Brief Explanation:

While it is expected that all high school students will continue to maintain a portfolio of work that demonstrates progress toward meeting academic standards in literacy, there will be no districtwide collection and scoring of Grade 10 Literacy Assessment Portfolios at the close of the 2000-01 academic year. The following considerations led to the decision to discontinue central scoring of the portfolios.

1. It is anticipated that the Board of Education will formally adopt the California English Language Arts standards (with supplemental San Diego City Schools standards) at its January 30, 2001, meeting. Although the district and state standards are closely aligned, the Literacy Assessment Portfolio is based on the district standards, which are organized differently.
2. There is a need to prepare high school students for the upcoming High School Exit Examination (HSEE), which includes specific types of writing (e.g., response to literature, response to informational text, biographical narrative, expository composition, persuasive composition, business letter), some of which are beyond those that are called for in the Literacy Assessment Portfolio.
3. The state timeline for administering the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (SAT 9) has shifted the testing window (April 23-May 11), making it difficult to attend to both mandated SAT 9 testing and the completion of the Literacy Assessment Portfolio.
4. Increasing numbers of students attending summer school make it difficult to find enough teachers to accomplish the scoring during the summer months.

Please note that the criteria used to guide the completion and scoring of Literacy Assessment Portfolio entries are consistent with both the California English Language Arts Standards and the knowledge and skills that will be assessed on the High School Exit Examination. Students will be expected to analyze and respond to both literature and informational text on California Standards Test, the SAT 9, and the HSEE. Therefore, good instructional practice supports providing students with opportunities to complete portfolio entries – even though central scoring will not occur.

Questions should be directed to Eileen Poole (619-725-7168) or Linda Dusharme (619-725-7169).