Students in grades 9 through 11 answer questions in reading, math, language, social studies and science. Percentile rankings are compared with a national norm of 250,000 students who took the test in 1995. For each grade at every school, the results will show a national percentile rank of the average student along with the percentage of students scoring at or above the 25th percentile, the 50th and the 75th. With California children struggling in various subjects, especially reading, standardized test scores have taken on new meaning. Parents use the scores to compare their school to the one across town and to see how their child is doing.
Politicians use the figures as a basis for new laws and programs for underachieving schools.
Educators use the results to find out where students are failing and then develop strategies to help them. In some districts, a child's individual score will determine a math or English class level for the following year. A school's overall scores will determine its rank in the Academic Performance Index and whether it's a low-performing campus worthy of extra state dollars. The test scores also figure into a system of financial incentives and accountability for educators. The list provides links for each school district serving the South Bay and Harbor Area .