Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, CA) Self-Study/Review (2008-2009)

8/3/2019 Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, CA) Self-Study/Review (2008-2009)

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Palo Alto Senior High School

WASC Self-Study2008 2009


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A Hearty Thank You

A collaborative production of Paly teachers, students, support staff,administrators, parents, and friends, this WASC self-study has joinedus together more fully as a learning community, reminding us of allthe best reasons that we come to school each morning.

In particular, we extend our thankfulness and appreciation to:

Our teachers for their diligent and inspired work in thisreflective effort, as contributors, Focus Group teacher-leaders,and writers

Our students - for their honest and thoughtful participation Our support staff for their unwavering commitment Our administrators for their thoughtful listening Our parents - for their considerate and insightful feedback, both

in community coffees and as parent representatives to FocusGroups

Our friends

for the wonderful meals that sustained our effortsand the steadfast support of our desire to achieve an authenticoutcome


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Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education

Honorable Melissa Baten Caswell1129 Channing Ave., Palo Alto 94301

650-823-1166

Honorable Barbara Klausner691 Salvatierra Street, Stanford 94305

650-324-4220

Honorable Barbara Mitchell

President, 2009550 N. California Ave., Palo Alto 94301

650-328-6027

Honorable Dana Tom immediate Past President1419 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto 94301

650-321-4506

Honorable Camille Townsend2450 W. Bayshore Rd. #10, Palo Alto 94303

650-493-3410

Chirag KrishnaStudent member, Palo Alto High School

Phil ParkStudent member, Gunn High School


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Palo Alto Unified School District Administration

Superintendent: Kevin SkellyPhone: 650-329-3737 Email: [email protected]

Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services: Scott LaurencePhone: 650-329-3717 Email: [email protected]

Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services: Virginia Davis

Phone: 650-329-3709 Email: [email protected]

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources: Scott BowersPhone: 650-329-3958 Email: [email protected]

Chief Business Officers: Robert GoltonPhone: 650-329-3801 Email: [email protected]

and

Catherine MakPhone: 650-329-3808 Email: [email protected]


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Table of Contents

Chapter I: School and Community Profile ............................................1

Chapter II: Overall Summary from Analysis of Data ...................... 50

Chapter III: WASC Progress Report Process Overview ................... 60

Chapter IV: Focus Group Reports ........................................................ 84

Chapter V: Action Plans

Part A - Schoolwide ...................................................................... 165

Part B Department Objectives ................................................ 180


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PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL FOCUS ON LEARNING 2008-2009

1

Chapter I

School and Community Profile


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School and Community Profile

Our School

Located at the base of the San Francisco Peninsula in Santa Clara County, Palo Alto

Senior High School, (locally known as Paly) is a comprehensive high school servinggrades 9 through 12 in the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD). Since opening itsdoors in 1894, Palo Alto High School has consistently maintained a proud tradition ofexcellence, with an exemplary academic program. With the benefit of extensive courseofferings in all core subjects, including multiple elective offerings and 28 AdvancedPlacement courses, Paly students consistently score among the highest performingstudents in the nation, earning SAT scores that are well over 100 points above thenational mean. Fully 88% of our students attend a two to four year university with 72 %moving directly to a four-year college after graduation. Our academic preparation issecond to none.

Despite tight financial times, Palo Alto High School has maintained a nationallyrecognized journalism curriculum, an outstanding athletic program, and innovative co-curricular offerings in subjects such as theatre, video production, glass blowing, androbotics. With the generous support of our community and the district, we continue tostaff the library with a full-time librarian and a part-time support aide. A seven period,modified block schedule affords students and teachers with the opportunity forcurriculum enrichment through project-based learning that frequently incorporatesextensive technology into fully differentiated classroom instruction. Our average classsize is 28.5 with a class size cap of 22 and 25 students in freshmen and sophomore

English and Math courses respectively.

Along with a comprehensive Guidance department staff with that includes an inclusiveCollege and Career Center with two full-time positions and two part-time positions,Paly has a full-time school psychologist on site daily to further support and enhancestudent learning. Additionally, students are assigned a Teacher-Advisor (TA)throughout their four years here, staying with the same TA from 10th through 12thgrade. Our Teacher-Advisor program is a national model for the future of delivery ofguidance curriculum. Meeting periodically in smaller group settings of no more than25 students with their TA, students are afforded wide-ranging guidance services from

graduation and course selection guidance for sophomores to college admissionsplanning for seniors. This critical one-on-one relationship between a student and his orher TA is often characterized as the linchpin of student success here.

Furthermore, 76 of our 120 teachers hold at least one masters degree and five hold PhD.degrees, and thirteen of them hold National Board certification. At least 80% of ourteachers have taught here longer than six years. A number of teachers are broadlyrecognized as leaders in their respective fields, from our innovative journalism teachers


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to our Fulbright Fellow in the Visual and Performing Arts department, to our Roboticsteacher and statewide Teacher of the Year in the World Languages department. Wekeenly believe that our rigorous curriculum and pioneering instruction lay the very bestgroundwork for our students achievement, and we are fully committed to continuingthat tradition. Not surprisingly, many Palo Alto residents consider the school to be one

of the towns great gems.

Our Community

Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, the City of Palo Alto includes a dynamic mix ofbusiness and residential development. Hewlett-Packard and Stanford University andHospitals, including Packards Childrens Hospitalare the Citys largest employers.The surrounding community and Xerox PARC have served as an incubator for many ofthe tech industrys giants.

Some highlights of Palo Altos demographics include:

Palo Altos population is approximately 60,000

The mean household income is $90,377

Median the home price $1,103,000

Seventy four percent of adults hold a four-year college degree

Forty three percent of adults over 25 have at least one graduate degree

Such a demographic profile makes for a dynamic, exciting educational environment atPaly. The heartfelt support provided by our community guarantees the continuingexcellence and vitality of both our school and the district.

Students who attend Paly typically live in the Citys northern and centralneighborhoods. While many families served by Paly have lived in the community forgenerations, recent demographic shifts in northern Santa Clara County have broughtnew families and increased ethnic and linguistic diversity within our Asian, East Indianand Middle Eastern populations, adding richness and vitality to our school community.

Additionally, the Voluntary Transfer Program (VTP), also referred to as the TinsleyProgram, brings students from Ravenswood School District to PAUSD, with Paly as theprograms designated high school. The proximity of Stanford, the Silicon Valleybusiness community, and San Francisco foster a socially diverse community with highacademic expectations and a hearty commitment to quality public education.


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History

Situated on land granted to the Palo Alto Unified District (PAUSD) by StanfordUniversity, Paly has been at its current site since 1918. The school shares its campuswith the district offices, the bus yard, and the Adult School. Current district enrollment

is 11,000 K-12 students; enrollment peaked at 15,575 in 1967 with a low of 7452 in 1989.Palys enrollment is currently 1757 students; we expect this number to increase to 2200within the next five years.

Academics

A full range of academic courses and unique electives, including an extensive scheduleof honors course offerings and an Advanced Placement program provide our studentswith an unmatched educational foundation. The breadth of our Advanced Placementprogram, from AP Italian and AP Art History to AP Chemistry and AP Physics, offers

students a unique opportunity to tackle the rigors of college work in an exceptionalhigh school setting. Fully three-quarters of our juniors and seniors enroll in at least oneAP course. Ninety four % of our students earn a three or higher on their AP tests.

Paly students are wildly successful by any number of academic measures. In addition toour AP course enrollment, our PSAT and SAT participation rates are exceedingly highas well. Our National Merit Finalists and Commended Scholars numbers shine. Upongraduation, most of our students choose to attend either top-flight public or selectiveprivate four-year universities. Paly alumni report that the classroom curriculum andinstruction they have received here thoroughly and meticulously prepare them for the

demands of university course work.

Co-curriculars

In addition to the enduring academic preparation that we offer students, we also endowour students with far-reaching life experiences beyond the classroom through a widerange of excellent co-curricular opportunities.

Palys journalism program includes 25% of the student population and provides ourstudent-journalists with just such enrichment:

Palys online publication, The Voice, has earned the National Scholastic PressAssociation (NSPA) Pacemaker Award for online publications the last five yearsrunning

This web staff is the only student-journalism program to ever win a Webby. TheVoice received the award, along with the Peoples Choice award, in June 2008.


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The Viking, the latest addition to our program, was awarded Best in Show for anewsmagazine from NSPA during its 2008 inaugural year

The Viking also earned the Journalism Education Association Impact Award forcoverage of an issue with broad impacts on both the student body and the

greater surrounding community. The magazine covered hazing in Palyathletics.

