REL#13-74 / CONTACT: Paul Hefner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PHONE: 916-319-0818
August 9, 2013 / EMAIL

California Department of Education Monitors Social Media During STAR Tests

SACRAMENTO—Heightened monitoring and reporting of California’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) assessments this year identified 242 schools where social media postings occurred during administration of the tests, only 16 of which included postings of test questions or answers.

None of the postings affected school test results. As in 2012, when similar numbers of social media postings occurred, the majority involved students posing with the covers of test booklets or with materials that were not legible. The California Department of Education (CDE) placed a cautionary flag on the publicly posted test results for all schools where a posting occurred. (A list of the flagged schools is attached.)

“We take the validity and reliability of our assessments very seriously, and our schools do too, which is why we redoubled our efforts to monitor these postings and alerted school districts when they occurred,” said Deputy Superintendent Deb Sigman, who oversees assessments and accountability issues for CDE. “These postings look to be attempts by students to gain attention among their friends, not an effort to gain an advantage on a test.”

The 242 schools identified this year compares with 216 schools in 2012. That year, 12 schools had postings that included legible test questions or answers.

In addition to the more rigorous monitoring, CDE also conducted random security audits, instructed examiners and STAR coordinators as to the proper protocol, and reinforced the responsibilities of local officials to maintain security of all test material.

Though the implications for accountability have not yet been determined, in general, if a security breach affects less than 5 percent of the number of students tested, the school is ineligible for academic awards. If the breach affects more than 5 percent of the number of students tested, the school’s API—the state’s measure of accountability—could be invalidated.

Final decisions regarding accountability reports for affected schools will be made within the next few weeks, when CDE releases its statewide accountability reports.

# # # #

Attachment

2013 Schools with Social Media Postings of Legible Test Items

District Name / School Name
1 / Anaheim Union High / Magnolia High
2 / Bishop Unified / Bishop Union High
3 / Burbank Unified / Monterey High (Continuation)
4 / East Side Union High / Yerba Buena High
5 / Eureka Senior High / Eureka Senior High
6 / Lake Elsinore Unified / Lakeside High
7 / Los Angeles Unified / Alexander Hamilton Senior High
8 / Los Angeles Unified / Alliance Cindy and Bill Simon Technology Academy High
9 / Lucia Mar Unified / Arroyo Grande High
10 / Manteca Unified / East Union High
11 / Northern Humboldt Union High / Arcata High
12 / Pittsburg Unified / Pittsburg Senior High
13 / Pleasanton Unified / Amador Valley High
14 / San Francisco USD / Lowell High School
15 / Santa Barbara Unified / La Cumbre Junior High School
16 / Santa Maria Joint Union High / Righetti (Ernest) High

