For teachers in the Newhall School District, preparing students for annual state testing is just another step in providing a well-rounded educational experience.

Between May 2 and June 6, students at the District’s 10 award-winning schools will participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP. The testing system, inaugurated last year, replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program, or STAR, which was discontinued after the 2012-13 school year. CAASPP includes online assessments for mathematics and English language arts/literacy and a paper-based assessment for grade 5 science.

While Newhall School District teachers are focused on preparing students for testing, their approach is ultimately focused on lasting education and retention above all else, Assistant Superintendent Jeff Pelzel said.

“I don’t see students cramming to prepare for this exam,” he said. “I think the more we treat this as just another measurement of their ability to demonstrate mastery of their skills, the better students will do on this assessment.”

The Newhall School District has continued to be the highest-achieving elementary school district in the Santa Clarita Valley. Over multiple years, the District’s API was well above the state performance target of 800 (905 out of a possible 1,000 in 2013). Despite the absence of an API in 2015, District students still performed ahead of all other SCV elementary districts on the new CAASPP.

The District’s current assessment system has students take online math and English language arts assessments that mirror the type of questions they’ll be asked on the CAASPP, Pelzel said. Another important change this year is that, thanks to voter-approved Measure E funds, the District has been able to move its student-to-computer ratio to 2:1, a significant improvement from the previous 4:1 ratio. The increased access allows for approximately two extra weeks of instruction before the state testing.

Pelzel praised the District’s incorporation of DreamBox for math support. The online, computer-adaptive tutorial allows students to learn grade-level standards at their own pace.

With the introduction over the last several years of the Common Core State Standards, District educators have been focused on mastery of the standards, Superintendent Paul Cordeiro said.

“Week in, week out, we teach the standards and ensure students have demonstrated that they grasp what we’ve taught them,” he said. Another change this school year, he said, is that leading up to the state testing students have had much more experience taking tests online.

“As a District, we are obsessed with continuous improvement and we expect improved results every year,” Cordeiro said, and added the District will receive testing results in mid to late August.

The Newhall School District includes 10 award-winning elementary schools: McGrath, Meadows, Newhall, Oak Hills, Old Orchard, Peachland, Pico Canyon, Stevenson Ranch, Valencia Valley and Wiley Canyon.

In addition to its focus on science and technology, the District emphasizes the arts as integral to its K-6 instructional program. With a focus on high achievement, the District’s core priorities are science, technology and the arts.

No matter where students live, there’s a place for them in the Newhall School District. For information on enrolling a student, parents can contact Teri Satorhelyi at (661) 291-4182 or tsatorhelyi@newhall.k12.ca.us.