Verde, Palys feature magazine earned the NSPAs Pacemaker award this year inthe print division

Verde has also earned the Gold Crown from the Columbia Scholastic PressAssociation four of the last seven years

The Campanile, the schools monthly broadsheet newspaper has a staff of 70 and

is in its 90th year of publication

InFocus, our broadcast journalism class produces a daily news show distributedon campus during fourth period and over the Internet

Clubs

Participation in any one of our 45 clubs on campus provides students with real-lifeexperiences of stretching individual efforts while dedicating hard work to that of thelarger group. With the guidance and commitment of teachers and staff, a great number

of students actively participate in these co-curricular pursuits. The additional logisticaland financial support provided by our parents further enhances students experiences.Standing out among an extensive offering, recently Paly clubs have achieved thefollowing acclaim:

Our Robotic team earned first place Western Region last year in Las Vegas

Palo Alto High School's Science Olympiad Green Team placed in the top tenamong State finalists in 2007, last years results were similar

Paly routinely sends substantial numbers of student to compete in the UnitedStates of America Mathematical Olympiad seven students competed lastspring alone

Mock Trial, while frequently winning locally, customarily places in the top ten inState Finals over the last several years

Annual community service events include:


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o The Princess Project secures prom dresses for students who may not beable to attend prom otherwise

o Relay for Life American Cancer Societyo New Global Citizens fundraising - winter dance sponsorship and

proceedso Blood Drive Key Club

Athletics

Our athletic program is second to none, fielding some of the winningest teamsaround. Over 50% of our students participate in afterschool athletics during their fouryears with us:

In the last several years, the boys basketball team has won a State championship

The football team came away with a second place showing at the Statechampionship in 2006

Paly Vikings, from girls volleyball and softball to boys wrestling as well as boysand girls swimming and water-polo and soccer are regular contenders in CCSfinals

Individual athletes receive due recognition as well. Over the past several yearsan average of 30 student-athletes annually register with the NCAA

Last year, one of our girls soccer players earned the Gatorade Player of the Yeartitle

Several of our student-athletes are nationally and internationally rankedswimmers, divers, and cyclists

Providing a solid base for our student-athletes is a professional and experiencedstaff of coaches, many of who are also classroom teachers and support staffemployees here on campus. We fervently believe that an understanding of

adolescent performance and development fosters the enriched environment that iscritical to the success of our student-athletes.


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WASC History

The school received a maximum six-year accreditation term in 1997 from the WesternAssociation of Schools and Colleges. The most recent WASC visit in 2003 granted theschool a six-year accreditation term with a three-year revisit.

Paly Core Purpose

The core purpose of Palo Alto Senior High School is to affirm the potential of everystudent in an environment of support and inspiration, where people work together andlift each other toward great personal growth. At Paly, everyone values and benefitsfrom our collective effort to grow and to promote human potential. Guiding this effortis our belief in the following:

Promoting personal integrity & respect

Providing a nurturing environment characterized by teamwork andcollaboration

Caring for and believing in every individual Encouragingcreativity and independent thinking Understanding growth and learning are an essential part of life Acknowledging great effort and great fun in work and play

Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs)

To achieve our mission under guidance from the Board of Education we have adopted

the following competencies as the basis of what we expect each of our students to knowand be able to do when he or she has graduated. Additionally, our teachers and staffdevoted the better part of two Staff Development Days (August 22 and October 16) andthe morning of December 4 to aligning these district ESLRs to our current practices andcritical academic needs.

ESLRs measured by report card grades:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of key concepts, principles, processes, facts, and skillsinthe disciplines of:

Language Arts History/Social Science Mathematics Science


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Physical Education Visual and Performing Arts Foreign Language Career/Vocational Education Health/Practical Living Skills

ESLRs measured by rubric:

2. Effective communication through listening, speaking, and writing3. Strong research skills4. Ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines5. Reading with understanding6. Critical and creative thinking to solve problems7. Effective use of technology

Demographic Data

Enrollment

Currently, Palo Alto High School enrolls just over 1,700 students in grades 9 through 12.This enrollment has increased slightly over the previous two years and significantlyover the last 15 years. Furthermore, the district projects that the enrollment increaseswill continue over the next four to five years, reaching a maximum enrollment of

approximately 2200 students in 2012. Last spring Palo Alto voters approved a newmeasure that provides $378 million to improve District facilities. Our FacilitiesCommittee is currently hard at work to ensure that our physical plant continues tosustain the tradition of curricular and instructional excellence both at Paly andthroughout the district.

Table 1.1 ENROLLMENTS BY GRADE LEVEL

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Total

1993 - 1994 337 291 293 278 1199

2005 - 2006 433 433 426 436 17282006 2007 422 429 431 408 1690

2007 2008 433 439 424 405 1701

2008 - 2009 498 419 441 412 1770

Historically the student body demographics at Paly have not reflected those of thecounty or state as a whole. We have grown richer with this increase in the diversity ofour students:


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Over the last fifteen years, the student body at Paly has become more ethnicallyand linguistically diverse

The white student population has decreased from over 80 percent in 1993 to less

than 60 percent in 2008.

The largest percent increase in the last 15 years has been in the Asian population,which has doubled from 10 percent to over 20 percent since 1993.

Table 1.3 ETHNICITY

1993 1994 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008 2008 2009

# % # % # % # % # %

White 960 80.1 1072 62.0 990 58.6 973 57.2 1061 59.9

Latino 41 3.4 117 6.8 102 6.0 112 6.6 131 7.4

Asian 125 10.4 326 18.9 311 18.4 326 19.2 383 21.6African-American 58 4.8 83 4.8 66 3.9 67 3.9 105 5.9

Pacific Islander 3 .3 15 .9 11 .7 9 .5 9 .6

Filipino 9 .8 10 .6 6 .4 8 .5 16 .9Native American 3 .3 4 .2 4 .2 5 .3 8 .5

Invalid Responses 101 5.8 200 11.8 201 11.8 57 3.2

TOTAL 1199 100.0 1728 100.0 1690 100.0 1701 100.0 1770 100.0

While Palo Alto High Schools ethnicity has become increasingly diverse over the lastdecade, our current student demographics do not reflect the broad ethnic diversitythroughout both the County of Santa Clara and the State of California:

White/Caucasian students continue to comprise the majority of students at Paly

Asian students represent the fastest growing linguistic and cultural population

Table 1.4 SCHOOL COMPARISONS 2007 2008

Palo Alto High School PAUSD Santa Clara County California

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

White 973 57.2 5,401 48.2 65,040 25.01,787,192

28.7Latino 112 6.6 874 7.8 95,668 36.8 3,046,432 48.7

Asian 326 19.2 3,002 26.8 65,196 25.1 516,553 8.3African-American 67 3.9 322 2.9 8,074 3.1 462,330 7.4

Pacific Islander 9 .5 60 .5 1,839 .7 39,723 .6

Filipino 8 .5 55 .5 12,752 4.9 167,269 2.7

Native American 5 .3 17 .2 1,087 .4 47,451 .8

201 11.8 1,472 13.1 10,254 3.9 191,056 3.1

TOTAL 1701 100.0 11,203 100.0 259,910 99.9 6,258,006 100.3


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Special Needs Students

The following special needs student populations have been identified at Paly: SpecialEducation students; second language students; Title 1 (socioeconomically

disadvantaged) students; AVID students; and GATE (Advanced Placement/Honors)students.

Special Needs Populations - Special Education

Palo Alto High School Special Education program currently serves 169 studentswhich represents less than 10% of the student population

The Special Education teaching staff consists of four special day class teachersand five resource teachers

Teachers in this program work closely with general classroom teachers, ensuringappropriate modifications and accommodations

Special Needs Populations Structured Curricular and Instructional Support

Palo Alto offers theAchievement Via Individual Determination (AVID) programwith classes that serve all grade levels

AVID enrollment has increased from 2004 to the present from 11 to 23, with anadditional 44 students in Focus on Success

Together, our AVID/Focus on Success program runs five sections, with eachcapped at 15 students

Our Opportunity Program, taught by a credentialed teacher and supported withan aide, is a self-contained classroom for core subjects, serves our 9th and 10thgrade students who need more structure in their school day in order to completetheir high school education here at Paly

Independent Study is offered here on campus and is another opportunity forstruggling 11th and 12th grade students to successfully complete their high schooleducation here at Paly

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) provides students with a centralized placeto seek tutoring support and make-up missed quizzes and exams in a timely and


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convenient fashion this year alone, 123 student peer tutors have logged over900 hours in addition to the seven adult tutors who are an important part of theprogram.

The Math department offers a daily afterschool drop-in center, staffed by a

department teacher, to help students with homework and additional exampreparation

Special Needs Populations English Learners

Over 22 percent of the students at Paly speak a language other than English athome (ESL)

These students include three groups:

o English language learners (ELL)o Fluent English proficient (FEP) studentso Reclassified English proficient students (RFEP)

We will discuss these students and their unique needs more fully in the following section

Special Needs Populations GATE

In 2007-2008, Paly had over 283 students or 16.6% who were identified as Giftedand Talented.

