Acton Agua Dulce Unified School District

API Test Score Failures

8-31-05 The API test scores are out for 2005. It shows the continuing abysmal performance of Vasquez High and the poor performance of the entire district.

The performance of the elementary and middle school are up. Meadowlark at 803 is up 38 points, Agua Dulce at 765 is up 22 points, and High Desert at 765 is up by 10 points. These scores are still below the averages for the Santa Clarita Valley schools.

Our district's total increase was 9 compared to 20 statewide, showing we are falling behind, not gaining.

Vasquez at 641 is only up 4 is a disaster at 89 points below the average of high schools in the Santa Clarita Valley at 730.

The State Average for High Schools is 692 with Vasquez 52 points below the average.

Even compared to the Antelope Valley high schools, which averaged 657, Vasquez is still a failure at 16 points below the average.

The constant claim that sports makes Vasquez High a great school because of "student moral "just doesn’t fly when it’s an academic failure. Each year over 25% of the parents who have students in the 8th grade in Acton choose to pull their students out of the district, rather than sending them to a school that they know to be a failure.

While sports are good for the students, they must be supported by volunteers and donated funds, not short-changing academic programs.

Contrary to the statements made by the administrators, Vasquez High is not a success and the entire school needs to be redone.

Here is what Deborah S. Jauregui-Rocha a teacher in the Saugus District and a Candidate for school board said at the 8-25-05 school board meeting

"Not every student gets to go to college. We need to educate the complete child … Please allow us (teachers) to know before you go to the chopping block.

A number of the teachers at Vasquez High also claimed our students are not good enough to get into college and should be taking vocational classes instead. These teachers are an insult to their profession and insult the quality of our students, who are quite capable of attending four-year colleges if they weren’t sandbagged by the poor education offered at Vasquez High School.

The union contract gives  the union leaders and the Superintend total control of  the curriculum.

Here is an excerpt from their contract denying the elected school board and the public they represent control of our Schools.

A. Pursuant to the provisions for the exclusive representative to consult on items specified in Government Code section 3543.2, the District and Association agree to establish a committee consisting of one (1) employee from each school site and at least two (2) administrators. The Exclusive Representative shall appoint the employees and the Superintendent shall appoint the administrators.

B. The purpose of the committee shall be to consult with the District on the definition of educational objectives, the determination of the content of courses and curriculum, and the selection of textbooks.

Wagner's comments

In a quote in the AV Press  Superintendent Linda Wagner stated she was "thrilled" with the district's scores.

She continues "Acton-Agua Dulce benefited from a greater number of credentialed teachers ."We have the advantage of having almost all of our teachers credentialed. I have to think the wealth of experience they bring to the district contributes to positive results," she said.

She ignored the below state average (692) of Vasquez at 641 and its minuscule increase of 4. She ignored our entire district increase was less than half of the state average.

Wager's being "thrilled" with below average results and her refusal to even address the problems is why she must go.

Here are the test results

Compared to the 14 High Schools in both the Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys Vasquez ranks only 4th

Acton Agua Dulce School District
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