School Accountability Report Card Reported for School Year 2003-2004 Published During 2004-2005
Notes regarding the source and currency of data: Data included in this School Accountability Report Card (SARC) are consistent with State Board of Education guidelines, which are available at the California Department of Education Web site http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sa/definitions04.asp. Most data presented in this report were collected from the 2003-04 school year or from the two preceding years (2001-02 and 2002-03). Due to the certification timelines for graduation, dropout, and fiscal information, the data for these sections of the report were collected in 2002-03.
School Information
District Information
School Name
Highland High
District Name
Kern Union High
Principal
Robert J. Schneider
Superintendent
Dr. Donald E. Carter
Street
2900 Royal Scots Way
5801 Sundale Avenue
City, State, Zip
Bakersfield, CA 93306-2819
Bakersfield, CA 93309-2924
Phone Number
661-872-2777
661-827-3100
FAX Number
661-871-6052
661-827-3300
Web Site
http://www.khsd.k12.ca.us/highland/
http://www.khsd.k12.ca.us/
E-mail Address
Robert_Schneider@khsd.k12.ca.us
Terri_Stanton@khsd.k12.ca.us
CDS Code
15-63529-1533330
SARC Contact
Terri Stanton, Director of Instruction
School Description and Mission Statement
Highland High School is located in the northeast part of Bakersfield, California. It has an enrollment of 2011 students, serving a multi-cultural population ranging from upper middle to poverty level families. Ethnic breakdown is 58% Hispanic, 29% Anglo, 8% African-American, 2% Asian, 1% Native American and 1% Filipino. Students are drawn from a variety of east Bakersfield neighborhoods.
The school offers a strong college preparatory program which includes four years of English, five years of Mathematics through Calculus, four years of Spanish, three years of Social Studies including World Civilizations, U.S. History, U.S. Government, and Economics, and three years of science chosen from biology, earth science, chemistry, and physics. Honors courses are offered in English, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Economics, Math Analysis, and Physics. Advanced placement is offered in English, Calculus, U.S. History and Spanish and Statistics. 55% of Highland graduates continue on to college. This includes about 12% going directly to a four-year college or university and 43% attending community and technical colleges.
Highland provides School to Career paths in Agriculture; Arts, Communications and Human Services; Business; Engineering Technology; and Industrial Technology. It offers courses in applied biology/chemistry, applied mathematics and applied physics. Highland offers business courses in computer literacy, word processing, drafting, and in beginning and advanced agriculture courses. Highland hosts the county deaf and hard of hearing program on campus and offers Interpreter for the Deaf classes for hearing students. Approximately 25% of the senior class pursues advanced vocational work by participating in a two or three hour Regional Occupational Center (ROC) course, offered on the nearby ROC campus. Highland has a 9-week career infusion plan that offers students at every grade level the opportunity to establish, review, and revise a pre-graduation plan, develop career goals, and explore college and career options.
The fine arts department provides a wide variety of enrichment courses including wind ensemble, concert and marching band, string ensemble, an orchestra, five choirs, and beginning and advanced arts/crafts, and drama. Forensics and journalism/publications are taught through the Fine Arts department. Students are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities and in athletics. Highland provides over 35 clubs and 34 athletic teams.
The school philosophy statement is
Highland High School is dedicated to the education of all students, enabling and encouraging them to reach their highest potential intellectually, artistically, and socially. Further, Highland strives to instill a sense of worth in all students, as well as a commitment to and desire for learning that transcends both the classroom and the campus. And finally, Highland fosters a feeling of community and caring which promotes those ideals, values and morals people wish to see in the society at large.
The ideals of Highland’s philosophy statement are reinforced in a practical way by Highland’s Expected School-wide Learning Results (ESLRs) that call for Highland graduates to be academic achievers, effective communicators, complex thinkers, effective citizens, responsible self-directed adults, collaborative workers, and technologically skilled workers.
The staff and programs at Highland have been honored for excellence by the state and federal government during Highland’s 35 year history. This tradition of excellence is highly valued by the talented staff.
Opportunities for Parental Involvement
Contact Person Name
Wesley W. Wells, Assistant Principal of Instruction
Contact Person Phone Number
(661) 872-2777 ext. 31
Highland’s parent groups include WATCH (Working Auxiliary to Care and Help), Athletic Boosters, Agriculture Boosters, Instrumental Music Boosters and Choral Boosters. The school has a G.A.T.E. Advisory and holds quarterly Title I and ELL parent meetings to answer questions, provide information and offer assistance. Parents serve on district advisory councils including ELL, GATE, Special Education, Title I, and a general advisory council for the superintendent. Parents are also members of the school site council.
I. Demographic Information Student Enrollment, by Grade Level Data reported are the number of students in each grade level as reported by the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS).
Grade Level
Enrollment
Kindergarten
0
Grade 9
556
Grade 1
Grade 10
545
Grade 2
Grade 11
481
Grade 3
Grade 12
429
Grade 4
Un-graded Secondary
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Un-graded Elementary
Total Enrollment
2011
Student Enrollment, by Ethnic Group Data reported are the number and percent of students in each racial/ethnic category as reported by CBEDS.