Services for GATE students in grades 3-8 are coordinated at the district levelwhile the Advanced Placement program is the focus at the high school level

Special Needs Populations TitleI

While the Paly community is relatively affluent and well educated, over 6% ofPaly students qualify for Title 1

Our Title I population has increased slightly over the past three years

We anticipate that our Title I population increase may continue given the currenteconomic realities


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Table 1.7 SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS

2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008

# % # % # % # %

Special Ed 183 10.8 169 9.8 146 8.6 131 7.7

Total ESL 401 23.6 340 19.7 358 21.2 382 22.5

Title 1 59 3.5 60 3.5 82 4.7 105 6.3AVID 22 1.3 10 .6 15 .9 17

GATE 212 12.5 267 15.5 290 17.2 283 16.6

AP/Honors 421 24.8 427 24.7 421 24.9 446 26.2

Total Enrollment 1698 1728 1690 1701

ESL = English as a Second Language; RFEP = Redesignated Fluent English Proficient; FEP = Fluent EnglishProficient; ELL = English Language Learners; Title 1 = Socioeconomically Disadvantaged based on Free andReduced Meals

Language Proficiency

Over 20 percent of the students at Paly speak another language at home in addition toEnglish. These students are classified into three groups: English Language Learners(ELL) who are limited English proficient (LEP); fluent English proficient (FEP) students;and redesignated English proficient (RFEP) students. Our English Learner populationis best characterized by:

The percentage of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students at Palo AltoHigh School has increased by 100 percent in the last five years

As Palo Alto High School does not have a formal English Development Programfor English Language Learners, students who test as limited English proficient atthe high school level in PAUSD attend Gunn High School, Palys sister school inthe district

To remain at Paly, the district requires LEP students to waive their access to aformal program

The top six world languages spoken by ESL students at Paly are:

1. Spanish2. Mandarin3. Korean4. Russian5. Hebrew6. Cantonese


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Over the last several years, Spanish and Mandarin speaking students haveconsistently accounted for over half of these students

English Learners

Since 2004 2005, there has been a significant increase in the number of familieschoosing to waive their students access to a formal English development program. In2004 2005, just seven ELL students remained at Paly without services yet currently wehave approximately 50 ELL students who have chosen to remain at Paly without ELDsupport services. Paly does have a significant percentage of students who are fluentEnglish proficient (FEP). Annually, LEP students are tested using the California EnglishLanguage Development Test (CELDT) to determine their progress in learning Englishand for reclassification from LEP to fluent. Students who are reclassified as fluent arereferred to as Redesignated fluent English proficient or RFEP for one year.

Table 1.8 ENGLISH LEARNERS AND SECOND LANGUAGE STUDENTS

YearTotal

Enrollment

ELL FEP RFEP Total

# % # % # % # %

2007 - 2008 1,70150 2.9 329 19.3 3 0.2 382 22.5

2006 - 2007 1,69030 1.8 328 19.4 0 0.0 358 21.2

2005 - 2006 1,72822 1.3 314 18.2 4 0.2 340 19.7

2004 - 2005 1,6987 0.4 320 18.8 74 4.4 401 23.6

2003 - 2004 1,66234 2.0 260 15.6 1 0.1 295 17.7

2002 - 2003 1,6261 0.1 179 11.0 0 0.0 180 11.1

ELL = English Language Learners; FEP = Fluent English Proficient; RFEP- Redesignated Fluent English Proficient


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Table 1.9a ELL STUDENTS BY MAIN LANGUAGE

2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008

# % # % # % # %

Spanish 5 71.4 6 27.3 8 26.7 12 24.0

Mandarin 4 18.2 3 10.0 12 24.0

Japanese 2 9.1 1 3.3Korean 2 9.1 1 3.3 4 8.0

Russian 3 10.0 4 8.0

Hebrew 2 9.1 2 6.7 1 2.0

Cantonese 1 3.3 1 2.0

German 1 14.3 2 9.1 4 13.3 5 10.0

Other 1 14.3 4 18.2 7 23.3 11 22.0

TOTAL ELL 7 100.0 22 100.0 30 100.0 50 100.0

Table 1.10 FEP BY MAIN LANGUAGE

2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008

# % # % # % # %Spanish 82 25.6 85 27.1 80 24.4 81 24.6Mandarin 86 26.9 81 25.6 94 28.7 88 26.7

Korean 24 7.5 23 7.3 24 7.3 25 7.6

Russian 18 5.6 19 6.1 19 5.8 18 5.5Hebrew 17 5.3 15 4.8 19 5.8 16 4.9

Cantonese 14 4.4 14 4.5 17 5.2 18 5.5German 12 3.8 6 1.9 8 2.4 8 2.4

French 9 2.8 10 3.2 7 2.1 13 4.0TOTAL FEP 320 100.0 314 100.0 328 100.0 329 100.0

Attendance

Although PAUSD is a basic aid district and does not receive state funding based onAverage Daily Attendance (ADA), attendance is an educational priority for the schooland the district because it influences both the academic success of individual studentsand the overall instruction in the classroom. Paly enjoys a high rate of attendance. Andover the last several years, Paly has experienced a disquieting wrinkle with selectivestudent truancy. Perhaps more aptly termed absenteeism selective period absencescan best be understood as a symptomatic response to stress as well as an indicator of astudents developing time management and planning skills. We believe that the best

place for a student during the school day is in our classrooms.

While daily attendance numbers remain consistently high, the period truancy rate hasincreased to current levels of approximately 50 percent of the student body selectivelycutting at least three or more classes. In response to this, the school responded in thefollowing ways:


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Student Behavior and Discipline Suspension and Expulsion

The physical and emotional safety of students is the priority at Paly. The schoolmaintains firm guidelines for student behavior both on campus and at school events.Teachers take responsibility for establishing and enforcing their class rules at the

beginning of each school year. The site discipline team consists of three campus aides,the three assistant principals, and the principal. At the beginning of each school year,each student is provided with a planner that includes the Student Handbook andduring the summer, a Parent Handbook is sent home to each household. Bothhandbooks include a section on student behavior and address school rules andconsequences.

A review of the suspension and expulsion data for Paly reveals the following:

The number of suspensions has remained relatively constant over the past four

years

Expulsions are rare at Palo Alto High School

The total number of suspensions is low for a comprehensive high school

Within this slight rate, the suspensions that are of concern are:

1. Physical injury2. Drugs and alcohol

3. Stealing4. Defiance.

The only area that has shown an increase in numbers over the last four years isthat of drugs and alcohol

The relatively higher number of suspensions in this area reflects our experience withan increase in the number of students who attend school events under the influenceof alcohol. In response to this trend, the school initiated the use of breathalyzers in2007 2008. Initially used to confirm whether a student had been drinking on acase-by-case basis, the school has now implemented a policy of breathalyzing everystudent who enters a Palo Alto High School dance. The WASC surveys reflect thisconcern with alcohol and drug use at Paly.


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Table 1.12 SUSPENSIONS BY VIOLATION

Ed Code Description 2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 2008

48900(a)(1) Related to physical injury to another person 15 11 2 8

48900(a)(2) Related to use of force or violence 4 2

48900(b)Related to firearms, knives, explosivedevices, etc.

1 1 1

48900(c)Related to possession or sale of controlledsubstances, alcohol, or intoxicants.

17 21 36 33

48900(e)Committed or attempted to commit robberyor extortion

1

48900(f)Caused or attempted to cause damage toschool property or private property

2 1 5

48900(g)Stole or attempted to steal school propertyor private property

7 7 12 11

48900(h)Related to possession or use of tobaccoproducts

1 3 3

48900(i)Committed an obscene act or engaged in

habitual profanity or vulgarity

3 1 2

48900(k)Related to disruption of school activities orwillful defiance

17 15 8 9

48900(l)Knowingly received stolen school propertyor private property

2 1 2

48900.2 Related to sexual harassment 1 1

48900.3 PDS-Related to hate violence 1

48900.4Related to harassment, threats, orintimidation

1 1

48915(a)(2)Possession of any knife or other dangerousobject of no reasonable use to the pupil

2

48915(c)(1)PDS-Related to possessing, selling, orotherwise furnishing a firearm

1

48915(c)(5) PDS-Possession of an explosive 1

48915(c)(2) PDS-Brandishing a knife at another person 1

TOTAL 74 62 71 68

ENROLLMENT 1,698 1,728 1,690 1,701

Table 1.13 EXPULSIONS

2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008

48900(a)(1)

Related to physical injury to another

person 2

48900(b)Related to firearms, knives, explosive

devices, etc. 1

48915(c)(1)PDS-Related to possessing, selling, or

otherwise furnishing a firearm 1

48915(c)(5) PDS-Possession of an explosive 1

TOTAL 0 2 2 1


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School Facilities

Originally built in the early 1900s, the campus has undergone various expansions in theyears since. The Tower Building and Haymarket Theater remain as locally significantand beloved buildings in the surrounding community. In 1995, the Palo Alto

community passed a $143,000,000 facilities bond to improve its aging schools. As aresult, Paly had several improvements made on its campus including the constructionof a new science wing. In June 2008, the community passed yet another facilities bondfor $380,000,000. Paly now enters a 5-year building phase which will result in theconstruction of the following:

A new theater

Renovation of its gymnasiums

Construction of new classroom facilities

Modernization of current classroom facilities and library center

The site facilities master plan, currently under the developmental guidance of the PalyFacilities Steering Committee, will be presented to the Board of Education in March2009. The committee consists of 12 members, including administrators, teachers, andparents. In 2007 2008, the PAUSD High School Task Force outlined severalrecommendations that guide the work of the steering committee (see Appendix). Withan anticipated enrollment growth to 2200 students over the next five years, the facilities

committee seeks flexible space that will accommodate the growth as well as meetchanging program needs.

