VUSD record distorted in campaign

I am proud to say that the Ventura Unified School District staff, students, parents Rosetta Stone V3 and board of trustees — Barbara (“BJ”) Fitzgerald, Debbie Golden, Mary Haffner, Velma Lomax and John Walker — work extremely hard to ensure all students have access to safe, healthy and high-performing schools. Unfortunately, during the political campaign season, there are statements made that are inaccurate, misleading and do not tell the entire story regarding the overall progress of VUSD.As superintendent for nine years, with a past history as a paraeducator, teacher, principal and director since 1975 in VUSD, I am very qualified to dispel rumors and provide the facts. When VUSD is represented inaccurately, not only does it negatively impact our outstanding 1,700 staff members, but it uses our 17,000 students as political pawns.Allow me to share the facts:— VUSD has gained 61 Academic Index Performance points districtwide over the past seven years in English language arts and mathematics.— 100 percent of the 27 schools have shown significant gains over a 10-year period.— Title 1 schools, labeled “program improvement schools,” have made the highest and most significant gains over time, with Sheridan Way, Will Rogers and De Anza in the lead for the highest growth over the past decade.— Twenty VUSD schools have been named California Distinguished Schools, including four Title 1 schools with the esteemed recognition as California Title 1 Distinguished Schools.— VUSD has 12 schools scoring in the 800-plus category, including three schools that have scored in the 900s!— VUSD increased by another 15 points this year and has an API of 799 — 1 point shy of where the state expects all districts to be in 2014.— VUSD has the highest-scoring high school in the county again this year.— VUSD exceeds the county and state average in English language arts and mathematics.— VUSD exceeds the county and state average in attendance, graduation rates Rosetta Stone Latin America Spanish and passage of the high school exit exam and has a lower dropout rate than the county or state average.— Over the past five years, our reclassification rate for English learners has increased by 100 students per year.— 98 percent of the VUSD seniors without learning disabilities passed the exit exam compared to a 93 percent pass rate for the state.In regard to VUSD being a Program Improvement district, I encourage you to read the facts and determine for yourself if this equates to a failing district. In the 2005-06 school year, VUSD was first identified as a Program Improvement district. In 2005-06, the fact is that VUSD met 37 of the 38 criteria components and had outstanding growth of 13 points that year. Because VUSD is a Title 1 district due to percentage of students identified as socioeconomically disadvantaged, we are subject to punitive measures such as being labeled a “Program Improvement district.” In 2005-06, the only criteria out of 37 criteria that VUSD did not meet was the participation rate of students with disabilities in the English-language arts component of the standardized exam. What does this mean? The state requires that 95 percent of all students take the exam. In fact, 99 percent of our students took the Rosetta Stone Arabic exam. However, it is important to understand that if students with disabilities used modifications, i.e., questions were read or signed (sign language for deaf students) to the students during the exam, as stipulated in their Individualized Education Plan, their participation in the exam was not counted.We firmly believe that students with disabilities should have the right to utilize modifications during the testing period, as per their IEP. This is one of the major areas in No Child Left Behind identified to be in need of revision.Then, in the 2006-07, the fact is that VUSD met all academic criteria (42 of 42). Even as the targets of expected performance established by the federal NCLB legislation are raised each year, the fact is that in 2007-08, all VUSD subgroups met the target in mathematics and all subgroups met the target in English language arts, with the exception of students learning English as a second language and students with disabilities.In 2008-09, the fact is that the expected performance [Rosetta Stone] target was once again raised and VUSD joined 18 of the 21 districts in the county not meeting all 42 criteria. The target is being raised by an additional 10 points this year and it will become clearer to all that this method of determining if a district is a Program Improvement district is unreasonable and ineffective.As soon as next year, the current method may indicate that every district in the state is a “Program Improvement district.” I am sure you will agree there is something wrong with a system that will eventually place every school and district in the state in Program Improvement status.There are many more facts about VUSD and we are proud to share them with you. Talk to students about the learning that takes place in our classrooms. After you get the facts, I am sure you will join me in thanking a teacher, support professional or administrator for the great work they do.Lastly, be assured that VUSD would not be the successful district we are today without our outstanding board members. In these tough fiscal times, they continue to provide us the leadership to ensure VUSD provides safe, healthy and high-performing schools for the students we have the privilege to serve.— Trudy Arriaga is superintendent of Ventura Unified School District.