School Accountability Report Card Reported for School Year 2002-2003 Published During 2003-2004
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 at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ope/sarc/data.htm. Most data presented in this report were collected from the 2002-03 school year or from the two preceding years (2000-01 and 2001-02). Due to the certification timelines for graduation, dropout, and fiscal information, the data for these sections of the report were collected in 2001-02. A glossary of terms is available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/demographics/glossary.
School Information
District Information
School Name
Emerson Middle
District Name
Bakersfield City Elementary
Principal
Vivian Gayles
Superintendent
Dr. Jean Fuller
Street
801 Fourth St.
1300 Baker St.
City, State, Zip
Bakersfield, CA 93304-2220
Bakersfield, CA 93305-4326
Phone Number
661.631.5260
661.631.4600
FAX Number
661.631.3157
661.326.1485
Web Site
www.bcsd.com/emerson
www.bcsd.com
Email Address
gaylesv@bcsd.com
fullerj@bcsd.com
CDS Code
15-63321-6008916
SARC Contact
Dr. Marvin Jones
School Description and Mission Statement
This is the fifteenth year of the School Accountability Report Card that was established by Proposition 98, an initiative passed by California voters. As you read the Report Card, you will gain a better understanding of Emerson as a school with a record for improvement, a faculty that is professionally skilled and personally committed to meeting the learning needs of students and a student body which is enthusiastic and motivated to perform well.
Emerson Middle School is located in southeast central Bakersfield. The school is 45 years old.
Our Mission at Emerson Middle School is to provide a caring, learning, and educational environment where all of our students can reach their maximum potential in their preparation for life.
Opportunities for Parental Involvement
Contact Person Name
Michelle Fraizer
Contact Person Phone Number
Emerson’s parents are involved not only in classroom activities, School Site Council and School Advisory committees, but also in the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and other committees, which generate funds for several school projects, including reading incentives and the many awards given at all grade levels throughout the year. Parent participation is outstanding in its support of our many programs, such as the Spelling Bee, Oral Language Festival, D.A.R.E. and Career Day, and the various band and choir activities. In addition, our parents are actively involved in the school program through parent conferences, School Site Council, Parent Education Classes, Back-To-School Night, community forums, the eight-grade banquet and the Magic Mountain trip.
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
Grade 6
304
Grade 7
357
Grade 8
324
Total Enrollment
985
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
314
31.9
Hispanic or Latino
512
52.0
American Indian or Alaska Native
6
0.6
Pacific Islander
5
0.5
Asian
29
2.9
White (Not Hispanic)
109
11.1
Filipino
9
0.9
Multiple or No Response
1
0.1
II. School Safety and Climate for Learning School Safety Plan
Date of Last Review/Update
5/22/03
Date Last Discussed with Staff
Emerson established its Comprehensive School Safety Plan in 1998. A law enforcement officer specializing in safety provided direction in the establishment of the School Safety Plan. Emerson’s School Safety Plan is current and is updated annually. Key elements of Emerson’s School Safety Plan include the following: (a) routine and emergency disaster procedures; (b) suspension, and expulsion procedures; (c) teacher notification of pupils with a specific discipline history; (d) child abuse reporting procedures, (e) the district’s sexual harassment policy; (f) school crime data; (g) the student dress code; (h) safe entrance and exit procedures; (i) the civil defense and disaster plan; and (j) discipline rules and procedures. Our overall goal is to maintain a safe and orderly school environment conducive to learning.
School Programs and Practices that Promote a Positive Learning Environment
To provide a safe environment for learning, the teachers and administrative staff developed a school-wide discipline plan. Students are encouraged to solve problems with the assistance of school counselors, administrators, teachers and peers. School/home communications are conducted through newsletters, flyers, phone calls or direct contact.
In addition, to assist parents with after school childcare and to keep students out of danger, Emerson has an afterschool program, which services students from 2:30pm – 6:00pm. Students receive tutoring, homework assistance, fun activities (i.e. game-room and interest clubs) and sports.
We have community partnerships with Ebony Counseling Center, Cal State Bakersfield, Advancement Via Individual Determination Program (AVID), Pepsi Cola, Frito Lay, Adobe Krow and many city and county organizations. These organizations provide both staff and monetary assistance to our various Emerson programs and have made a significant contribution to the success of our school over the past years. Some have given considerable sums of money to the school in the form of teacher grants and funds to support the various school programs. They also provide speakers, mentors and tutors to bolster our school programs.
Cal State Bakersfield provides personnel for ETS Achievers, which provides help with homework and career planning. AVID is a middle school and high school program designed to increase student performance and college eligibility, which also include connecting students to community businesses and organizations.
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
2001
2002
2003
Number of Suspensions
296
998
3127
3319
9451
Rate of Suspensions
34%
35%
101%
11%
12%
Number of Expulsions
10
13
127
140
136
Rate of Expulsions
1%
0%
School Facilities
Emerson School was built in 1956 and modernized in 1994. It sits on 11.36 acres of which 6.37 acres is playground. This school has 43 classrooms, a multi-purpose facilityand an instructional materials center. The campus has a staff lounge and a workroom.