Needs

Growth in the student population strains the physical space on campus. Outdatedinstructional spaces further hamper both effective instruction and the delivery ofsupport services. For example, some classrooms are not wired to support newertechnologies. Lab space for some of our science courses is running shy. Additionally,the ancient HVAC system in Tower Building classroom is such that students shiver or

overheat on any given day, independent of the weather.

Furthermore, the old library in the Tower Building now houses the guidancedepartment and consists of cubicles that provide very little privacy for confidentialconversations. As well, the increased student support services provided by College andCareer Center have caused it to outgrow its current space. The library complex nowacts as the de-facto student center, fostering community within the student body whilesimultaneously providing support and facilitating research and technology skills. Its


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space is in dire need of restructuring as well. The adequacy and comfort of the builtenvironment directly affect student learning. We eagerly anticipate our facilitiesupgrades that the community has generously voted in during last springs election.

Additional Instructional Space

Additionally, the district is reviewing and revising its graduation requirements tomatch those of the University of California A through G entrance requirements. Thesechanges will likely influence the facilities as more students take four years of Englishand World Languages.

While the current graduation requirement for Physical Education is two years and willnot change, more suitable gym facilities would attract students to elective programs

designed to foster life-long habits of physical activity. Currently, limited gym facilitieshamper the Physical Education departments ability to offer courses throughout all fouryears. It is imperative that students acquire self-care skills in anticipation of managingtheir wellness in college and beyond. In progress facilities planning does includeconstruction of an additional all-weather playing field, however attracting olderstudents to PE classes will require facilities that are equipped to offer a range of optionsfrom aerobics to strength training to yoga and the like.

Also among the campus enhancements being considered:

The creation of a media arts center to house the schools scattered media artsprogram, which currently include students in six journalism publications,photography, and video production

In gathering these programs in a facility focused on a Career Technical pathway,such a move would also resolve several long-standing challenges in supervisionand technology inherent in the current classroom spaces

Doing so would put us in a better position to prepare students to participate inand lead social, academic and journalistic media environments in college andthe professional workforce

Included in initial discussions of the building has been the idea of including asmall conference space suitable for holding up to four classrooms at a time orthe entire faculty


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Faculty and Staff

There are a total of 180 staff members serving the students of Palo Alto High School:

Of the 123 certificated staff members, 114 are classroom teachers

Although the certificated staff is not as diverse as the student population, theschool and district have made significant headway in hiring underrepresentedminority teachers who serve as role models for Paly students

The teaching staff is highly qualified with 100% fully credentialed and over 65%holding at least one Masters degree

Of our teaching staff, thirteen are National Board Certified Teachers

One areas of concern is the percentage of teachers who are not CLAD certified(see table below). Although Paly does not currently have an ELD Program, thepopulation of English language learners continues to grow and the district isinvestigating implementing an ELD program at Paly as early as the 2009 2010school year

The district is supportively working with the schools administration to provideoptions for more teachers to become CLAD certified over the next two years

Table 1.14 20072008 CREDENTIALED STAFF

Administrators Teachers Counselors Psychologists Librarian Total

Male 2 44 0 1 0 47

Female 2 70 3.0 0 1 76

Total 4 114 3.0 1 1 123


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Table 1.15 STAFF ETHNICITY

Certificated Classified

# % # %

White90 73.2 28 49.1

Latino 12 9.7 8 14.0

Asian 13 10.6 11 19.3

African-American 3 2.4 0 0

Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0

Filipino 0 0 1 1.8

Native American 0 0 0 0

Declined 1 0.8 8 14.0

Multiple 4 3.3 1 1.8

TOTAL 123 100.0 57 100.0

Table 1.16 CERTIFICATED STAFF -- EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Educational Level Years of Experience

BA 1 MA 2 MA Ph.D. 15 610 1115 1620 2125 2630 30 +

42 60 16 5 25 33 25 20 9 5 6

34.1% 48.8% 13.0% 4.1% 20.3% 26.8% 20.3% 16.3% 7.3% 4.1% 4.9%

Table 1.17 CERTIFICATED STAFF - CREDENTIALS

HighlyQualified

Not HighlyQualified

FullyCredentialed

Waiver/Emergency

CLADSDAIE/Other

NonCLAD

86 0 123 0 34 34 47

The classified staff members at Paly include a range of support services that range fromclerical support to classroom support. The classified staff at Paly can be divided intothree categories:

1. Direct support for classroom teachers

2. Support for the administrative functions of the school;

3. Support for guidance services


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Direct classroom support

To enhance student learning, teachers curriculum and instructional work is supportedby a host of services. Traditionally, many of these services vary from department to

department as necessary:

Accompanists support the vocal program in the performing arts

Readers provide assistance to English teachers

The science lab tech supports the lab component of Palys science courses

All departments have in-house clerical assistance for several hours daily

Several classified positions on campus provide curricular support to allclassroom teachers. These positions include support in the copy room, theAcademic Resource Center, and technical support in the four computer labs.

Administrative support functions at the school include:

Clerical support for administrators and teachers

Clerical support for the maintenance of student records

Accounting services, campus security, technology support;

Maintenance and operations of the campus

Guidance support services include:

College and Career Center

Support for the Teacher Advisor Program

Clerical support


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Table 1.18 20072008 CLASSIFIED STAFF

Administration FTE

Clerical Support 4.0

Health Services .875Custodial 9.0

Accounting 1.75*

Campus Security 2.5*

Department Clerical Support 3.318

Technology Support 1.0

Classroom Support

Science Lab Tech .375*

Copy Room Support 1.0*

Classroom AidesSpecial Ed 6.0

Computer Lab Aide .625

Academic Resource Center 1.0*

Accompanists V

Readers V

Guidance Support

GuidanceClerical Support 1.0

College & Career Center 1.0

Teacher Advisor Support 1.0

Demographic Data: Student Participation in co-curricular activities

Students at Palo Alto High School have the opportunity to participate in a wide rangeof co-curricular student activities including athletics, student leadership, the performingarts, an extensive student media program, and a variety of clubs. Fall and springseasons both offer a no-cut sport. Paly is a member of the Santa Clara Valley AthleticLeague (SCVAL) and offers both girls and boys sports teams during all three seasons atboth the junior varsity and varsity levels (see table below).

Participation

As discussed in the introduction, fully more than 50% of our students participate inafterschool athletics at some point in their tenure at Palo Alto High School. As such, theAthletic Department is an integral part of the total educational process of Palo AltoHigh School. Being involved in athletics provides the student with opportunities tolearn skills, good sportsmanship, develop leadership skills and learn the ideals of fair


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play and ethical behavior that are necessary for successful participation in our globalcommunity. Athletics provides our students with unique opportunities for self-discipline, self-sacrifice, and loyalty to the community, the school and the team. PaloAlto High School encourages all students to participate in athletics by offering a well-rounded program of interscholastic athletics for young men and women.

Table 1.19 PALY SPORTS

Fall Sports Winter Sports Spring Sports

Cross-Country

Football

Volleyball - Women's

Tennis - Women's

Water Polo

Basketball

Soccer

Wrestling

Badminton

Baseball

Golf

Softball

Swimming and

Diving

Track & Field Tennis - Men's

Lacrosse

Womens

Co-curriculars

Palo Alto High School students enthusiastically participate in student government,student media programs, and clubs and organizations with opportunities for makingconnections within the Paly community and beyond the school campus supporting eachstudents social and emotional growth. Clubs at Paly encompass a wide range ofinterest that includes club sports, ethnic studies, diversity awareness, and communityservice:

In addition, several clubs provide students with the opportunity to compete intheir

special interest such as robotics, debate, and Mock Trial

Students learn the value of service to their community through clubs such as BestBuddies and New Global Citizens as well as the Key Club and Youth Community

Service

An important component of college readiness is the ability to connect with others. Ourextensive offering of clubs fosters such ability in students. Furthermore, students whofeel connected, both to each other and to our school, tend to report a greater sense ofefficacy. In addition to a Student Activities Director, Paly also employs a communityservice coordinator to support student community service involvement.