Racial/Ethnic Category
Number of Students
Percent of Students
African-American
167
8.3
Hispanic or Latino
1,190
59.2
American Indian or Alaska Native
26
1.3
Pacific Islander
1
0.0
Asian
39
1.9
White (Not Hispanic)
578
28.7
Filipino
10
0.5
Multiple or No Response
II. School Safety and Climate for Learning School Safety Plan
Date of Last Review/Update
August 2004
Date Last Discussed with Staff
In case of an emergency, Highland High School deals with the problem on campus by implementing the incident command system (ICS). An emergency situation that would require an ICS, is defined as an occurrence or event, human-caused or by natural phenomena, which requires action by emergency response personnel to prevent or minimize loss of life or damage to property. The ICS is designed to accommodate any type of emergency no matter how large or small. The plan is reviewed and updated each school year.
The ICS works by taking the different actions needed to handle the problem and dividing them among different individuals. The incident commander is able to manage the emergency by deciding what needs to be done, delegating the work to those able to complete the task, and then requiring them to report back on their progress.
The ICS is made up of various jobs, each having their own responsibilities. The jobs are: incident commander, public information officer, scribe, logistics officer, planning and intelligence officer, and safety officer.
The incident commander is the person who is in charge of all aspects of the emergency that is happening at the time. The incident commander of a Highland High School emergency is the principal or either of the assistant principals. If they are not available, the incident commander’s position is taken by one of the other school administrators. Any member of the Highland High School staff can fill the following positions in the ICS. The public information officer is the person at Highland who has been given the authority to release information to the media. This person works directly with the incident commander. The scribe is an individual who also works directly with the incident commander. The scribe should stay with the incident commander at all times recording the times, persons, and places that involved during the emergency. The logistics officer is responsible for providing facilities, services, personnel, equipment, and materials in support of the resolution of the emergency. The planning and intelligence officer will collect, evaluate, document, and process information pertaining to the development of the incident. The person is also responsible for the status of the available resources of the school. The safety officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing safety hazards or unsafe situations, and for developing measures for ensuring personnel safety.
The staff and students at Highland participate in fire and emergency evacuation drills each year. Staff members have emergency packets of information that are used in the event of emergency drills or actual evacuations. The information in the staff packet deals with evacuation locations, procedures, and accounting for students. It is updated and distributed to staff members at the beginning of each year.
School Programs and Practices that Promote a Positive Learning Environment
· Highland offers a comprehensive college preparatory program with four years of English, Mathematics through Advanced Calculus, three years of Science and Social Studies, four years of French and Spanish and advanced level fine arts courses.
· Students in the English Learners (EL) program are enrolled in academic EL courses in all core areas. Title I general skills classes provide academic instruction for students who test below 39% on the STAR or CST tests.
· Highland was accredited for a six-year term in Spring of 1999 by WASC.
· Courses of study are being revised to correlate with the District courses of study.
· Highland has adopted school-wide homework and writing policies.
· The Associated Student Body plays a very active role in creating a positive school climate through regular elections, assemblies, pep rallies and student recognition events.
· Under the leadership of the Dean of Athletics and Activities, participation in student athletics has increased dramatically in the recent past and nearly 25% of our students compete and maintain academic eligibility.
Suspensions and Expulsions Data reported are the number of suspensions and expulsions (i.e., the total number of incidents that result in a suspension or expulsion). The rate of suspensions and expulsions is the total number of incidents divided by the school's total enrollment as reported by CBEDS for the given year. In unified school districts, a comparison between a particular type of school (elementary, middle, high) and the district average may be misleading. Schools have the option of comparing their data with the district-wide average for the same type of school.
School
District
2002
2003
2004
Number of Suspensions
667
795
1117
7366
8867
11386
Rate of Suspensions
34.7%
39.5%
55.5%
25.6%
27.4%
35.1%
Number of Expulsions
95
72
104
551
815
973
Rate of Expulsions
4.9%
3.5%
5.1%
1.9%
2.5%
3.0%
School Facilities Safety, cleanliness, and adequacy of school facilities, including any needed maintenance to ensure good repair. Description of the condition and cleanliness of the school grounds, buildings, and restrooms.
Highland High School has a full custodial and security staff to maintain the cleanliness and safety of the plant and staff and students. The custodial staff is directed by a plant supervisor and consists of 7 custodians and grounds workers. The custodians maintain the classrooms, restrooms and administrative office upkeep and cleanliness. Any graffiti on campus is reported to the district maintenance and operations department who dispatch painters to paint over any graffiti. The graffiti is photographed prior to being painted over and then investigated by the campus police officer in order to take steps to apprehend those involved in the vandalism.
