1. Re p oRt
s p eC iA l
Carlsbad Unified School District
Educational
opportunity
audit rEport
MARCH 2010

3. contents
ExEcutivE Summary......................................................................................................................................v
thE carlSBad
Educational opportunity audit (Eoa).............................................................................................. 1
i. College.and.Career-Ready.Curriculum:.Rationale.and.Relevance..............................................................1
ii. Carlsbad.Unified.School.District’s.Commitment.to.Reform:.The.Road.to.Rigor.........................................2
iii. Audit.Component.#1:.Examining.Student.Performance.Trends................................................................4
iv. Audit.Component.#2:.Examining.Students’.Journeys.Through.High.School.........................................10
v. Audit.Component.#3:.Examining.School.Organization.of.Teaching.and.Learning...............................18
vi. Audit.Component.#4:.Examining.Attitudes.and.Beliefs.of.Key.Stakeholders.........................................24
vii: Audit.Component.#5:.Examining.Institutional.Practice..........................................................................30
viii. Next.Steps....................................................................................................................................................33
ix. Implications.for.Blueprint..........................................................................................................................34
appEndicES.......................................................................................................................................................36
notes.......................................................................................................................................................................38
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 iii

4. iv The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

5. Executive Summary
the road to rigor: cuSd’s commitment to reform only.34.percent.of.students.statewide.successfully.completed.
The.board.of.the.Carlsbad.Unified.School.District.(CUSD). in.2008—must.become.the.default.curriculum.and.mini-
has.made.it.a.clear.priority.to.bring.high-impact.reform.to.all. mum.graduation.requirement.for.all.high.school.students..
students..This.reform.would.continue.to.focus.on.improving. Across.the.state,.forward-looking.districts.such.as.CUSD.have.
educational.outcomes.for.all.students,.including.those.who. begun.to.take.the.steps.necessary.to.align.their.graduation.
historically.have.been.underserved.and.underprepared..Led. requirements.with.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.sequence.and.
by.the.superintendent’s.and.school.board’s.vision.that.CUSD. make.these.courses.available.to.all.students.
should.be.a.world-class.district.to.which.others.look.for. California.faces.a.daunting.array.of.challenges.in.the.years.
guidance.and.example,.school.and.district.leaders.recognize. ahead..Clearly,.a.highly.educated,.highly.skilled.workforce.
that.the.central.goal.must.be.to.implement.a.college.and. remains.central.to.our.ability.to.meet.these.challenges.and.
career-ready.high.school.curriculum.for.all.students.in.the. continue.to.grow.our.economy.and.maintain.our.standing.
Carlsbad.community. on.the.world.stage..Translating.these.principles.into.stan-
As.a.key.step.in.bringing.this.ambitious.goal.to.fruition,. dards.and.a.tangible.academic.program.may.be.a.demanding.
CUSD’s.superintendent.and.senior.staff.have.partnered. process,.but.it.is.far.from.impossible.
with.The.Education.Trust–West.(ETW).to.analyze.students’. The.good.news.is.that.all.major.stakeholders.in.CUSD.
educational.experiences..By.working.to.improve.the.educa- understand.the.importance.of.this.work..In.focus.groups.
tional.outcomes.of.all.students—approximately.25.percent. ETW.convened.for.this.audit,.teachers,.counselors,.parents,.
of.whom.are.students.of.color—CUSD.joins.other.districts. and.students.repeatedly.cited.the.importance.of.high.aca-
leading.the.charge.for.equitable.access.and.achievement. demic.standards..Parents.said.they.expected.their.children.
The.movement.to.prepare.all.students.for.college.and.a. to.attend.college;.students.echoed.these.aspirations..Some.
career.is.timely.and.important..Increasingly,.jobs.that.pay.a. participants,.including.all.parents.and.students,.affirmed.
living.wage.require.some.type.of.postsecondary.education.. their.belief.that.all.young.people.could.successfully.com-
Jobs.that.do.not.are.disappearing..As.young.workers.enter. plete.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.requirements..Parents.in.focus.
the.workforce.and.progress.in.their.careers,.they.will.need. groups.said.they.expected.their.children.to.attend.college;.
to.know.more.and.do.more.than.workers.from.past.genera- students.echoed.these.aspirations..Indeed,.while.students.
tions..Every.young.person.will.need.to.possess.the.knowledge. voiced.concern.over.the.lack.of.access.to.rigorous.coursework.
and.problem-solving.capabilities.that.once.were.reserved.for. for.some.students.at.Carlsbad.High.School,.they.asserted.that.
a.select.few. with.improved.support.they.could.successfully.complete.a.