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Student Leadership

Paly has a wealth of student activities and programs that are organized and operated byits student leadership program:

The program is overseen by the schools Student Activities Director

The student leadership program consists of both elected and appointedpositions, twenty eight and seven, respectively (* denotes appointed position):

oSB PresidentoASB Vice-PresidentoASB SecretaryoASB TreasureroASB Tech Communications Officer*

oASB School Board Representative*oASB Spirit Commissioners*oASB Cheer RepresentativeoASB Athletic CommissioneroASB Social CommissionersoSenior Class PresidentoSenior Class Vice-PresidentoSenior Class Site Council Rep*oSenior Class RepresentativeoJunior Class President

oJunior Class Vice-PresidentoJunior Class Site Council Rep*oSophomore Class PresidentoSophomore Class Vice-PresidentoSophomore Class Site Council Rep*oFreshmen Class PresidentoFreshmen Class Vice-PresidentoFreshmen Class Site Council Rep*oFreshmen Team Representatives (3)oFreshmen Class Representative

Leadership sends student representatives to School Site Council, PTSA, and theBoard of Education

Students in the leadership program participate in the 4th period StudentLeadership class


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Each semester students earn five credits for this course

The leadership class is a relatively new concept at Paly and has only been in existencefor the last few years. Previously, the leadership program was conducted at lunch andafter school on a volunteer basis. Student Leadership conducts approximately multiple

activities every year that include school wide activities such as Spirit Week, Club Day,and the Turkey Trot as well as ongoing activities such as school dances. Many of theactivities that Student Leadership conducts rely heavily on parent and staff volunteers.The success for the Leadership program is evidenced by the large turnout of both ofthese groups to support Palys student activities.

The schools administration is developing a strong working relationship with StudentLeadership and frequently stops by the class to discuss relevant issues. For example,this year Student Leadership and the administration worked together to address twoissues that had arisen at school dances inappropriate dancing and an increase in the

number of students under the influence of alcohol at school events.

Although the use of breathalyzers is not popular among the students, StudentLeadership worked with the administration to develop the protocols for their use atdances. To address the harmfully inappropriate dancing, Student Leadershipdeveloped and produced an educational video that plays continuously as students areentering the dance.

Student Input

In order to promote the student voice at Paly, Student Leadership moved this year to re-establish the student representative system that was disbanded two years ago. The newstudent rep system will give all students the opportunity to be heard on school issuesand have a voice in school planning.

This year, the Student Activities Office (SAO) was moved to its new location in theLibrary Complex. Previously, the SAO had been located in the Tower Building. Themove has provided Student Leadership with more space and a location that is morecentral on the campus. The student leaders at Paly take their roles seriously and arecommitted to continuous improvement in what they do. They take a great deal of pridein their work and represent the best of what defines the student culture at Paly.


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Table 1.20 PALY CLUBS

School Financial Support

Funds provided by the district to the school site fall into three categories: basicallocations, non-categorical supplemental allocations, and categorical allocations.Under basic allocations, Palo Alto receives a per student allocation for instructionalmaterials and a reimbursement for mandated costs. The basic allocation is distributedout to the departments based on student enrollments with a supplement given tocourses that require additional lab materials (see chart below). The departmentallocations are expected to cover all on-going costs with these funds including copycosts. Non-categorical supplemental funds provided by the District have beendesignated for specific programs and special needs. Categorical funding provided bythe District to Palo Alto High School includes funding that has been provided by thestate. These funds support the School Improvement Plan (SIP), career technicaleducation (Voc Ed and ROP), GATE, textbook purchases (IMF), counseling, and artseducation.

Arts Sports

Music Club Bike Club Chinese Club

Slam Poetry Club Dance Club Christian Club

Thespian Society Spirit Club Jewish Student UnionUltimate Frisbee Club Spanish Club

Gaming Awareness/Political Action Competitive

Chess Club Aids Awareness Club Robotics

Go Club Gay Straight Alliance Friends of Millard Fillmore

Mah Jong Club Human Nature Alliance Mock TrialPuzzle Club New Global Citizens Debate

Rubiks Cube Club Unity Club Science Olympiad/Science BowlYEAH Club

Academic Special Interest Community ServiceComputer Science Club Anime Club American Disaster Relief

Latin Club Bead Club Global Literacy ClubMath Club Calliope Interact Club

California Scholarship Federation Comics Club Key Club

Model Citizen Club Flash Club Make A Wish ClubModel United Nations NASA/Aerospace Club Red Cross Club

National Honor Society Nilorado Club Youth Community Service

Parkour ClubPhilosophy Club


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Community Financial Support

In addition to funds provided by the District, Paly has several significant sources ofincome from generous community and parent groups. The one-time nature of thesefunds is apparent when budgeting in the out years, beyond a three-year funding

horizon. Partners in Education (PiE) is a community educational foundation thatprovides essential supplemental funding to all of the schools in PAUSD on a perstudent basis. This funding has grown over the years and now exceeds the per studentallocation from the District. Although PiE money may be spent on salaries, equipment,and instructional supplies, it has predominantly been used to pay both certificated andclassified salaries directly fostering student learning. PiE provided approximately$240,000.00 to Paly this school year. PiE funds come primarily from parents throughoutthe District, as well as community donations. PiE funds are used primarily for staffingneeds. Currently College and Career counseling and curriculum tech support are thetwo main areas of funding.

Funds for science equipment came from a $1 million Science Campaign completed in2004 by PAFE (Palo Alto Foundation for Education, PAUSD's first educationfoundation). Paly received $500,000.00 in science equipment as a result of the ScienceCampaign. Donations came from PAUSD parents, the broader community, andcorporate donations.

Additionally, the PTSA at Paly provides funding for specific projects.PTSA raises approximately $150K per year from Paly families. Typically, the Paly PTSAfunds the following:

Support for Student Counseling Services Purchase and Support of Technology Equipment for Teachers and Classrooms College and Career Center Support Support for Palys Teacher Advisor Program Parent Education programs The Paly Reporter, a monthly newsletter and the Paly Link, a weekly email Mailing and postage of student publications to every Paly family Support for Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation

review Teacher Grants

Teacher Appreciation Activities Community Service Support

Highlights of recent projects include:

$2500 Viking Grant for ten reference electronic books $1250 Viking Grant for student art gallery $1500 Viking Grant for Playaway audio books


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$2500 for Discovery Education Streaming video on demand PTSA grant for graphing calculators for students unable to afford one. $800 Viking Grant for a document camera in the Math department. $300 Fast Track Grant to bring a published author into speak with students in

The Writers Craft $300 Fast Track Grant to bring in guest instructors in Dance $300 Fast Track Grant for sound technology in Dance

Recent outside grants

$2700 grant in 2007 from the CA Student Aid Commission/AVID forefforts to increase the number of students who filed the FAFSA.

According to an agreement between PiE and the PTSA, PTSA dollars cannot be spent

for salaries. The annual PTSA budget supporting Paly is approximately $150,000.Several of Paly programs have parent booster groups including athletics and theperforming arts. Except for the coaches salaries, the Athletic Program at Paly is fundedentirely from parent and community donations solicited by the Athletic Boosters ParentGroup. This income totals over $100,000 annually. Music and theatre boostersmaintain similar commitments . The deep financial support provided to our campusallows us to maintain exemplary education for all students in these precariouseconomic times.


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Table 1.21 SITE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS

Basic Allocations (Fund 0)

Account Students $/student Allocation Carryover Total

Base 14100 1754 $105 $184,170 $0 $184,170

Mandated Costs 14100 TBD $0 TBD

PAPIE (Foundation) 14106 1754 $143 $250,331 $0 $250,331

TOTAL $434,501 $0 $434,501

Non-Categorical Supplemental Allocations (Fund 0)

Commencement 15000 $4,000 $0 $4,000

Competitive Events 14107 $2,500 $0 $2,500

Student Data Processing 15000 $2,500 $0 $2,500

Drivers' Ed 12400 $4,875 $0 $4,875

Music Repair 16201 $2,000 $0 $2,000

AVID 16700 $13,272 $0 $13,272

TOTAL $29,147 $0 $29,147

Total Fund 0 Allocations $463,648 $0 $463,648

Categorical Allocations (Fund 6)

School & Library Improvement 72600 $56,661 $29,731 $86,392

IMF Block Grant (Textbooks) 71560 1754 $61.13 $107,222 $82,884 $190,106

GATE 71400 $9,358 $8,947 $18,305

Perkins - Career Technical Ed 35500 $11,000 $0 $11,000

10th Grade Counseling 67390 $12,724 $2,520 $15,244

ROP 92000 $27,556 $0 $27,556

PE Block Grant 67613 NA $38,491 $38,491

CAHSEE Intensive Services 70550 $37,518 $37,518

Discretionary Block Grant 73960 NA $15,350 $15,350

AB 1802 Counseling 70800 1754 $62.65 $109,888 -$4,382 $105,506

AB1802 Art & Music 67610 1754 $13.35 $23,416 $0 $23,416

Totals $196,965 $211,059 $321,047

Other Income Accounts

Facilities Rental Fund 15300 TBD TBD

PTSA TBD TBD

Athletics TBD TBD


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Student Performance Data

Overall academic achievement

Palo Alto High School uses a variety of assessments to measure the overall academic

achievement of students including graduation data, UC/CSU A-G requirements, theSAT, Advanced Placement exams, the California High School Exit Exam, theStandardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, and the California EnglishLanguage Development Test (CELDT).

