By Sara Ballenger

The Los Altos School District students scored highly on both the California Achievement Test (CAT/6) and the California Standards Tests (CST), the two components of the State Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, according to Assistant Superintendent Patricia Boettcher.

The CAT/6 is a nationally normed achievement test that replaced the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (SAT 9) this year. Because the two tests are so different, the district was unable to compare 2002 to 2003 test scores.

Students in grades two through eight were tested in reading, language, mathematics and spelling. As part of the STAR program, students were given additional test questions that match state-adopted content standards for reading, language arts and mathematics. This test, called the California Standards Test (CST), is to better align the STAR program with the state-required standards that specify what students should know at each grade level.

This was also the first year that eighth-graders were given a pilot test in history and social studies.

The CAT/6 is a standardized multiple-choice test. Questions on the test are the same for every student, with the same directions, time limits and scoring criteria.

The average percentiles of LASD students were 86 in reading, 90 in language arts, 97 in mathematics and 87 in spelling.

Scores on the California Standards Tests, which align with the state content standards, including mathematics and English language arts, show 87 percent of district students scored at the proficient or advanced level in English/Language Arts and Mathematics.

These scores show a slight gain over last year’s scores.