What.this.means,.simply,.is.that.it.no.longer.is.acceptable. college-prep.curriculum.and.wanted.the.opportunity.to.do.
to.prepare.some.young.people.for.college.and.others.for. so..Parents.acknowledged.that.for.all.students.to.succeed,.
careers..The.divisions.between.“college.ready”.and.“career. families.needed.to.become.more.involved,.but.they.said.they.
ready”.are.increasingly.irrelevant.and.immaterial.. wanted.to.receive.more.and.better.information.from.district.
Schools.must.change.accordingly..The.rigorous.high. leaders.
school.curriculum.students.need.to.be.ready.for.college. Teachers.and.counselors.likewise.voiced.a.belief.both.in.
and.a.career.begins.with.the.University.of.California.(UC). the.importance.of.a.college-prep.curricula.and.the.potential.
and.California.State.University.(CSU).A-G.requirements,.a. of.students.to.complete.more.rigorous.coursework..Through-
15-course.sequence.in.seven.academic.areas;.students.must. out.the.discussions,.both.groups.suggested.program.reforms.
earn.a.C.or.higher.in.each.course..These.UC/CSU.A-G.course. that.would.foster.greater.student.access.and.success..Teachers.
requirements.represent.an.ambitious.target.and.a.navigable. in.particular.spoke.of.the.importance.of.upholding.consis-
path.toward.raising.expectations.and.outcomes.for.all.stu- tent.standards.for.rigorous.coursework,.and.said.they.already.
dents..For.California.to.remain.economically.competitive,. had.seen.increased.achievement.as.a.result.of.higher.expecta-
completion.of.this.college-prep.course.sequence—which. tions..They.also.recommended.ways.district.leaders.could.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 v

6. support.them.in.this.work,.including.offering.better.profes- Figure 1: college-ready Graduates at carlsbad high School – more
sional.development. than half of students graduate having completed the a-G course
In.CUSD,.courageous.leaders.have.charted.a.course.for. sequence.
reform,.and.they.are.prepared.to.harness.the.collective.will.of. 100
teachers,.counselors,.students,.and.families..These.ambitious.
80
goals.and.policies.will.end.practices.that.have.underesti-
59 58
mated.and.underserved.students. 60 55 56
Percent
40
Where are We now: 26
current Student achievement in cuSd 20
Before.CUSD.leaders.can.develop.an.action.plan.to.ensure. 0
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08*
all.students.complete.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.sequence.as.
a.condition.of.graduation,.stakeholders.need.a.clear.sense. *2007-08 Data adjusted - see Appendix C
of.how.students.currently.are.performing..The.Education. Source: California Department of Education.
Trust–West,.with.the.CUSD.data.team,.studied.transcripts.of.
Carlsbad.High.School.(CHS).seniors.as.well.as.publicly.avail-
able.data.to.gain.an.accurate.picture.of.how.students.fare. Figure 2: a-G Graduation rates by student subgroup: Significant gaps
Along.with.boasting.graduation.rates.significantly.higher. exist between latino students their white peers.
than.the.state.average,.CUSD.also.has.more.students.gradu- 100
ating.ready.for.college.and.a.career..Across.California,.80. 80
percent.of.the.Class.of.2008.graduated.within.four.years;.in. 63 63
61 60
60
CUSD,.90.percent.did.so..According.to.self-reported.data.
Percent
41
from.districts.across.California,.34.percent.of.all.students. 40
39
35
41
29
graduated.having.met.the.full.A-G.requirements.for.UC/CSU.
20 14
admission..In.CUSD,.more.than.half.(52.percent).did.so.in.
2008;.these.rates.have.remained.fairly.steady.over.the.past. 0
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
five.years.(see Figure 1)..
Latino White
Although.this.is.an.impressive.track.record,.there.are.still.
areas.where.the.district.can.improve..For.example,.when.A-G. Source: Califnornia Department of Education.
graduation.rates.are.disaggregated.by.ethnicity,.it.is.clear.that.
significant.gaps.remain.(see Figure 2)..