2013 Identified Schools with Images on Social Media (Not including test items)

District Name / School Name
1 / Acalanes Union High / Acalanes High
2 / Albany City Unified / Albany High
3 / Alvord Unified / Norte Vista High
4 / Antioch Unified / Dallas Ranch Middle
5 / Antioch Unified / Antioch High
6 / Antioch Unified / Black Diamond Middle
7 / Arcata Elementary / Sunny Brae Middle
8 / Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy / Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy
9 / Atascadero Unified / Atascadero High
10 / Azusa Unified / Sierra High
11 / Baldwin Park Unified / Jerry D. Holland Middle
12 / Bellflower Unified / Mayfair High
13 / Benicia Unified / Benicia High
14 / Berkeley Unified / Berkeley High
15 / Borrego Springs Unified / Borrego Springs High
16 / Brawley Union High / Brawley High
17 / Calexico Unified / Calexico High
18 / Capistrano Unified / San Clemente High
19 / Central Unified / Central High East Campus
20 / Chaffey Joint Union High / Alta Loma High
21 / Chaffey Joint Union High / Etiwanda High
22 / Chaffey Joint Union High / Colony High
23 / Chaffey Joint Union High / Chaffey High
24 / Chaffey Joint Union High / Montclair High
25 / Chaffey Joint Union High / Ontario High
26 / Charter School of San Diego / Charter School of San Diego
27 / Claremont Unified / Community Day
28 / Claremont Unified / El Roble Intermediate
29 / Clovis Unified / Clovis North High
30 / Clovis Unified / Clovis East High
31 / Clovis Unified / Alta Sierra Intermediate
32 / Coalinga-Huron Unified / Coalinga High
33 / Colton Joint Unified / Grand Terrace High
34 / Colton Joint Unified / Bloomington High
35 / Colton Joint Unified / Colton High
36 / Conejo Valley Unified / Westlake High
37 / Corcoran Joint Unified / Corcoran High
38 / Corona-Norco Unified / Centennial High
39 / Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified / El Monte Middle
40 / Downtown College Prep - Alum Rock / Downtown College Prep -- Alum Rock
41 / East Side Union High / Independence High
42 / East Side Union High / Evergreen Valley High
43 / East Side Union High / Andrew P. Hill High
44 / East Side Union High / Mount Pleasant High
45 / East Side Union High / Oak Grove High
46 / East Side Union High / William C. Overfelt High
47 / El Dorado Union High / El Dorado High
48 / El Rancho Unified / El Rancho High
49 / El Rancho Unified / Rivera Middle
50 / Elk Grove Unified / Pleasant Grove High
51 / Elk Grove Unified / Valley High
52 / Elk Grove Unified / Sheldon High
53 / Elk Grove Unified / James Rutter Middle
54 / Enterprise Elementary / Parsons Junior High
55 / Escondido Union High / San Pasqual High
56 / Fairfield-Suisun Unified / Angelo Rodriguez High
57 / Fairfield-Suisun Unified / Sem Yeto Continuation High
58 / Farmersville Unified / Farmersville Junior High
59 / Fillmore Unified / Fillmore Senior High
60 / Folsom Cordova Unified / Cordova High
61 / Fowler Unified / John Sutter Middle
62 / Fremont Unified / American High
63 / Fremont Union High / Cupertino High
64 / Fremont Union High / Fremont High
65 / Fremont Union High / Monta Vista High
66 / Fresno Unified / Edison High
67 / Garden Grove Unified / Los Amigos High
68 / Garden Grove Unified / Rancho Alamitos High
69 / Gateway Unified / Central Valley High
70 / Gilroy Unified / Gilroy High
71 / Glendale Unified / Herbert Hoover High
72 / Glendora Unified / Glendora High
73 / Glendora Unified / Goddard Middle
74 / Greater San Diego Academy / Greater San Diego Academy
75 / Hayward Unified / Mt. Eden High
76 / Hayward Unified / Tennyson High
77 / Hesperia Unified / Hesperia High
78 / Huntington Beach Union High / Westminster High
79 / Inglewood Unified / Monroe (Albert F.) Middle
80 / Irvine Unified / Woodbridge High
81 / Jefferson Union High / Terra Nova High
82 / Jurupa Unified / Peralta Elementary
83 / Kerman Unified / Kerman High
84 / Kern Union High / Mira Monte High
85 / Kern Union High / Arvin High
86 / Kern Union High / Stockdale High
87 / Kern Union High / East Bakersfield High
88 / Kern Union High / Foothill High
89 / Kings Canyon Joint Unified / Reedley High
90 / Lake Elsinore Unified / Elsinore High
91 / Lemoore Union Elementary / Liberty Middle
92 / Lincoln Unified / Sierra Middle
93 / Long Beach Unified / Jordan High
94 / Long Beach Unified / Lakewood High
95 / Long Beach Unified / Wilson High
96 / Los Angeles Education Corps Charter / Los Angeles Education Corps Charter
97 / Los Angeles Unified / Richard A. Alonzo Community Day
98 / Los Angeles Unified / Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing
99 / Los Angeles Unified / Hilda L. Solis Learning Academy
100 / Los Angeles Unified / South Region High #9B Visual and Performing Arts
101 / Los Angeles Unified / Stoney Point Continuation
102 / Los Angeles Unified / Eagle Rock High
103 / Los Angeles Unified / John H. Francis Polytechnic
104 / Los Angeles Unified / Benjamin Franklin Senior High
105 / Los Angeles Unified / Gardena High
106 / Los Angeles Unified / David Starr Jordan Senior High
107 / Los Angeles Unified / Los Angeles Senior High
108 / Los Angeles Unified / Manual Arts Senior High
109 / Los Angeles Unified / San Pedro Senior High
110 / Los Angeles Unified / Sylmar Senior High
111 / Los Angeles Unified / William Howard Taft Charter High
112 / Los Angeles Unified / Woodrow Wilson Senior High
113 / Los Angeles Unified / City of Angels
114 / Los Angeles Unified / William Mulholland Middle
115 / Los Angeles Unified / San Fernando Middle
116 / Los Angeles Unified / Stephen M. White Middle
117 / Los Angeles Unified / Foshay Learning Center
118 / Los Banos Unified / Pacheco High
