Because Muir failed to show improvement last year, Kaloostian said, the pressure is intense. To encourage students to show up throughout the test period, Muir assistant principal Karen Cheval plans a rock 'n' roll concert for those with perfect attendance. The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District doesn't have such worries. Last year, the affluent district topped all others in Los Angeles County on Stanford 9 scores. The test is a topic of conversation but not a source of high anxiety.
Individual teachers decide whether to drill students on test-taking skills.
It is sustained academic growth that we look for from our students. Sometimes parents are caught unawares by their children's test anxiety. At the recent parents test preparation workshop on the Westside, Ophelia Ruiz was stunned by her son Erich's comments. You just need to listen carefully.