The custodial and grounds staffs work hard to maintain a clean campus both in the classroom and on the school grounds. This staff has been reduced over the years but has been asked to maintain a physical plant that now has additional classrooms to service. The safety of the campus is a primary concern of the staff at Highland and the students report they feel safe while attending school. The modernization efforts on campus at this time have made the cleaning of the campus more difficult because of the amount of exposed dirt and open areas traveled by students between classes.
The Dean of Students manages the security of the campus. She has a full-time police officer and five campus security workers. They patrol the campus maintaining student discipline and monitoring attendance and tardiness.
The modernization project at Highland has moved administrators and teachers out of four buildings into temporary offices and classrooms for the 2003-2004 school year. The administration and some teachers have been moved into temporary office and classroom trailers. This first phase of modernization will conclude during the summer of 2004. The second phase will move four more buildings into the temporary classes. This planned project has had a significant impact on the use of our facilities and the movement of our students and staff.
The schools largest restroom facility in building three was taken out of commission this year because of modernization. A temporary restroom facility was moved onto the campus for students to use. Putting portable toilets on campus accommodated the staff restroom needs.
The fire alarm system is checked annually by the city fire department to make sure it is in working order. The students and staff are put through two annual fire drills to practice evacuating the buildings. An annual school evacuation drill is also conducted at the school.
Highland High School’s electronic infrastructure is being updated through the school’s modernization project. Technology will continue to be used by staff and students on a more extensive basis when as staff and students move back into classes and offices as the modernization project continues.
III. Academic Data Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Through the California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, students in grades 2-11 are tested annually in various subject areas. Currently, the STAR program includes California Standards Tests (CST) and a norm-referenced test (NRT). The CST tests English-language arts and mathematics in grades 2-11, science in grades 5, 9, 10, and 11, and history-social science in grades 8, 10, and 11. The NRT tests reading, language, and mathematics in grades 2-11 spelling in grades 2-8, and science in grades 9-11. California Standards Tests (CST) The California Standards Tests (CST) show how well students are doing in relation to the state content standards. Student scores are reported as performance levels. The five performance levels are Advanced (exceeds state standards), Proficient (meets state standards), Basic (approaching state standards), Below Basic (below state standards), and Far Below Basic (well below state standards). Students scoring at the Proficient or Advanced level meet state standards in that content area. Students scoring at the Proficient or Advanced level meet state standards in that content area. Students with significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to take the CST are tested using the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA). Detailed information regarding CST and CAPA results for each grade and proficiency level can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://star.cde.ca.gov/ or by speaking with the school principal. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less. CST - All Students Data reported are the percent of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standards).
Subject
State
English-Language Arts
20
23
28
27
32
35
36
Mathematics
11
14
12
31
34
Science
15
21
18
30
25
History-Social Science
16
17
19
29
CST - Racial/Ethnic Groups Data reported are the percent of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standards).
African- American
White (not Hispanic)
43
80
49
7
54
8
62
13
9
CST - Subgroups Data reported are the percent of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standards).
Male
Female
English Learners
Economically Disadvantaged
Students With Disabilities
Migrant Education Services
Yes
No
5
4
6
Norm-Referenced Test (NRT) Reading and mathematics results from the California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition (CAT-6), the current NRT adopted by the State Board of Education, are reported for each grade level as the percent of tested students scoring at or above the 50th percentile (the national average). School results are compared to results at the district and state levels. The CAT-6 was adopted in 2003; therefore, no data are reported for 2002. Detailed information regarding results for each grade level can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://star.cde.ca.gov/ or by speaking with the school principal. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less. NRT - All Students Data reported are the percent of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile.
Reading
---
41
40
38
50
51
NRT - Racial/Ethnic Groups Data reported are the percent of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile.
59
63
57
NRT - Subgroups Data reported are the percent of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile.
37
45
24
58
44
California Physical Fitness Test Data reported are the percent of students meeting fitness standards (scoring in the healthy fitness zone on all six fitness standards). Detailed information regarding the California Physical Fitness Test may be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.
