"Going from Good to Great!"

Student academic achievement data at Santa Susana High School reflects overall growth in state mandated tests and AP scores.  Although the staff and demographics have remained consistent over time, enrollment and attendance has increased along with quality of student performance. As can be seen by the data presented in Chapter One, the growth in student performance (API, AYP, CAHSEE) over the last four years has been significant. In general, the special education subgroup has the lowest percentage of students to score proficient and advanced. Yet, as all other subgroups, special education students have shown continuous progress towards achieving proficient and advanced levels. Continuing to meet and surpass our API and AYP targets are top priorities. A move toward standards-based instruction has provided the rigorous curriculum required to maintain high quality test results.

Data from CST for the school years 2001-2005 indicates two areas of academic need. The number of eleventh grade students scoring proficient and advanced in ELA shows a gradual decline. CST data in Algebra I shows a steady decrease in scores in those who score proficient and advanced. A pressing question for faculty then is: How can we align the curriculum by developing appropriate benchmarks and lessons to enable students to make progress on the eleventh grade English Language Arts and Algebra 1 CST?

Last year two unique programs on campus were formulated based directly on investigation of at- risk students’ GPAs and student work. Underachieving students were targeted for additional support last year through an examination of ninth grade report cards beginning with the first quarter reporting period. As a result of the high number of ninth-grade students with a GPA of under 2.0, SSHS teachers developed and implemented an Intervention Specialist (IS) Program (Chapter 4, Section E). With the assistance of two IS teachers, significant numbers of current tenth grade students have improved their overall GPA, and thus perform at higher academic levels in core areas.

A new math program, DART-Math, an after-school tutorial program, and an off-shoot, Summer-DART-Math (developed as a result of further analysis of ninth-grade students’ math skills) was implemented to target underachieving math students – particularly those in Algebra I and those scoring below basic on the CST. Results indicate that seventy-four percent (74%) of the students who participated in DART-Math had improved in-class test scores. Although the CST has not yet been offered, the math department is encouraged by the initial results and will continue to improve the program as it develops. After analysis of incoming ninth-grade skills, the math department teachers, with the support of the administration, elected to initiate a two-week math skills review for identified students planning to attend SSHS after middle school. Incoming students were identified for the summer program through articulation between middle school and SSHS math teachers.

  In general, Santa Susana High School has demonstrated continuous growth in student achievement and performance as measured by statistics obtained from state mandated tests, AP and SAT scores, GPAs, graduation rates, and perception data. We also recognize that a continued focus on sound instructional delivery using research-based strategies will enable our students to continue to achieve at higher levels. The self-study undertaken by the Focus Groups has served to further recognize areas of strengths while also identifying areas for growth. Through careful analysis of data, areas of critical academic and communication needs have also been identified. This thorough analysis has served as the basis for our comprehensive Action Plan, which provides the direction that Santa Susana is taking, and will continue to take, to ensure success for all students as we prepare them to meet the demands of the 21st century. The action plan, thus serves as our blueprint to help us continue to strive for excellence and move from “Good to Great.”

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