CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Harbor View Sees Decrease in State Test Scores

After two years of being the top elementary school in the district and three years of steadily improving state test scores, Harbor View’s state test scores dipped slightly this year, according to data released today by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Harbor View’s API (Academic Performance Index) score for 2011 was 936, down from 950 in 2010 and 945 in 2009.

“When schools accelerate so fast, there is a leveling off,” said Laura Boss, a spokeswoman for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. “For Harbor View, it is a re-benchingmarking year. For Harbor View, a one-year decrease after three years of high, consistent growth is not a huge concern.”

Principal Charlene Metoyer said she has been analyzing the scores to see if there are any improvements teachers can make before testing in 2012.

“We take it seriously and need to look at it,” she said. “There are a lot of factors — enrollment, the number of kids we test.”

She and teachers will be looking grade by grade to see if there are trends that show a gap in students’ learning, and they will make adjustments to their lesson plans accordingly.

But, she added, a one-year decline does not show a downward trend.

“It’s exciting to go up every year,” Metoyer said. “But it’s not something we can expect to maintain forever. At some point, every school levels off.”

Andersen Elementary School this year had the top score of all elementary schools districtwide at 950, up from 934 last year.

Eastbluff was up from 890 last year to 899 in 2011; Lincoln was up from 915 last year to 927 this year; and Newport Coast dropped from 949 last year to 946 this year.

Districtwide, 16,200 students between second and twelfth grades took the test. Overall, the district’s API scored improved by nine points for the eighth year in a row, according to a district statement.

Corona del Mar Middle School and Early College High School scored above 900 for the first time ever, the release said.