Total
24.8
26.7
22.9
29.1
31.3
27.0
14.3
13.9
14.7
20.8
19.5
22.2
26.3
25.3
27.2
Academic Performance Index (API) The Academic Performance Index (API) is a score on a scale of 200 to 1000 that annually measures the academic performance and progress of individual schools in California. On an interim basis, the state has set 800 as the API score that schools should strive to meet. Growth Targets: The annual growth target for a school is 5 percent of the distance between its Base API and 800. The growth target for a school at or above 800 is to remain at or above 800. Actual growth is the number of API points a school gained between its base and growth years. Schools that reach their annual targets are eligible for awards. Schools that do not meet their targets and have a statewide API rank of one to five are eligible to participate in the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP), which provides resources to schools to improve their academic achievement. There was no money allocated to the II/USP Program in 2002 or 2003. Subgroup APIs and Targets: In addition to a school wide API, schools also receive API scores for each numerically significant subgroup in the school (i.e., racial/ethnic subgroups and socio-economically disadvantaged students). Growth targets, equal to 80 percent of the school's target, are also set for each of the subgroups. Each subgroup must also meet its target for the school to be eligible for awards. Percent Tested: In order to be eligible for awards, elementary and middle schools must test at least 95 percent of their students in grades 2-8 and high schools must test at least 90 percent of their students in grades 9-11 on STAR. Statewide Rank: Schools receiving a Base API score are ranked in ten categories of equal size (deciles) from one (lowest) to ten (highest), according to type of school (elementary, middle, or high school). Similar Schools Rank: Schools also receive a ranking that compares that school to 100 other schools with similar demographic characteristics. Each set of 100 schools is ranked by API score from one (lowest) to ten (highest) to indicate how well the school performed compared to schools most like it. API criteria are subject to change as new legislation is enacted into law. Detailed information about the API and the Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/ or by speaking with the school principal. School wide API
API Base Data
API Growth Data
2001
From 2001 to 2002
From 2002 to 2003
From 2003 to 2004
Percent Tested
96
98
92
99
API Base Score
547
539
583
API Growth Score
531
579
594
Growth Target
Actual Growth
-16
Statewide Rank
3
2
Similar Schools Rank
API Subgroups - Racial/Ethnic Groups
467
460
514
447
513
532
-20
53
672
661
686
669
677
710
-3
API Subgroups- Socio-economically Disadvantaged
432
426
490
420
488
508
-12
State Award and Intervention Programs
Although state intervention and awards programs are currently in the California Education Code, the programs were not funded for the period addressed by this report. Therefore, there are currently no data available to report.
Federal Intervention Programs Schools receiving Title I funding enter federal Program Improvement (PI) if they do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years. After entering PI, schools advance to the next level of intervention with each additional year that they do not make AYP. Information about PI, including a list of all PI schools, can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ay/ or by speaking with the school principal.
Year Identified for Program Improvement
2000-2001
Year in Program Improvement
Year 3
Year Exited Program Improvement
Number of Schools Currently in Program Improvement
Percent of Schools Identified for Program Improvement
21.7
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that all students perform at or above the proficient level on the state's standards-based assessments by 2014. In order to achieve this goal and meet annual performance objectives, districts and schools must improve each year according to set requirements. A "Yes" in the following table displaying Overall AYP Status indicated that AYP was met for all students and all subgroups, or that exception criteria were met, or that an appeal of the school or district's AYP status was approved. Additional data by subgroup show whether all groups of students in the school and district made the annual measurable objectives for the percent proficient or above and the participation rate required under AYP. Detailed information about AYP can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ay/ or by speaking with the school principal.
Overall
All Students
Subgroups
African American
n/a
Socio-economically Disadvantaged
Students with Disabilities
IV. School Completion (Secondary Schools) California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Beginning with the graduating class of 2006, students in California public schools will have to pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) to receive a high school diploma. The School Accountability Report Card for that year will report the percent of students completing grade 12 who successfully completed the CAHSEE.
These data are not required to be reported until 2006 when they can be reported for the entire potential graduating class. When implemented, the data will be disaggregated by special education status, English language learners, socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnic group.
Dropout Rate and Graduation Rate Data reported regarding progress toward reducing dropout rates over the most recent three-year period include: grade 9-12 enrollment, the number of dropouts, and the one-year dropout rate as reported by CBEDS. The formula for the one-year dropout rate is (grades 9-12 dropouts divided by grades 9-12 enrollment) multiplied by 100. The graduation rate, required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), is calculated by dividing the number of high school graduates by the sum of dropouts for grades 9 through 12, in consecutive years, plus the number of graduates.
Enrollment (9-12)
1900
1918
1985
29333
29788
30953
1735576
1772417
1830664
Number of Dropouts
65
70
642
1056
1017
47899
48210
58493
Dropout Rate (1-year)
2.2
3.4
3.5
3.3
2.8
2.7
3.2
Graduation Rate
86.0
83.6
86.1
85.8
85.1
86.2
86.7
87.0
V. Class Size Average Class Size and Class Size Distribution
Data reported are the average class size and the number of classrooms that fall into each size category (i.e., number of students), by grade level, as reported by CBEDS.
Number of Classes
Average Class Size
School wide
358
28.1
27.9
English
91
25.0
25.2
Math
25.5
Social Science
42
27.4
29.5
29.7
Average Teaching Load and Teaching Load Distribution Data reported are the average class size and the number of classrooms that fall into each size category (i.e., number of students), by subject area, as reported by CBEDS.
Avg. Class Size
Number of Classrooms
1-22
23-32
33+
24.7
23.7
24.1
29.9
28.4
28.2
22
29.6
VI. Teacher and Staff Information Core Academic Courses Not Taught by NCLB Compliant Teachers The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that all teachers teaching in core academic subjects are to be "highly qualified" not later than the end of the 2005-06 school year. In general, NCLB requires that each teacher must have: (1) a bachelor's degree, (2) a state credential or an Intern Certificate/Credential for no more than three years, and (3) demonstrated subject matter competence for each core subject to be taught by the teacher. More information on teacher qualifications required under NCLB can be found at the California Department of Education's Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/nclb/sr/tq/. For a school, the data reported are the percent of a school's classes in core content areas not taught by NCLB compliant teachers. For a district, the data reported are the percent of all classes in core content areas not taught by NCLB compliant teachers in all schools in the district, in high-poverty schools in the district, and in low-poverty schools in the district.