These.rates.of.A-G.completion.represent.lower.success.
rates.for.some.CHS.students,.especially.Latino.students..
Consequently,.additional.work.remains.to.improve.access.to.
and.achievement.in.a.rigorous.high.school.curriculum.for.
all.students..The.good.news.is.that.CUSD.has.built.a.strong.
foundation.for.its.continuing.efforts..Becoming.a.world-class.
district.is.possible,.provided.all.stakeholders.are.willing.to.
sustain.these.reform.efforts..
Many.stakeholders.pointed.to.the.success.of.the.AvID.
program..Carlsbad.High.School.is.a.demonstration.site.for.
the.Advancement.via.Individual.Determination.(AvID).
program..Students.are.typically.selected.in.middle.school,.
provided.they.meet.the.AvID.program.criteria.(middle.grade.
point.average.along.with.free/reduced.price.lunch.eligibility,.
first-generation.college-going.status,.and/or.ethnicity)..The.
vi The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

7. program.consists.of.up.to.four.years.of.a.year-long.course,.
culminating.in.a.senior.seminar..All.ninth-grade.AvID.stu-
dents.are.enrolled.in.English.9.Honors,.and.all.are.encour-
aged.to.enroll.in.Advanced.Placement.U.S..History.during.
eleventh.grade..The.AvID.program’s.focus.on.preparing.stu-
dents.for.postsecondary.success.is.producing.positive.results.
for.its.participants..More.than.two-thirds.of.these.students.
achieved.success.in.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.sequence,.a.
higher.rate.than.the.overall.student.population..This.success.
rate.suggests.the.program.should.be.developed.more.fully.at.
CHS,.either.by.enrolling.more.students.or.expanding.AvID’s.
principles.to.schoolwide.instructional.and.study.strategies.
coming up Short: chokepoints and Barriers to
college and career readiness
The.comprehensive.transcript.and.master-schedule.analy-
sis.revealed.several.conditions.and.institutional.practices.that.
impede.student.access.to.a.rigorous.college-prep.high.school.
curriculum,.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.sequence..
Graduation requirements:.The.greatest.barrier.to.
increasing.the.proportion.of.students.who.graduate.ready.for.
college.is.the.gap.between.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.sequence.
and.current.CUSD.graduation.requirements..
In.English,.the.A-G.requirements.stipulate.that.students.
must.complete.four.years.of.college-preparatory.English.
courses..CUSD.students.currently.must.complete.four.years.
of.English.but.can.meet.the.CHS.graduation.requirement.by.
passing.courses.with.a.D.grade,.or.by.enrolling.in.courses.
that.are.not.considered.college.preparatory.by.UC/CSU..In.
mathematics,.the.A-G.requirements.call.for.three.years.of.
coursework.through.Algebra.2;.CUSD.requires.three.years.of.
math,.through.geometry..In.science,.the.A-G.requirements.
are.two.years.of.laboratory.science,.including.biology.and.
either.chemistry.or.physics;.CUSD.also.requires.two.years,.
but.students.may.satisfy.the.graduation.requirements.with.
courses.that.are.not.lab-based.or.college-prep..For.world.
language,.the.A-G.course.sequence.requires.two.years.of.
study;.CUSD.requires.either.one.year.of.a.world.language.or.
a.visual.or.performing-arts.course.
Because.students.can.satisfy.the.district’s.graduation.
requirements.without.completing.the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.
sequence,.many.students.attend.high.school.without.under-
taking.a.rigorous.college.and.career.prep.sequence.in.which.
they.may.otherwise.succeed.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 vii

8. Course-takinG patterns:.The.master.schedule.is.the. Figure 3: access to college and career-readiness curriculum by
foundation.for.teaching.and.learning..Although.CUSD.offers. ethnicity. african american and latino students access the full
a.wide.variety.of.courses.that.qualify.as.college.preparatory,. sequence of courses necessary for college admission at significantly
lower rates than their white and asian peers.
as.determined.by.the.University.of.California.Office.of.the.
100
President.(UCOP),.not.all.CHS.students.are.able.to.access.
these.courses..Students.lack.access.for.a.variety.of.reasons,. 80 45
50
including.scheduling.conflicts.and.course-enrollment.poli- 73 72
60
cies.that.require.a.certain.GPA.or.other.prerequisites..The.