119 / Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter Middle / Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter Middle
120 / Manteca Unified / Weston Ranch High
121 / Manteca Unified / Sierra High
122 / Martinez Unified / Alhambra Senior High
123 / Millbrae Elementary / Taylor Middle
124 / Milpitas Unified / Milpitas High
125 / Modesto City High / James C. Enochs High
126 / Modesto City High / Thomas Downey High
127 / Mojave Unified / Mojave Jr./Sr. High
128 / Montebello Unified / Bell Gardens High
129 / Montebello Unified / Bell Gardens Intermediate
130 / Moreno Valley Unified / Canyon Springs High
131 / Moreno Valley Unified / Moreno Valley High
132 / Mt. Diablo Unified / Horizons Alternative
133 / Mt. Diablo Unified / College Park High
134 / Mt. Diablo Unified / Mt. Diablo High
135 / Murrieta Valley Unified / Vista Murrieta High
136 / Needles Unified / Needles High
137 / New Haven Unified / James Logan High
138 / Newark Unified / Newark Memorial High
139 / Norwalk-La Mirada Unified / John H. Glenn High
140 / Norwalk-La Mirada Unified / Norwalk High
141 / Ojai Unified / Nordhoff High
142 / Ojai Unified / Matilija Junior High
143 / Orange Unified / Orange High
144 / Orland Unified / Orland High
145 / Oroville Union High / Las Plumas High
146 / Oxnard / Robert J. Frank Intermediate
147 / Oxnard Union High / Oxnard High
148 / Palo Verde Unified / Palo Verde High
149 / Pasadena Unified / John Muir High
150 / Patterson Joint Unified / Patterson High
151 / Perris Union High / Paloma Valley High
152 / Perris Union High / Perris High
153 / Petaluma Joint Union High / Petaluma High
154 / Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified / Esperanza High
155 / Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified / El Camino Real Continuation High
156 / Pomona Unified / Cortez Elementary
157 / Rialto Unified / Wilmer Amina Carter High
158 / Rialto Unified / Rialto High
159 / Rim of the World Unified / Mary P. Henck Intermediate
160 / Riverside Unified / Amelia Earhart Middle
161 / Rosedale Union Elementary / Rosedale Middle
162 / Roseville Joint Union High / Antelope High
163 / Roseville Joint Union High / Woodcreek High
164 / Sacramento Charter High / Sacramento Charter High
165 / Sacramento City Unified / Rosemont High
166 / Saddleback Valley Unified / El Toro High
167 / Saddleback Valley Unified / Mission Viejo High
168 / Saddleback Valley Unified / La Paz Intermediate
169 / Salinas Union High / Salinas High
170 / San Bernardino City Unified / Indian Springs High
171 / San Diego Unified / University City High
172 / San Diego Unified / Point Loma High
173 / San Diego Unified / Taft Middle
174 / San Diego Unified / Hickman Elementary
175 / San Dieguito Union High / Canyon Crest Academy
176 / San Joaquin County Office of Education / Venture Academy
177 / San Juan Unified / El Camino Fundamental High
178 / San Juan Unified / John Barrett Middle
179 / San Lorenzo Unified / Arroyo High
180 / San Mateo Union High / Burlingame High
181 / San Ramon Valley Unified / Gale Ranch Middle
182 / San Ramon Valley Unified / California High
183 / Sanger Unified / Community Day
184 / Sanger Unified / Sanger High
185 / Santa Ana Unified / Hector G. Godinez
186 / Santa Ana Unified / Century High
187 / Santa Barbara Unified / Santa Barbara Senior High
188 / Santa Clara Unified / Santa Clara High
189 / Santa Clara Unified / Adrian Wilcox High
190 / Santa Paula Union High / Santa Paula High
191 / Santa Rosa High / Elsie Allen High
192 / Selma Unified / Abraham Lincoln Middle
193 / Sequoia Union High / Woodside High
194 / Shasta Union High / Foothill High
195 / Simi Valley Unified / Simi Valley High
196 / Snowline Joint Unified / Serrano High
197 / South San Francisco Unified / El Camino High
198 / South San Francisco Unified / South San Francisco High
199 / Southern Kern Unified / Rosamond High
200 / Sweetwater Union High / San Ysidro High
201 / Sweetwater Union High / Otay Ranch Senior High
202 / Sylvan Union Elementary / Somerset Middle
203 / Tehachapi Unified / Tehachapi High
204 / Templeton Unified / Templeton Independent Study High
205 / Tulare Joint Union High / Tulare Western High
206 / Turlock Unified / Turlock High
207 / Twin Rivers Unified / Foothill High
208 / Ukiah Unified / Ukiah High
209 / Upland Unified / Upland High
210 / Vacaville Unified / Country High
211 / Vacaville Unified / Vacaville High
212 / Vallejo City Unified / Hogan Middle
213 / Valley Center-Pauma Unified / Valley Center Middle
214 / Victor Valley Union High / Adelanto High
215 / Victor Valley Union High / Silverado High
216 / Victor Valley Union High / Victor Valley High
217 / Walnut Valley Unified / Diamond Bar High
218 / Washington Unified / River City High
219 / West Contra Costa Unified / De Anza Senior High
220 / West Contra Costa Unified / El Cerrito Senior High
221 / West Contra Costa Unified / Kennedy High
222 / Wheatland Union High / Wheatland Community Day High
223 / William S. Hart Union High / Saugus High
224 / William S. Hart Union High / William S. Hart Senior High
225 / Woodland Joint Unified / Lee Middle
226 / Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified / Yucaipa High

The California Department of Education (CDE) is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. For more information, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov or by mobile device at http://m.cde.ca.gov/. You may also follow Superintendent Torlakson on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorlaksonSSPI and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CAEducation.