This School
All Schools in District
20.3
High-Poverty Schools in District
27.1
Low-Poverty Schools in District
18.6
Teacher Credentials Data reported are the number of teachers (full-time and part-time) as reported by CBEDS. Each teacher is counted as "1". If a teacher works at two schools, he/she is only counted at one school. Data are not available for teachers with a full credential and teaching outside his/her subject area.
Total Teachers
81
82
89
Teachers with Full Credential
73
87
Teachers Teaching Outside Subject Area (full credential but teaching outside subject area)
Teachers in Alternative Routes to Certification (district and university internship)
Pre-Internship
Teachers with Emergency Permits (not qualified for a credential or internship but meeting minimum requirements)
Teachers with Waivers (does not have credential and does not qualify for an Emergency Permit)
Teacher Misassignments Data reported are the number of placements of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position for which the employee does not hold a legally recognized certificate or credential, or the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position that the employee is not otherwise authorized by statute to hold.
Misassignments of Teachers of English Learners
Total Teacher Misassignments
Teacher Education Level Data reported are the percent of teachers by education level.
Doctorate
0.3
Master's Degree plus 30 or more semester hours
Master's Degree
20.2
26.4
Bachelor's Degree plus 30 or more semester hours
60.7
56.9
Bachelor's Degree
16.9
12.8
Less than Bachelor's Degree
Vacant Teacher Positions Data reported are the number of positions to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of the year for an entire year or, if the position is for a one-semester course, a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of a semester for an entire semester.
Vacant Teacher Positions
Teacher Evaluations
Substitute Teachers
Highland High School continues to have success in filling teacher absences with qualified, district approved substitutes. We maintain strict standards of behavior and dismiss substitutes who do not uphold the teacher’s prescribed lesson plans.
Counselors and Other Support Staff Data reported are in units of full-time equivalents (FTE). One FTE is defined as a staff person who is working 100 percent (i.e., full time). Two staff persons who each work 50 percent of full time also equal one FTE.
Title
FTE
Counselor
6.0
Librarian
1.0
Psychologist
Social Worker
Nurse
Speech/Language/Hearing Specialist
Resource Specialist (non-teaching)
Other
Academic Counselors Data reported are in units of full-time equivalents (FTE). One FTE is defined as a staff person who is working 100 percent (i.e., full time). Two staff persons who each work 50 percent of full time also equal one FTE. The ratio of students per academic counselor is defined as enrollment as reported by CBEDS divided by the full-time-equivalent academic counselors.
Number of Academic Counselors (FTE)
Ratio of Students Per Academic Counselor
335.2
VII. Curriculum and Instruction School Instruction and Leadership
Highland High School’s administrative team consists of the principal, two assistant principals, a dean of students, a dean of athletics and activities, and a head counselor. The school’s leadership team is the Policy Council. This council is made up of the administrative team, department chairs and classified representatives. Policy Council is responsible for establishing school-wide goals and creating policy with regard to the academic program. The council is also the WASC follow-up committee and is responsible for addressing the WASC action plans.
The Kern High School District has provided leadership for each school site to align the instructional program with the state framework. Department chairs and subject area facilitators have aligned the courses of study in English, Math, Science, Social studies and Foreign Language with the state frameworks. Using grade level teams, Highland High School has aligned classroom instruction with the standards and frameworks.
The primary focus of our Title I/EL program is to provide assistance and classes to help our under-performing students develop a better understanding of the curricula. In order to assist the students, we employ instructional aides and a reading program (Language!). The Title I/EL Coordinator and class counselors review deficiency reports for students who have a “D” or failing grade in the core curriculum. Students who have academic deficiencies are counseled. The computer lab is open after school from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
SkillsBank, a computer program, also helps improve students’ grades and basic skills. Students achieve at least 70 percent mastery on selected lessons. PowerPoint also is successful as a performance based assessment instrument, as is Algebra Blaster and other software related to the core subjects. “Kern Learn”, the computer program developed by the Kern High School District and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools and is available for students and parents to help prepare students for the California High School Exit Exam.
Various assessments are used to determine student progress. The assessments are as follows:
· Completion of creative projects such as original artwork, board games, non-print essays, group projects and cooperative learning group activities are evaluated.
· Students keep assignments in a working portfolio which demonstrates performance based assessment.
· Students and teachers select works to be edited and revised.
· Students write reflections on selected works.
· Portfolios are reviewed at the end of the year.