Percent
ETW.transcript.analysis.found.that.approximately.two-thirds. 40
55
of.CHS.students.from.the.Class.of.2009.had.full.access.to.the. 50
20
28
15-course.A-G.sequence.within.the.regular.six-period.school. 27
day.and.summer.school.. 0
African American Latino Asian White
Although.it.is.positive.that.a.significant.portion.of.CHS.
Access No Access
students.have.access.to.the.full.A-G.course.sequence,.a.
troubling.gap.between.student.subgroups.lies.beneath.that. Source: Ed Trust–West analysis of Carlsbad High School transcript data.
average..African-American.and.Latino.students.are.provided.
access.to.the.full.A-G.sequence.at.much.lower.rates.than.their.
Asian.and.white.counterparts..In.fact,.fewer.than.half.of.all. Figure 4: percentage of courses at carlsbad high School meeting the
uc/cSu a-G requirements – three-quarters of all regular education
Latino.students.enroll.in.the.courses.necessary.for.UC/CSU. courses are college-preparatory.
eligibility,.compared.with.almost.three-quarters.of.white.
100
100 94 94
students.(see Figure 3)..For.CHS.to.provide.an.equitable. 88 90
84
education.to.all.students,.this.disparity.must.be.addressed. 80 76
immediately..
60
Carlsbad.High.School.offers.an.impressive.array.of.courses.
Percent
that.provide.students.with.exposure.to.a.college.and.career- 40 35
readiness.curriculum..Indeed,.three-quarters.of.all.regular.
20
education.courses.meet.the.UC/CSU.admission.standards.
(see Figure 4). 0
A B C D E F G Total
Along.with.enrolling.in.and.completing.the.necessary. Social English Math Science World VAPA Electives (w/ Spec
Studies Language Ed, no PE)
coursework.for.UC/CSU.admission,.students.also.increase.
their.chances.of.graduating.ready.for.college.and.a.career. Source: Ed Trust-West analysis of Carlsbad High School 2009-10 Master Schedule.
by.enrolling.in.the.most.rigorous.courses.possible..Typi-
cally,.these.courses.come.in.the.form.of.honors.or.Advanced.
Placement.(AP).courses..Carlsbad.High.School.offers.18.AP. Figure 5: average number of ap and honors courses taken by class
of 2009. african american and latino students enroll in far fewer
courses.and.11.honors.courses.to.provide.additional.oppor- courses than the school average and compared with their white and
tunities.for.CHS.students.to.challenge.themselves.academi- asian counterparts.
100
cally..
80
8 7.35
Unfortunately,.gaps.similar.to.those.within.A-G.access. 7
and.success.rates.and.their.enrollment.in.AP.and.honors. 60
6
Percent
5
courses.exist.among.student.groups..Specifically,.Latino.and. 40
4 3.61
4.02
3.58
African-American.students.enroll.at.much.lower.rates.than. 3
20
2 1.80 1.84
the.school.average.and.compared.with.their.white.and.Asian.
1
peers.In.fact,.African.American.and.Latino.students.complete. 0
All African Latino Asian White Other
only.half.as.many.AP/Honors.courses.as.the.school.average,. American
and.even.less.than.half.as.compared.to.their.white.peers.(see
Figure 5). Source: Ed Trust–West analysis of Carlsbad High School transcript data.
viii The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

9. In.addition.to.examining.college-ready.graduation.rates,. Figure 6: 2009 Early assessment program Ela results. Fewer than
understanding.how.prepared.students.are.to.enter.into. three in ten chS eleventh-graders are ready for college-level work
credit-bearing.coursework.in.college.helps.to.assess.the.cur- in English.
rent.levels.of.preparation.students.are.receiving.at.CHS..The. 100
17
Early.Assessment.Program.(EAP).provides.eleventh-graders. 28 29
80
with.an.opportunity.to.pinpoint.their.level.of.preparation.for.
college-level.coursework.and.to.take.steps.to.improve.their. 60
Percent
skills.before.enrolling.in.college. 40 83
71 69
EAP.results.show.that.too.few.CHS.students.are.prepared.
20
for.college-level.English..In.2008-09,.only.one.quarter.of.all.
eleventh-graders.were.deemed.ready.for.college-level.work.. 0
Total Latino White
Further,.a.significant.gap.in.performance.emerges.between.
