MUSD should better distribute students




I appreciate Sylvie Belmond’s article dated June 11 regarding Moorpark Unified School District’s API scores and her discussion of the declining Arroyo West Elementary’s test scores.

As a parent of two Arroyo West students, I have an interest in understanding this key performance indicator and I would like the school district to be more accurate in describing the deteriorating scores.

The article quoted a school district official as stating that Arroyo West went from 8 to 7 in the statewide rankings because of a demographic shift between 2008 and 2009, “when the percentage of English learners and students who come from socioeconomically disadvantaged homes increased by 10 percent.”

I believe this data was reported in error. Based on the data reported at api.cde.ca.gov, the percentage of English learners and students who came from socioeconomically disadvantaged homes increased by 30 percent (from 33 to 43 percent) at Arroyo West between 2008 and 2009, not 10 percent.

I believe that our school district is only as strong as our weakest school.

The current district test scores reveal a significant demographic redistribution within our district, with more students being bused (on buses that are old, poorly maintained and prone to catch fire) or driven to schools outside their neighborhoods.

I would ask the school district to balance the student populations across all elementary schools and to institute policies which minimize transportation and encourage attendance at neighborhood schools.
Zachary Cook

Moorpark




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