The entrance criteria for the Title I Program at Highland targets students who have placed in the 39th percentile or below on the STAR or CST Test and who are at risk of not successfully completing high school. The entrance criteria for the participation in the EL Program at Highland are listed below:
· Every student who’s Home Language Survey shows a home language other than English is tested for English oral, reading and writing proficiency within thirty days of enrollment. Those incoming 9th graders who were attending one of the HHS feeder schools the previous spring were tested in October to determine placement in the EL program and will be re-tested in the CELDT in October of their freshman year.
· EL students who require SDAIE classes to ensure their success are placed in the core classes which utilize SDAIE strategies and taught by a CLAD-trained teacher.
· Based on the Kern High School District matrix, students are placed in the appropriate EL classes or the student may be classified as FEP (Fluent English Proficient).
· FEP students may be placed in any appropriate program. English Learners are further diagnosed and placed in EL program.
· Parents are notified of test results in English and the primary (home) language by letter.
Numerous efforts are made to ensure equal access to the core curriculum for all students. The following were efforts that yielded positive results:
· General core level courses were offered at all four grade levels.
· Paraeducators provided an opportunity for another adult to interact with students and helped to motivate them.
· Small group instruction and collaborative learning groups created a student-centered classroom and made students responsible for their own learning.
· Short assignments kept students focused and allowed them to successfully complete assignments.
· Access to computer labs increased students’ motivation, creativity and timeliness in completing their work. As the students’ abilities using computers expanded, their interest and confidence grew.
· Teacher presentation stations allowed teachers to create interactive lessons; these lessons kept students interested, and were time efficient.
· Interdisciplinary units helped students see the relevancy among disciplines by exploring how various concepts such as graphing overlapped multiple disciplines.
· Group activities, artwork, creative projects, confidence-building activities and personal journals were successful.
· Highland offered ELD 1-4 classes, which were aligned with the state standards, and SDAIE classes in science, social studies and math.
· Public speaking activities such as oral communication activities for EL students were stressed, as well as the use of graphic organizers.
· Guest speakers created interest in community activities, further education and careers.
· Smaller class size improved student success; 65 percent of Title I students received a “C” or 2.0 GPA or better.
· The Title I/EL Awards Evening honored the Title I EL students for academic achievement, marked improvement and other notable accomplishments.
Highland’s Title I/EL staff used several methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the unique program and summarize the overall achievement activities as follows:
There are approximately 200 special education students at Highland High School representing 11% of the total population. Students in this program have equal access to the curriculum provided to all students as evidenced by their schedules and their Individualized Education Plan/Transition plan (IEP/TP). Resource classes that support core curriculum and special day class programs that provide a district special education core curriculum are also offered to these students.
The deaf and hard of hearing (D/HOH) students are served in either the mainstream or in special day classes. There is a multi-handicapped class for students whose common handicap is a hearing loss. Adaptive physical education classes are available for any student who qualifies, as are speech therapy services. Highland has a licensed speech language pathologist who is on campus five days a week. A school psychologist is on site two days each week to conduct initial assessments, three-year evaluations and expulsion assessments for special education students, as well as to participate in student IEP/TP's, and assist with counseling. A community counselor is on site one day per week to counsel the students, to identify emotionally disturbed (ED) students, and to serve as gatekeeper to the two district-wide programs for ED students.
Ten classroom aides assist in the special education classes as appropriate, including a bilingual interpreter who is available each day. Five American Sign Language interpreters are available for the Highland D/HOH population that is comprised of approximately 40 students, three teachers of the deaf, and three interpreters of the deaf. They interpret in classes as assigned and are also available to students and various school related functions.
Professional Development
Highland High School staff participates in California’s Instructional Time & Staff Development Reform Program Staff Development Buy-Back Day. Staff members are given the opportunity to attend staff development activities that address instructional methods, teaching strategies, classroom management, improving pupil performance and academic content in the core areas. All staff development activities are completed outside of the regular employment hours. The Kern High School District offers an additional staff development day. This day is devoted to activities that address standards and assessment. Finally, a.m. staff development hours are provided each month to keep staff members informed of current issues.
Last year, Highland had a total of four staff development days on October 14, November 18, February 17 and March 16.
Quality and Currency of Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials
The overall condition and supply of textbooks and supplementary materials is excellent with notable exceptions in English Anthologies at the Freshman and Sophomore levels. Most of our textbooks have been purchased within the last five years with the exception of a small number of texts that date to 1986. We currently have 17,002 textbooks and 29,230 copies of supplementary texts totaling 46,232 textbooks. Highland High School follows the KHSD guidelines for the adoption and purchase of textbooks and supplementary textbooks and materials.
Availability of Sufficient Standards-Aligned Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials The availability of sufficient state-adopted (grades K-8) and standards-aligned (grades K-12) textbooks and other instructional materials for each pupil, including English learners, that are consistent with the content and cycles of the curriculum frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education in the core curriculum areas of reading/language arts, mathematics, science, history-social science, foreign language, and health (for grades K to 12, inclusive); and science laboratory equipment (for grades 9 to 12, inclusive), as appropriate.