Graduation and Preparation for College

Palo Alto High School intends to prepare students for college, ensuring that each andevery student graduates from Paly with a robust and individual plan for his or hereducation after high school:

Over 90% of our 2008 graduates self-reported that they intend to attend a four-year college

Despite this self-reported data, a review of the percent of students meeting theUniversity of California entrance requirements seems to indicate a decrease inthat percentage over the last several years

Although this data appears concerning, a closer review of the methodology usedto compile the data reveals that there has not been common practices from one

year to the next regarding the most appropriate methodology for calculating theUC eligibility

Before the 2006-2007 school year, the GPA of students was not included in thecompilation. In 2007, the District added a minimum GPA of 3.0 to the calculation

As Paly moves ahead with its commitment to college-readiness for all students, wemust first determine what baseline data to use in addition to calculation methodologyin order to establish appropriate goals and objectives. Regardless of the methodologyused, a review of the UC eligibility data by ethnicity reveals that the academic

achievement of Latino and African American students significantly lags behind theacademic achievement of Asian and white students. Latino and African Americanstudents are two to three times less likely to qualify for the University of California thanwhite or Asian students are. Our achievement gap, while smaller than the gap evidentthroughout the state and across the nation, is nonetheless unacceptable to us.


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Table 1.22 GRADUATION DATA

2007 2008 2006 2007 2005 2006 2004 - 2005 2003 2004

Total Enrollment 1701 1690 1728 1698 1662

# % # % # % # % # %

12th

Grade Enrollment 404 408 436 399 390

Graduates 382 94.5 387 94.8 396 93.8 387 99.2 369 99.2UC Eligible 267 66.1 253 65.4 306 77.3 280 72.4 264 71.5

Table 1.23 UC ELIGIBLE - By Ethnicity

2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 2008

UC Eligible UC Eligible UC Eligible UC EligibleTotal # % Total # % Total # % Total # %

White 256 193 75.4 258 202 78.3 231 162 70.1

Latino 26 10 38.5 24 13 54.2 18 2 11.1

Asian 60 56 93.3 66 61 92.4 80 61 76.2

African-American 19 4 21.1 17 8 47.1 8 0 0.0

Pacific Islander 0 0 0 1 0 0.0 3 0 0.0Filipino 0 0 0 4 2 50.0 1 0 0.0Native American 3 2 66.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0

Non-Responsive 21 15 71.4 26 20 76.9 46 28 60.9

TOTAL 387 280 72.4 396 306 77.3 387 253 65.4 382 267 66.1

SAT

Palo Alto High School also uses both the SAT and Advanced Placement exam scores tomeasure the academic achievement of our students. Over the last three years, the seniorclasses at Paly have done exceptionally well on both the SAT and the AdvancedPlacement exams. SAT scores at Paly in all three areas (verbal, math, and writing) havefar exceeded the average scores for Santa Clara County and the state of California.

Table 1.24a SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST (SAT) SCORES

2007 2008 2006 2007 2005 2006

% Verbal Math Writing % Verbal Math Writing % Verbal Math Writing

Paly 84.0 629 656 629 82.3 620 644 611 78.9 617 646 617

PAUSD NA NA NA NA 84.5 624 655 615 85.5 614 649 611

County NA NA NA NA 47.9 534 572 533 49.1 530 570 532

State NA 499 515 498 35.9 493 513 491 36.7 495 516 495

Advanced Placement Course Enrollment

Enrollment in AP courses prepares students for university level work.


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In 2008, there were 446 students enrolled in AP classes for a duplicatedenrollment count of 1226

The total number of AP tests taken by these students was 870

Each department determines specific requirements for enrollment in AP courses andstudents are not required to take the AP exam at the end of a course. This is reflected infewer than 71% of AP students taking the exams on 2008. This percent is significantlylower than the 82% in 2007.

Palo Alto High School students perform extremely well on Advanced PlacementExams

In 2008, 94% scored a 3 or more on the exams with over 50% scoring a 5

Since 2003 2004, the percent of students in the 11th and 12th grade who takeAdvanced Placement tests has increased from 47% to 54%

Likewise, the total number of tests taken has increased from 788 to 829

An analysis of the scores for the 2007 -2008-school year indicates that the percentageof AP students actually taking AP exams varies widely from department todepartment. Although the lowest percentages were in the sciences, otherdepartments also showed percentages that were less than 90%.

Table 1.24b: ADVANCED PLACEMENT RESULTS

Advanced Placement Test Scores (5 = Highest; 3 Qualifies for College Credit)

Score of 5 Score of 4 Score of 3 Score of 2TotalTestsTaken

#Tested

#Enrolled Rate*Year # % # % # % # %

2007-08 426 49 272 31 122 94 32 18 870 446 829 54%

2006-07 428 49 248 29 138 94 41 12 867 421 839 50%

2005-06 413 48 255 30 137 94 38 10 853 427 862 50%

2004-05 366 47 239 30 129 93 42 10 786 421 840 50%

2003-04 333 48 220 32 107 95 31 7 698 369 788 47%

* The Participation Rate is calculated on enrollment in grades 11 and 12 though some tests were taken by students ingrades 9 and 10.


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Table 1.25 2008 ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS BY SUBJECT

Scores

Students < 2 3 4 5

Course Enrolled Tested Percent # % # % # % # %

Art History 15 6 40.0 0 0.0 3 50.0 1 16.7 2 33.3

Art Drawing 5 5 100 3 60.0 0 0.0 2 40.0 0 0.0

Art 2D Design 1 1 100 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 100

Biology 112 76 67.9 9 11.8 10 13.2 18 23.7 39 51.3

Calculus AB 97 95 97.9 3 3.2 5 5.3 19 20.0 68 71.6

Calculus BC 51 52 102.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 3.8 50 96.2

Chemistry 40 38 95.0 2 5.4 2 5.4 10 26.3 24 63.2

Chinese Language 0 7 -- 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 7 100

Computer Science AB 18 15 83.3 0 0 1 6.7 8 53.3 6 40.0

Economics Micro -- 1 -- 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 100

Economics Macro -- 2 -- 0 0.0 1 50.0 1 50.0 0 0.0

Eng Lang & Comp -- 8 -- 0 0.0 2 25.0 2 25.0 4 50.0

Eng Lit & Comp 93 89 95.7 1 1.1 20 22.5 33 37.1 35 39.3

Environmental Science 171 59 34.5 7 11.7 9 15.3 29 49.2 14 23.7

French Language 29 22 75.9 3 13.6 8 36.4 5 22.7 6 27.3

French Literature 5 5 100 1 20.0 2 40.0 1 20.0 1 20.0

German Language -- 2 -- 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 100

Italian Language -- 1 -- 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 100

Japanese Language 14 12 85.7 0 0.0 5 41.7 3 25.0 4 33.3

Music Theory 23 21 91.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 5 23.8 16 76.2

Physics B -- 1 -- 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 100

Physics C: Elec & Mag 13 12 92.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 3 25.0 9 75.0

Physics C: Mechanics 13 12 92.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 12 100

Psychology 155 109 70.3 7 6.4 13 11.9 46 42.2 43 39.4

Spanish Language 83 65 78.3 5 7.7 12 18.5 22 33.8 22 33.8

Spanish Literature 45 23 51.1 4 17.4 7 30.4 5 21.7 4 17.4

Statistics 72 54 75.0 2 3.7 7 13.0 23 42.6 22 40.7

US History 74 75 101.4 3 4.0 12 16.0 30 40.0 30 40.0

2008 TOTAL 1226 870 71.0 48 5.5 118 13.6 267 30.7 487 56.0

2007 TOTAL 1051 867 82.5 53 6.1 138 15.9 248 28.6 428 49.4

2006 TOTAL 1052 813 77.3 46 5.7 128 15.7 246 30.3 393 48.3

CSU EAP

For the past three years, juniors at Paly have participated in the Early AssessmentProgram (EAP) conducted by the California State University system. The EAP isconducted as a component of the STAR Program during the administration of the CSTs.


