are used to solidify a skill and content base.

Our 11^th^ and 12^th^ grade courses build upon the skills base and
content knowledge to encourage text reading, novel symposiums,
presentational reading, journal reading, and technical reading. They
have the option of selecting an English course based on their literary
interests. This further encourages reading for pleasure as well as
education.

***Additional Curriculum-Science Department***

**3.**Our Science Department offers a variety of college prepatory
courses. Students are required to take two science courses for high
school graduation; however, over 82 % take more. All students begin with
Biology and can elect to take Chemistry, physics, or Physiology. They
also have the option of one of our honors or Advanced Placement science
courses depending on their math level.

Our Science Department has gone through several stages of curricular
transformation. All five schools have met for a year in which time they
aligned the new Biology curriculum to state standards and chose a new
textbook. This course is now the gatekeeper for all 9^th^ graders. This
last year the curriculum for an Environmental Science course was
developed. The program will be piloted next year.

We have several programs within the department that infuse technology in
order to improve research, communication, and presentation skills. Our
laptop Biology class focuses not only on understanding concepts, but how
to integrate technology. Students report environmental findings via
video conferencing with two Japanese high schools. This sponsored by the
Fulbright Memorial Master Teacher program. The NASA program seeks to
motivate underrepresented students to pursue science and Engineering.
Students participate in a blocked math and science class, field trips to
NASA, guest speakers, and summer internships with NASA.

***Instructional Methods***

**4.*English*** teachers utilize portfolios such as Personal Tapestries,
which encourage students to combine power point, video, and multimedia
displays as formats to document the people and events that shaped their
lives. In Mythology and Folklore students collaborate in small groups to
analyze archetypes in hero myths. This culminates with an individual
version of a hero myth.

While reading [Night]{.underline} and studying the Holocaust, survivors
and those related to survivors share their life stories. Journalism
students complete reflective critiques on articles from professional
reporters and craft a process reflection narrative. Both formal and
informal presentation skills are developed in English.

***Math and Science*** takes a problem solving approach using several
forms: individual, group, manipulative, exploratory, and lecture.
Current practices include team teaching, reading in the content area,
team tests, presentations, and portfolios, presentation skills,
political discussion, and current events as well as historical
perspective. Students research entire decade and teach the class what
they have discovered. During the Vietnam War, veterans come and speak to
students. Thus, making that connection from book learning to real life.
Science also lends itself to strategies through labs.

***Social Studies*** emphasize research. Our staff participated in the
True Colors training which strives to help educators better understand
their students learning styles based on their personalities. Teachers
have incorporated this training into their strategies in order to better
address multiple learning styles in each class

***Professional Development***

**5.**Professional development is planned through a leadership committee
made up of teachers, classified staff,

and administrators. Together they calendarize staff development for the
year taking cues from our

comprehensive professional development plan. The plan, whose short term
and long term goals are linked

to the ESLRs, speaks to both school wide and departmental goals.

The Planning and Leadership team coordinate all staff development
activities, including both the work of the

Staff Development Resource Groups and departmental database action
research. The eight resource groups

were identified by the staff as areas of concern and interest. The
groups include: data, instructional strategies,

literacy, technology, diversity, and tutorial. The goal for each group
is data-based inquiry, research best practice,

and staff training.

Currently, the English, Math, and Science departments are analyzing
failures in freshman classes in order to

better articulate with the feeder schools and make curricular decisions.
The English department is using data to

coordinate with the Literacy Resource and Instructional Strategies Group
in order to adjust pedagogical practice.

Weekly collaboration time is devoted to closing the ***Achievement Gap,
literacy, database research, technology,***

***and diversity***. There are resource groups dedicated to each area
and trainings revolve around them. In addition,

Math and English collaborate on curricular decisions that will ensure
continued success on the California High

School Exit Exam. Teachers are encouraged to attend conferences that are
subject specific or address one of

the staff development goals.

**High School Exit Exam**

**Mathematics 2001-2002, 2003**

> **2001-2002** **2003**

  ---------------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ------------ ---------- ------------ ------------ ----------
  CDS              District   School      Below        Proficient   Advanced   Below        Proficient   Advanced
                                          Proficient                           Proficient                

  43694684333316   Fremont    Homestead   30.6         37.1         32.2       21.5         39.2         39.2
                   Union High High School                                                                
                   School                                                                                
  ---------------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ------------ ---------- ------------ ------------ ----------

The above table was disaggregated by the California Department of
Education. It shows our math scores for the California High School Exit
Exam (CAHSEE). The 10^th^ graders take math and English. Students must
pass these tests in order to graduate. Students are given many
opportunities to retake any portion they do not pass.

Our test results indicate that our students continue to improve in the
math portion of the CAHSEE. In the year 2003 we had an increase in the
Proficient and Advanced ranges. We continue to assist students by
offering tutoring and summer study programs.

> **Stanford Achievement Test (SAT 9) Math**
>
> **10^th^ grade**
>
> **1999,2000,2001**

  --------------- ----------- ------ ------ ----------- ------ ------ ----------- ----- -----
  Year            2001/2002                 2000/2001                 1999/2000         

  \# of students  363                       444                       440               
  tested                                                                                

  Quartile        25          50     75     25          50     75     25          50    75

  \% All Students 90%         80%    59%    94%         82%    53%    88%         75%   51%

  English         75%         69%    47%    90%         71%    57%    79%         63%   47%
  Language                                                                              
  Learners (ELL)                                                                        

  Special         N/A         N/A    N/A    N/A         N/A    N/A    59%         22%   7%
  Education                                                                             

  Economically    67%         67%    42%    85%         46%    31%    67%         38%   14%
  Disadvantaged                                                                         
  --------------- ----------- ------ ------ ----------- ------ ------ ----------- ----- -----

> Publisher: Harcourt, 1998

The Stanford Achievement Test is a nationally norm-referenced
achievement test. Students are expected to perform at or above the
50^th^ percentile. All of our students have improved over the last three
years. We have seen an increase in the 75^th^ percentile ranking from
51% to 59%. Our ELL students have improved in some areas and not others.
The real growth has been by our economically disadvantaged students. The
largest improvement was in the 75^th^ percentile which had a 28%
increase. The SAT 9 was replaced by the Comprehensive Achievement Test 6
(CAT-6) in the spring of 2003.

**Criterion Referenced Test: California ELA Standards Test (CST)**

**10^th^ Grade English Language Arts Scores**

**2001,2002,2003**

Criterion Referenced English Language Arts

**Continued**

Publisher: Harcourt, 2001

The California Standards Tests are a major component of the STAR
program. This test was specifically designed for California. It is
intended to measure students' progress towards state-adopted academic
content standards. The addition of sub-group requirements was not
implemented until the spring of 2003. Therefore, there is not any
specific data on ethnic subgroups until 2003. The desired result is for
students to score at or above proficient.

Now that the state is using the CAT-6 in place of the SAT 9, we are able
to make direct correlations between the CAT-6 and the CSTs. This will
make for a clearer picture of how well schools are addressing the state
content standards.