Core Curriculum Areas
Availability of Textbooks/Materials
Reading/Language Arts
Supply was adequate for 6 out of 7 titles held with condition ranging from excellent to poor.
Supply was adequate for the 10 titles held with condition ranging from mostly excellent or good to one title in poor condition.
Supply was adequate and condition was excellent to fair for 7 out of the 10 titles held.
History/Social Science
Supply was mostly inadequate as most of the 9 titles were heavily used. Condition was mostly excellent to good.
Foreign Language
Supply was mostly adequate for the 7 titles held with condition ranging from excellent to good.
Health
Supply was adequate and condition was good for the one title held.
Science Laboratory Equipment (grades 9-12)
Supply of laboratory equipment was largely adequate, although access to this equipment was limited by our schools’ modernization.
Instructional Minutes The California Education Code establishes a required number of instructional minutes per year for each grade. Data reported compares the number of instructional minutes offered at the school level to the state requirement for each grade.
Instructional Minutes
Offered
State Requirement
K
36,000
50,400
54,000
67,680
64,800
Continuation School Instructional Days Data reported are the number of instructional days offered at the school level compared to the state requirement for each grade.
Instructional Days With At Least 180 Instructional Minutes
180
180 days
Total Number of Minimum Days
During the 2003-2004 school year, students attended school on a shortened day schedule nineteen days. Department meetings, final exams, and early outs before holidays were the reasons for the early dismissals. School was out early at 2:00pm these days except for final exam days when school was dismissed at 12:23pm.
VIII. Postsecondary Preparation (Secondary Schools) Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate Courses Offered The Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs give students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. Data reported are the number of courses and classes offered, and the enrollment in various AP and IB classes. The data for Fine and Performing Arts include AP Art and AP Music, and the data for Social Science include IB Humanities.
Number of Courses
Fine and Performing Arts
Computer Science
33
64
Students Enrolled in Courses Required for University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) Admission Data reported are the number and percent of students enrolled in courses required for UC and/or CSU admission. The percent of students is calculated by dividing the total number of students enrolled in courses required for UC and/or CSU admission (a duplicated count) by the total number of students enrolled in all courses (also a duplicated count).
Number of Students Enrolled in All Courses
Number of Students Enrolled In Courses Required For UC and/or CSU Admission
Percent of Students Enrolled In Courses Required For UC and/or CSU Admission
11037
5133
46.5
Graduates Who Have Completed All Courses Required for University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) Admission Data reported are the number and percent of graduates who have completed all courses required for UC and/or CSU admission. The percent of graduates is calculated by dividing the total number of graduates who have completed all courses required for UC and/or CSU admission by the total number of graduates.
Number of Graduates
Number of Graduates Who Have Completed All Courses Required For UC and/or CSU Admission
Percent of Graduates Who Have Completed All Courses Required For UC and/or CSU Admission
378
17.2
SAT I Reasoning Test Students may voluntarily take the SAT test for college entrance. The test may or may not be available to students at a given school. Students may take the test more than once, but only the highest score is reported at the year of graduation. Detailed information regarding SAT results may be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/ai/. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.
Grade 12 Enrollment
404
440
5903
7115
7654
365,907
385,181
395,194
Percent of Grade 12 Enrollment Taking Test
27.7
21.2
29.2
23.5
23.2
37.3
36.7
35.2
Average Verbal Score
469
494
487
482
496
Average Math Score
499
520
497
506
516
518
519
College Admission Test Preparation Course Program
Highland High School offered a college admission test preparation course for which the Kern High School District provided funding. Kaplan conducted the program where 25 junior students were tutored in test-taking strategies for the SAT. The course was a substantial commitment on behalf of the students as they attended over 25 hours of instruction and completed two practice exams. Parents were also invited to attend an informational night where additional information regarding the SAT was provided.
Degree to Which Students are Prepared to Enter Workforce
Highland High School has developed a variety of programs to prepare students to enter the workforce. The school emphasizes the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) business competencies in every course. All 9th graders complete one semester of keyboarding and health. Career paths are offered in agriculture, arts, communications, human services, business, engineering, health and industrial technology. Highland students also enroll in Regional Occupational Center (ROC) vocational courses which provide three hours of vocational training daily. Additionally, Highland students enroll in work experience and volunteer community service opportunities. Special Education students are also provided with career training through access to all Highland High School courses and through the Ruggenberg Career Center (RCC).
Enrollment and Program Completion in Career/Technical Education (CTE) Programs Data reported are from the Report of Career-Technical Education Enrollment and Program Completion for School Year 2002-2003 (CDE 101 E-1). Data have been aggregated to the district level.
CTE Participants
Secondary CTE Students
Grade 12 CTE Students
Total Course Enrollment
Number of Concentrators
Number of Completers
Completion Rate
Number Earning Diploma
24652
9572
4928
51.9%
1871
1783
95.2%
IX. Fiscal and Expenditure Data County offices of education are not required to report average salaries and expenditures. The California Department of Education's School Fiscal Services Division does not calculate statewide average salary and expenditure information for county offices of education. Average Salaries (Fiscal Year 2002-2003) Data reported are the district average salary for teachers, principals, and superintendents, compared to the state average salaries for districts of the same type and size, as defined by Education Code Section 41409. Detailed information regarding salaries may be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/fd/cs/ and http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sa/salaries0203.asp.