The custodial staff adheres to a weekly cleaning schedule that includes classrooms, restrooms, the cafeteria and kitchen areas.
The District’s Mobile Maintenance Team visits the school site at least twice a year. Maintenance emergencies are addressed immediately. District personnel maintain the grounds at least once every two weeks.
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) in English-language arts and mathematics in grades 2-11, science and history/social science in grades 9-11, and a norm-referenced test, which 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. Detailed information regarding 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 standard) and percent not tested.
Performance Level
State
English Language Arts
Proficient or Advanced
8
12
16
20
30
32
35
Not Tested
7
2
Mathematics
19
24
31
---
Science
27
History/Social Science
14
28
CST - Racial/Ethnic Groups Data reported are the percent of students achieving at the proficient or advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard) and percent not tested.
African- American
White (not Hispanic)
11
3
0
18
CST - Subgroups Data reported are the percent of students achieving at the proficient or advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard) and percent not tested.
Male
Female
English Learners
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
Students With Disabilities
Migrant Education Services
Yes
No
40
15
23
4
Norm-Referenced Test (NRT) Reading and mathematics results from the Norm-Referenced Test (NRT), adopted by the State Board of Education (this was the Stanford 9 test up until 2003, but was changed to the California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition for 2003), 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. 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.
Subject
Reading
26
44
45
43
25
37
38
53
55
50
NRT - Racial/Ethnic Groups Data reported are the percent of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile.
34
17
NRT - Subgroups Data reported are the percent of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile.
21
22
51
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/statetests/pe/pe.html. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.
Total
5.8
2.4
9.6
20.5
18.5
22.3
27.2
28.9
25.5
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 schoolwide API, schools also receive API scores for each numerically significant subgroup in the school (i.e., racial/ethnic subgroups and socioeconomically 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/psaa/api/ or by speaking with the school principal. Schoolwide API
API Base Data
API Growth Data
2000
From 2000 to 2001
From 2001 to 2002
From 2002 to 2003
Percent Tested
97
99
98
API Base Score
493
484
513
API Growth Score
505
542
Growth Target
Actual Growth
-9
Statewide Rank
Similar Schools Rank
API Subgroups - Racial/Ethnic Groups
458
437
488
441
492
533
-17
468
511
460
495
534
572
API Subgroups - Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
476
472
507
470
499
535
-6
Awards and Intervention Programs Eligibility for statewide award or intervention programs is based on API growth data from the previous academic year. The Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program was not funded for the year 2002 or 2003.
Federal Programs
Recognition for Achievement (Title 1)
Number of Schools Identified for Program Improvement
Identified for Program Improvement (Title 1)
Percent of Schools Identified for Program Improvement
7.0
0.0
28.6
Exited Title 1 Program Improvement
Years Identified for Program Improvement
California Programs
Eligible for Governor's Performance Award
Eligible for II/USP
n/a
Applied for II/USP Funding
Received II/USP Funding
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. Data reported show whether all groups of students in the school made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Detailed information about AYP can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ayp/ or by speaking with the school principal.
Groups
All Students
African American
Students with Disabilities
V. Class Size 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+
English
25.50
25.88
25.75
28.00
31.00
26.68
31.83
31.41
Social Science
30.67
32.17
27.71
VI. Teacher and Staff Information Teacher Credentials Data reported are the number of teachers (full-time and part-time). 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
41
Teachers with Full Credential (full credential and teaching in subject area)
Teachers Teaching Outside Subject Area (full credential but teaching outside subject area)
Teachers with Emergency Credential (includes District Internship, University Internship, Pre-Interns, and Emergency Permits)
Teachers with Waivers (does not have credential and does not qualify for an Emergency Permit)
Teacher Evaluations
Teacher evaluation procedures are defined in the collective bargaining agreement, evaluation documents utilized in the evaluation process, Board of Education policy, and communications prepared by Personnel Services. Teachers in permanent status are evaluated biennially, but may be evaluated annually. Teachers in any other status are evaluated annually. The criteria for evaluation is developed collaboratively between the school principal and teacher. The results of the evaluation are shared with the teacher with a copy placed in the teacher’s personnel file. The rating on the teacher evaluation checklist are: meets standards, needs improvement, and unsatisfactory.
Substitute Teachers
The District provides qualified substitutes when teachers are absent. If the District experiences difficulty in obtaining substitutes on a particular day due to a short supply and excessive demands, capable and qualified support personnel at our own school are available to substitute.
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 equals one FTE.
Title
FTE
Counselor
Librarian
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 equals 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
449.50
VII. Curriculum and Instruction School Instruction and Leadership
Leadership of the school is shared. The principal, staff and School Site Council are models for the same leadership and cooperation expected from the students.
Dr. Gayles has been the principal of Emerson Middle School for the past four years. Her past experience includes clerical, teaching various grades in elementary and middle school, program specialist for Math Matters, vice principal of a middle school and principal of an elementary school. Dr. Gayles also teaches at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) and National University in the teacher credentialing program. Since coming to Emerson, Dr. Gayles has worked with support staff, the school leadership team, teachers, parents and students to raise student achievement. The support staff is composed of the principal, vice principal, office teacher, counselors, SB 65 coordinator, program specialists, campus security, school secretary, head custodian and cafeteria manager. The school leadership team has a teacher representative from every subject area and grade level. Dr. Gayles has participated as a guest speaker at several churches and community organizations to inform and educate parents on methods of improving student academic performance.