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In 2005 2006, the number of students tested was extremely low; however, thepercentage tested increased dramatically over the next two years

In addition to the increase in the number and percent of students tested, thepercentage of students determined as Ready for College has increased

significantly from 33% to 52% over the last three years

In mathematics, the overall 68 % percent of students scored Ready for College

A breakdown of the math scores shows that student who had completedAlgebra 2 before their junior year were more likely to be college ready (86%)than students who were enrolled in Algebra 2 during their junior year (51%)

Table 1.26 EARLY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (EAP)

2005

2006 2006

2007 2007

2008Grade 11 Enrollment 417 424 416Total # Tested in EAP 107 384 371

Percent Tested 25.7% 90.6% 89.2%

English EAP % EAP % EAP %

Students Tested 87 380 370Ready for College 29 33 124 33 192 52Not College Ready 58 67 161 42 156 42

Algebra 2 EAP % EAP % EAP %

Students Tested 38 60 111

Ready for College 17 45 32 53 57 51Ready for College Conditional 10 26 18 30 34 31

Not College Ready 11 29 10 17 20 18

Summative Math EAP % EAP % EAP %

Students Tested 24 64 101Ready for College 19 79 51 80 87 86

Ready for College Conditional 5 21 13 20 14 14Not College Ready 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mathematics - Total EAP % EAP % EAP %

Students Tested 62 124 212Ready for College 36 58 83 67 144 68

Ready for College Conditional 15 24 31 25 48 23Not College Ready 11 18 10 8 20 9

California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)

An overwhelming percentage of Palo Alto High School students pass the CaliforniaHigh School Exit Exam (CASHEE) on their first attempt during the sophomore year (seechart below). Over the last four years, well over 95% of Paly students have passed theCAHSEE on the first attempt. Although the actual numbers are small, the percents ofLatino and African American students who pass the CAHSEE on the first attempt differ


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from those of Asian and white students. We see our achievement gap reflected in thesepercentages.Students who fail either or both parts of the CAHSEE in their sophomore year areprovided with opportunities for tutoring and access to an on-line program thatprovides CAHSEE preparation. By graduation, we have only had one or two students

annually who have not passed the CAHSEE. We provide our students with additionalinterventions to assist them with passing the CAHSEE in order to earn their Palydiploma.


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Table 1.27 CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAM RESULTS

English/Language Arts Mathematics

Tested Passed % Tested Passed %

Class of 2010

All Students 433 422 97% 428 418 98%

Asian 100 99 99% 100 99 99%

African-American 16 14 88% 17 15 88%

Hispanic/Latino 30 25 83% 29 26 90%

White not Hispanic 269 267 99% 264 261 99%

English Learners 11 10 91% 11 10 91%

Redesignated FEP 43 39 91% 43 41 95%

Students w/ Disabilities 25 19 76% 24 16 67%

Class of 2009

All Students 413 402 97% 414 402 97%

Asian 89 89 100% 88 88 100%




English Learners 10 or fewer students 10 or fewer students



Class of 2008

All Students 425 409 96% 427 404 95% Asian 79 79 100% 79 79 100%







Class of 2007

All Students 411 402 98% 409 395 97% Asian 85 85 100% 85 85 100%








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STAR Data

Palo Alto High School students perform quite well on the CSTs. In 2008, in the majority of

subject areas, at least 75% of students at all grade levels consistently scored at the proficient and

advanced levels.

English and Social Studies

In English Language Arts, this high achievement pattern has been maintained over thelast three years

Although students in Social Science perform well on both the World History and USHistory exams, the Social Science curriculum taught at Palo Alto High School sequences

differ from those of the state standards in the 10th and 12th grades

Paly has a four year social science graduation requirement that includes World History inthe 9th grade; Contemporary World History and American Government in the 10th grade;

US History in the 11th grade, and Economics and other electives in the 12th grade

Over the last three years, Paly has shifted administration of the World History test fromthe 10th grade to the 9th grade

Math and Science

In 9th grade mathematics, Paly offers five levels of classes

The remedial level, Algebra 1.1, is a two-year algebra course and 9th

grade students whoare enrolled in Algebra 1.1 take the General Math CST

The enrollment in this course has doubled over the last three years and scores on theGeneral Math CSTs are consistently and significantly lower than test scores on the

Algebra 1 CST taken by others in the 9th

grade cohort

While the number of students taking Alg 1.1 has increased, their performance hasimproved dramatically, from 34% scoring at the basic and above level 3 years ago, in

2005-06, to 61% at the basic and above level last year in 2007-08. Also worth mentioning

is the fact that last year's high enrollment in Alg1.1 was an anomaly: this year we're back

to 2 sections of Algebra 1.1 only, with a total of 40 students or just 8.5% of 9th graders

In math the percentage of students scoring at proficient or advanced level, which wasalready significantly higher than the state average, has risen further across the board overthe past 3 years

o 9th grade Alg: from 67% to 77%o 10th grade Geometry: from 73% to 81%


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o 11th grade Alg2: from 50% to 56%

o 11th grade Summative Math, from 94% to 96%

In Biology, the following trends occur: in 20052006 among students who postponedtaking Biology until the 10th grade, however, in 20072008, 10

th grade students in

Biology performed as well on the Biology CST as the 9th grade students performed

Achievement Gap

A review of CST scores by ethnicity reveals that Latino and African American studentsroutinely score lower than white and Asian students in almost all subjects

In English Language Arts, the lowest percent of Asian students scoring at proficient andadvanced was 84% for 11th grade students in 20052006

Likewise, for white students, the lowest percent scoring proficient or advanced was 78%in the 11th grade in 20062007

For Latino students scoring proficient and advanced, the highest percent was 69% in the11

thgrade in 20062007

For African American students, the highest percentage was 69% in the 10 th grade in20072008

Similar patterns are also seen in Social Science, Math, and Science

Participation

Participation rates have increased on the CSTs over the last three years after adjusting thetesting calendar to accommodate Advanced Placement exams

This increase is particularly true for 11 th grade. In 20052006, just 60.9% of the juniorstook the CSTs. In 20072008, the percent had increased to 90.6%

Coming into alignment with PAUSDs other high school, Gunn, AP enrollment is nowlinked to CST participation with a score of proficient or better

This practice provides evidence to our higher-performing students and their parents thatAP coursework is manageable in addition to encouraging the student who might shyaway from the AP that he or she is fully capable of engaging and performing at this

college level curriculum


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Table 1.28 CST RESULTS BY PERCENT

English2007 - 2008 2006 - 2007 2005 2006

Grade Level 9 10 11 9 10 11 9 10 11

Reported Enrollment 427 412 416 423 420 424 427 431 417

English Language Arts

Students Tested 406 412 416 396 373 311 392 358 254

Percent of Enrollment 95.1 94.5 90.6 93.6 88.8 73.3 91.8 83.1 60.9

Advanced 62.0 62.0 69.0 61.0 54.0 61.0 69.0 60.0 59.0

Proficient 20.0 23.0 16.0 23.0 23.0 17.0 15.0 22.0 23.0

Basic 8.0 8.0 9.0 9.0 11.0 10.0 10.0 9.0 7.0

Below Basic 7.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 7.0 2.0 4.0 3.0 4.0

Far Below Basic 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 10.0 2.0 7.0 6.0

History

Social Science2007 2008 2006 2007 2005 2006

Grade Level 9 10 11 9 10 11 9 10 11


World History

Students Tested 400 20 393 26 356

Percent of Enrollment 93.7 4.6 92.9 6.2 82.6

Advanced 34.0 0 23.0 40.0 47.0

Proficient 33.0 0 38.0 0 28.0

Basic 20.0 0 28.0 40.0 11.0

Below Basic 7.0 0 8.0 0 4.0

Far Below Basic 7.0 100.0 3.0 20.0 9.0

U.S. History


Percent of Enrollment 86.8 72.6 59.2

Advanced 67.0 56.0 52.0

Proficient 23.0 24.0 29.0

Basic 7.0 10.0 10.0

Below Basic 2.0 5.0 4.0

Far Below Basic 2.0 5.0 4.0


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Mathematics2007 2008 2006 - 2007 2005 2006

Grade Level 9 10 11 9 10 11 9 10 11


General Math



Advanced 4.0 0.0 0.0


Basic 42.0 31.0 30.0

Below Basic 23.0 19.0 30.0


Algebra 1

Students Tested 204 29 209 24 239 29

Percent of Enrollment 47.8 6.7 49.4 5.7 56.0 6.7

Advanced44.0 7.0 21.0 13.0 27.0 7.0

Proficient 33.0 34.0 56.0 4.0 40.0 7.0

Basic 14.0 24.0 18.0 42.0 19.0 31.0

Below Basic 7.0 28.0 5.0 33.0 8.0 34.0

Far Below Basic 1.0 7.0 0.0 8.0 5.0 21.0

Geometry

Students Tested 126 193 13 131 210 14 113 174 18


Advanced 88.0 46.0 0 70.0 26.0 0.0 82.0 18.0 0.0

Proficient 10.0 35.0 31.0 30.0 48.0 14.0 18.0 55.0 17.0

Basic 1.0 15.0 54.0 0.0 15.0 7.0 0.0 18.0 44.0

Below Basic 1.0 3.0 15.0 0.0 10.0 57.0 0.0 6.0 17.0Far Below Basic 0 2.0 0 0.0 1.0 21.0 0.0 3.0 22.0