Category
District Amount
State Average For Districts In Same Category
Beginning Teacher Salary
$36,582
$37,434
Mid-Range Teacher Salary
$52,501
$61,368
Highest Teacher Salary
$72,289
$77,698
Average Principal Salary (Elementary)
Average Principal Salary (Middle)
$95,819
Average Principal Salary (High)
$104,719
$108,194
Superintendent Salary
$140,681
$154,991
Percent of Budget for Teacher Salaries
35.4
38.4
Percent of Budget for Administrative Salaries
4.2
5.3
Expenditures (Fiscal Year 2002-2003) Data reported are total dollars expended in the district and the dollars expended per student at the district compared to the state average. Detailed information regarding expenditures may be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/fd/ec/.
State Average All Districts
Total Dollars
Dollars per Student (ADA)
$203,416,471
$6,629
$6,977
$6,822
Types of Services Funded
Highland High School receives funding for categorical and other special programs. Categorical programs include Title I and Perkins. The District provides funding for special education and a full time library media teacher. Special Education funds support the RSP, SDC D/HOH, and adaptive PE programs. Additionally, special education funds are provided for a speech therapist, school psychologist, and a school social worker.
There are approximately 200 special education students at Highland High School representing 11% of the total population. Students enrolled into this program have equal access to the curriculum provided to all students as evidenced by their schedules and their Individualized Education Plan/Transition plan (IEP/TP). Resource classes that support core curriculum and special day class programs that provide a district special education core curriculum are also offered to these students.
The deaf and hard of hearing (D/HOH) students are served in either the mainstream or in special day classes. There is a multi-handicapped class for students whose common handicap is a hearing loss. Adaptive physical education classes are available for any student who qualifies, as are speech therapy services. Highland has a licensed speech language pathologist who is on campus five days a week. A school psychologist is on site two days each week to conduct initial assessments, three-year evaluations and expulsion assessments for special education students, as well as to participate in student IEP/TP's, and assist with counseling. A community counselor is on site one day per week to counsel the emotionally fragile students, to identify emotionally disturbed (ED) students, and to serve as gatekeeper to the two district-wide programs for ED students.
Ten classroom aides assist in the special education classes as appropriate, including a bilingual interpreter who is available each day. Five American Sign Language interpreters are available for the Highland D/HOH population that is comprised of approximately 40 students, three teachers of the deaf, and three interpreters of the deaf . They interpret in classes as assigned and are also available to students and various school related functions.
Highland High’s Title I program serves approximately 53% of the students enrolled. The English Language Learner program includes 250 to 300 English Learners (EL) during the school year. Because of the nature of the class scheduling, the majority of EL students are also supported under the Title I umbrella.
In order to provide enhanced support in the core areas, an instructional assistant is available to all the English Language Development (ELD) classes at all grade levels and in the other core areas that support the youngest and neediest. EL students benefit from Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) classes and both EL and Title I ninth grade students are better served through smaller class enrollment (15-22).
Title I provides a Kern High School District after school tutoring bus two afternoons a week. The program also offers a computer lab that is staffed for after school access.
The Title I/EL Coordinator works in tandem with the counseling department, which includes five counselors and a community counselor, to provide academic, career and college advising. Support is available in our Strategies classes to help monitor students with attendance, discipline and reading. All strategies have an instructional assistant who provides the benefit of another adult as part of the classroom experience. Classroom supplies, calculators and instructional materials, such as supplemental reading books, audio tapes videos and various software in our computer labs, are supplied to enhance Title I and EL students’ educational experiences.
To address discipline, attendance and academic concerns, the School Community Counselor makes classroom visits and home calls to establish and maintain a parent-school connection. Additionally, being bilingual, the school Community Counselor translates printed material at parent meetings and also provides transportation to and from meetings for parents and their students.
To improve the parent-school connection, three or four events are offered during the school year to include parents/guardians and students. These parent and student activities have included “Parent/Partner Day”, “Bards & Poets” night and “Title I/EL Awards Night.”
Teachers are sent to a variety of conferences in teams for staff development. In-school workshops are provided for core teachers along with collaborative workshops to strengthen the team bond among teachers and instructional assistants. Instructional assistants attend two conferences a year. These provide strategies that can be used for successful classroom management. The instructional assistants are well respected and consistently receive high marks from their team of teachers. Team-planning sessions are held three times during the school year. Program Evaluation (Phase I, II and III) and review of the Three-Year Plans for Title I and EL are examined.
Since categorical funds are limited by availability and restricted to specific usage, the program Coordinator, teachers and instructional assistants cooperate with each other in order to deliver the best educational opportunities for the Title I/EL students.