The highly professional support and leadership teams work toward the same goals—ensuring the quality of instruction, and increasing student learning.
The staff endeavors to give students a balanced variety of explicit direct instruction, hands-on experiences and student-centered activities. Students’ progress is increased through the use of computers and multimedia technology.
The classroom environments are supportive by providing activities and instruction to help all students. All students receive standard-based instruction with teachers utilizing the core curriculum and assessment tools provided by the district. This includes meeting the needs of students identified as achieving below their peers, special education and limited English proficient.
The instruction at Emerson is constantly being reviewed and improved. The goal at Emerson is to strive for excellence in all areas.
Professional Development
Professional Development Days are designed to provide continuous learning opportunities for administrators, teachers, and classified personnel. These days affirm the basic philosophy of education that learning is a lifelong process that contributes to the well being of the students, teachers, administrators, and community.
Three Professional Development Days for certificated staff were scheduled during the 2003-2004 school year. All of the days were planned by the school sites to meet their individual needs. The days were scheduled prior to the opening of school, during the fall and winter. All professional development days were scheduled outside of the regular school calendar.
Through reading, math and technology grants awarded by the state, the district has been able to provide extensive training throughout the school year. Each of these sessions were held during the afternoon and on Saturdays, to support teachers in their implementation of a balanced reading/language arts, the integration of technology and mathematics intervention strategies.
New teachers received professional development through the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program. The focus of training was in the California Formative Assessment and Support System for Teachers (CFASST), California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) and the California Academic Content Standards. In addition, professional development was provided to meet induction requirements of SB 2042 leading to the California Clear Teaching Credential. Each beginning teacher was assigned a veteran teacher who served as a support provider. The support providers received on-going professional development in CFASST, coaching strategies, and instructional techniques. Professional development was provided through individual mentor, monthly meetings, and after-school or weekend workshops.
Pre-Intern and Intern teachers received professional development at monthly meetings focusing on the initial teaching skills of the CSTP including classroom management, lesson planning, assessment, and establishing a climate that is conducive to student achievement. Forty hours of professional development, entitled Initial Teaching Training, was made available to Pre-intern and Intern teachers prior to the beginning of the school session. Each Pre-intern and Intern was assigned a coach that provided day-to-day support in these areas as well as advisement toward meeting credential requirements.
Counseling, mentoring, and videotaping was provided on an individual basis to teachers seeking certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). NBPTS candidates met weekly with previous certified teachers who supported the new applicants in the application process.
Quality and Currency of Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials
All textbooks and instructional materials provided by the district are aligned with the California State Frameworks and State Academic Content Standards. Districtwide committees of teachers, principals, and parents under the direction of the Director of Curriculum and Standards evaluate and select materials from the state list of approved materials. These identified materials meet the rigor of the California Academic Content Standards.
The following instructional materials are standards-based and adopted from the state list:
Content Area
Grade
Level
Publisher
Textbook
Adoption
Year
K-6
Harcourt Brace
Houghton Mifflin
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
Harcourt Social Science
Across the Centuries
The American Journey
1999-2000
K-5
6-8
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Harcourt Science
Holt Science and Technology
2000-2001
8*
McDougal Littell
Glencoe
Houghton Mifflin Mathematics and Matematicas (Spanish)
Mathematics Concepts and Skills and Algebra 1 Concepts and Skills
Mathematics Applications and Connections 3
2001-2002
Reading/
Language Arts
Holt Rinehart Winston
Reading California
Lectura (Spanish)
Holt Literature and Language Arts
2002-2003
* The Glencoe Mathematics Program used by some 8th graders is not on the current adoption list but on the AB 2519 list. These materials are used to assist students in preparation for the high school exit exam and Algebra I.
Instructional Minutes The California Education Code establishes the 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
59,220
54,000
Total Number of Minimum Days
There are a total of eight minimum days during the school year. The minimum days are scheduled to allow time for parent conferences and other duties.
IX. Fiscal and Expenditure Data Average Salaries (Fiscal Year 2001-2002) 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. The district average principal salary is shown separately for elementary, middle, and high schools, but the state average principal salary is combined.
Category
District Amount
State Average For Districts In Same Category
Beginning Teacher Salary
34836
37036
Mid-Range Teacher Salary
52518
60113
Highest Teacher Salary
67712
74006
Average Principal Salary (Elementary)
88952
89875
Average Principal Salary (Middle)
93958
Average Principal Salary (High)
Superintendent Salary
148394
138150
Percent of Budget for Teacher Salaries
43.81
45.72
Percent of Budget for Administrative Salaries
3.92
5.57
Expenditures (Fiscal Year 2001-2002) 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/fiscal/financial/.
State Average All Districts
Total Dollars
Dollars per Student (ADA)
$191071558
$7030
$6444
$6719