Algebra 11

Students Tested 11 141 196 18 109 152 7 113 125


Advanced 82.0 52.0 14.0 89.0 65.0 13.0 72.0 17.0

Proficient 18.0 39.0 42.0 11.0 32.0 47.0 27.0 33.0

Basic 0 9.0 30.0 0.0 2.0 27.0 2.0 29.0

Below Basic 0 0 11.0 0.0 1.0 11.0 0.0 11.0

Far Below Basic 0 0 3.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 10.0

Summative High School Math

Students Tested 3 22 125 3 8 116 15 82

Percent of Enrollment .7 5.0 30.0 .7 1.9 27.4 3.5 19.7

Advanced NA 95.0 66.0 NA NA 79.0 73.0 56.0

Proficient NA 5.0 30.0 NA NA 18.0 27.0 38.0

Basic NA 0 5.0 NA NA 1.0 0.0 6.0

Below Basic NA 0 0 NA NA 2.0 0.0 0.0

Far Below Basic NA 0 0 NA NA 0.0 0.0 0.0


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Science2007 2008 2006 2007 2005 2006

9 10 11 9 10 11 9 10 11


Grade 10 Life Science



Advanced 54.0 43.0 53.0


Basic 12.0 14.0 13.0



Biology/Life Sciences

Students Tested 349 30 7 365 14 6 360 22 5


Advanced48.0 37.0 NA 40.0 7.0 NA 38.0 19.0 NA

Proficient 30.0 47.0 NA 36.0 36.0 NA 36.0 19.0 NA

Basic 13.0 10.0 NA 19.0 36.0 NA 190 19.0 NA

Below Basic 4.0 3.0 NA 4.0 0.0 NA 5.0 29.0 NA

Far Below Basic 5.0 3.0 NA 1.0 21.0 NA 2.0 14.0 NA

Chemistry

Students Tested 310 22 282 18 287 24

Percent of Enrollment 71.1 5.3 67.1 4.2 66.6 5.8

Advanced 41.0 41.0 30.0 17.0 21.0 8.0

Proficient 35.0 18.0 38.0 28.0 41.0 8.0

Basic 21.0 36.0 28.0 33.0 27.0 58.0

Below Basic 1.0 5.0 2.0 17.0 6.0 4.0Far Below Basic 2.0 0 2.0 6.0 5.0 21.0

Physics



Advanced 44.0 24.0 32.0


Basic 17.0 28.0 27.0




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Table 1.29 STAR RESULTS BY ETHNICITYPERCENT PROFICIENT AND ABOVE

2007 2008 2006 2007 2005 2006

9 10 11 9 10 11 9 10 11

# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %

English Language Arts

White 241 90 254 89 233 88 245 86 230 81 188 78 233 88 216 87 144 87Asian 84 92 98 94 88 95 88 98 85 92 76 91 89 97 73 95 74 84

Af. Am. 17 18 13 69 19 47 14 57 22 32 17 40 18 39 14 43 10 *

Latino 40 45 28 46 23 41 31 50 25 39 19 69 24 46 28 54 12 55

World History

White 236 76 13 0 4 * 244 64 18 50 4 * 215 80

Asian 84 73 88 77 5 * 75 92

Af. Am. 17 6 13 23 1 * 1 * 14 43

Latino 40 20 4 * 1 * 30 20 2 * 26 38

U.S. History

White 227 92 186 80 138 87

Asian 87 94 76 96 74 83

Af. Am. 16 69 16 44 10 *

Latino 20 50 19 74 11 63

General MathematicsWhite 17 19 17 41 5 *

Asian 3 * 1 * 9 *

Af. Am. 13 23 4 * 8 *

Latino 17 18 11 9

Algebra 1

White 144 80 17 53 1 * 155 79 9 * 5 * 168 68 14 14

Asian 21 86 21 90 1 * 30 83 1 * 1 *

Af. Am. 3 * 1 * 2 * 9 * 6 * 2 41* 7 * 3 * 1 *

Latino 23 61 7 * 2 * 14 43 5 * 2 * 14 43 7 * 2 *

Geometry

White 70 99 143 83 5 * 67 100 156 78 4 * 55 100 123 76 10 *

Asian 50 100 22 91 54 100 22 77 52 100 24 75 4 *

Af. Am. 8 * 4 * 1 * 11 36 6 * 1 * 9 * 3 46*

Latino 11 64 3 * 5 * 14 64 2 * 1 * 11 64Algebra 11

White 2 * 71 86 147 57 7 * 54 100 106 58 59 98 80 55

Asian 8 * 63 95 22 68 11 100 51 94 26 73 6 * 42 98 30 45

Af. Am. 1 * 7 * 1 * 6 * 3 *

Latino 2 * 9 * 1 * 9 * 4 * 5 *

Summative High School Mathematics

White 2 * 9 * 57 98 1 * 1 * 60 97 9 * 41 93

Asian 12 100 63 94 1 * 7 * 49 98 6 * 37 95

Af. Am. 1 *

Latino 1 4 *


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2007 2008 2006 2007 2005 2006

9 10 11 9 10 11 9 10 11# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %

Grade 10 Life ScienceWhite 251 84 222 81 208 81

Asian97 93 85 88 75 93

Af. Am. 13 62 20 35 13 38

Latino 27 37 23 35 25 48

Biology

White 223 79 21 81 3 * 229 77 5 * 3 * 218 75 12 67

Asian 79 91 7 * 3 * 86 92 1 * 88 88 4 *

Af. Am. 6 * 10 * 3 * 1 36* 12 33 2 *

Latino 23 35 24 38 4 * 1 * 18 24 3 *

Chemistry

White 192 76 9 * 184 65 9 * 176 60 11 18

Asian 85 88 7 * 75 80 3 * 72 75 5 *

Af. Am. 9 * 2 * 7 * 2 * 7 * 4 18*

Latino 11 45 1 * 10 * 1 36* 17 35 3 *

Physics

White 184 80 144 62 100 71

Asian 70 84 1 * 1 * 68 79 55 63

Af. Am. 10 * 7 *

Latino 11 64 12 55 4 *

California English Language Development Test (CELDT)

As discussed previously, Paly has a growing number of English Language Learners among its

student population. In 20032004, there were no LEP students at Paly. Today 50 students at

Paly are LEP and attend Paly on a waiver. In 20072008, there were 38 LEP students attending

Paly. Although the majority of these students scored at the Early Advanced and Advanced

levels, two students scored at the Beginning level. These results raise concerns about thesestudents abilities to successfully engage and fully participate in the curriculum throughout the

school.

Table 1.30 CELDT RESULTS BY LEVEL

2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03

Advanced 14 17 6 0 0 0

Early Advanced 11 8 4 0 0 0

Intermediate 9 5 2 0 0 0

Early Intermediate 2 0 0 0 0 0

Beginning 2 0 0 0 0 0

Total 38 30 12 3 0 0


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API

Palo Alto performs exceedingly well on state measures for school achievement. The Academic

Performance Index (API) for Paly has historically been high and the school has consistently

scored a 10 on its statewide ranking anda 9 on its similar schools ranking. Last year, theschools API rose 17 points, coming in at 900. The school community attributes this increase to

the increased numbers of students who took the CSTs during the 20072008 school year. TheAPI for a school is calculated for all students and for each numerically significant subgroup. The

only numerically significant subgroups for Paly are white and Asian. Data are not available for

other groups of students.

Table 1.31 ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE DATA (API)

Academic Performance Index

Year API Base API ScoreAPI

Growth

Target

Met

Statewide

Rank

Similar

Schools Rank

2007 2008 883 900 +17 YES 10 9

2006 2007 887 883 -4 YES 10 9

2005 2006 886 892 +6 YES 10 9

2004 2005 878 885 +7 YES n/a n/a

Annual Yearly Progress (AYP)

Since the inception of NCLB, Palo Alto High School has met all its AYP accountability

measures each year. The percent of all students meeting accountability measures has increasedslightly in the last four years from 88.1% to 90.1% in mathematics and from 88.8% to 92.7% in

English Language Arts (see tables below). Although African American and Latino students

perform significantly lower than Asian and white students (a concern for the school), they have

also demonstrated an increase in the proficiency criteria over the last several years in bothmathematics and English Language Arts.

Proficiency rates for the three remaining subgroups (socioeconomically disadvantaged, Englishlearners, and students with disabilities) raise several concerns for the school. For

socioeconomically disadvantaged students, there is not a consistent pattern of growth and the

scores have varied greatly over the last four years. As mentioned previously in this report, the

overall number of English learners at Paly is growing. The recent decrease in their performancein both Math and ELA may be attributed to the increase in the number of EL students scoring

below Advanced on the CELDT. The scores for students with disabilities in ELA show and

increase in the percent of students scoring proficient over the last four years; however, the scoresfor math have remained relatively stationary over the same time period.


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Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, CA) Self-Study/Review (2008-2009)

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