Ready Not Ready
the.results.of.white.students.and.Latino.students,.the.two.
largest.student.groups..While.only.29.percent.of.white.stu- Source: California State University Early Assessment Program
dents.achieved.readiness,.Latino.students.are.meeting.this.
benchmark.at.even.lower.rates,.with.only.17.percent.deemed.
Figure 7: 2009 Eap total math results. only one in five chS
ready.(see Figure 6).
students is ready for college-level work in the eleventh grade, with
The.results.of.the.EAP.Math.tests.for.Algebra.2.and.Sum- significant differences in readiness between student groups.
mative.Math.(for.students.enrolled.in.a.math.course.higher. 100
13
than.Algebra.2.during.eleventh.grade).show.that.few.CHS. 20
80 43
students.are.prepared.for.college-level.mathematics..Overall,. 59
45
less.than.half.(43.percent).of.the.students.tested.achieved. 60 41
Percent
readiness.(see Figure 7). 18
40
. Examination.of.the.participation.rates.for.the.two.
28
math.tests.demonstrates.that.not.all.students.are.eligible.to. 20 38 40 39
complete.the.EAP,.based.upon.their.eleventh.grade.math. 13
0
enrollment..As.Figure 8.demonstrates,.African.American.and. Total Latino Asian White
Latino.students.are.underrepresented.in.both.exams,.with.a. Ready Ready-Conditional Not Ready
particularly.low.rate.for.Latino.students.on.the.Summative. Source: California State University Early Assessment Program.
Math.exam..
additional Barriers
Low Grades:.Across.subject.areas,.low.grades.limit. Figure 8: 2009 Eap math exam participation. african american and
students’.ability.to.complete.a.college-preparatory.course.of. latino students are less likely to be eligible to complete the exam in
study..The.UC/CSU.A-G.requirements.mandate.a.minimum. eleventh grade.
1 1
grade.of.C.in.all.A-G.courses,.but.district.policies.consider. 100
13
17
D.a.passing.grade.for.credit..A.student.earning.a.D.therefore. 3
80 12
may.satisfy.CUSD.requirements.and.move.on.to.a.higher.
level.course.but.fail.to.fulfill.the.UC/CSU.requirements.for. 60
Percent
72
that.course.. 40
70
enGLish-LanGuaGe Learners:.A.disheartening.fact.is.
20
that.English-language.learners.(ELLs).have.the.lowest.rate.of.
A-G.completion.of.all.CHS.students;.in.fact,.no.ELL.student. 0 7 4
Algebra 2 (227 students) Summative Math (243 students)
was.able.to.complete.the.A-G.requirements..Although.the.
percentage.of.ELL.students.in.the.Class.of.2009.is.small,.this. African American Latino Asian White Other
is.an.important.group.of.students.with.unique.needs,.and. Source: California State University Early Assessment Program.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 ix

10. they.require.additional.support.to.succeed.in.college-prepa- areas.for.students,.and.guide.targeted.and.timely.inter-
ratory.courses..To.provide.equitable.opportunities,.school. ventions..Given.the.relatively.small.size.of.the.district,.
officials.will.need.to.examine.their.course-taking.patterns.. such.coordinated.efforts.should.be.possible.
What’s next: 3.. impLement effeCtive student supports..Some.
removing Barriers and improving access students.will.require.more.support.to.succeed.in.the.UC/
The.findings.of.the.Educational.Opportunity.Audit.(EOA). CSU.A-G.course.sequence..These.supports.may.include.
serve.as.a.baseline.for.developing.the.“Blueprint.for.Imple- shadow.classes,.targeted.use.of.zero.and.seventh-period.
mentation.of.the.College-Ready.and.Career-Ready.Curricu- courses,.and.formal.tutoring.led.by.credentialed.teach-
lum”.for.all.students..The.blueprint.is.the.action.plan.that. ers..Current.tutoring.is.anecdotally.successful,.and.could.
will.detail.the.steps.necessary.to.transform.current.course- be.more.effective.with.strategically.selected.teachers.with.
taking.patterns.so.that.all.students.can.enroll.in.the.full. track.records.of.improving.student.achievement..Equally.
complement.of.A-G.courses. important.to.offering.such.supports.is.the.need.to.moni-
As.CUSD.enters.this.next.critical.phase,.district.leaders. tor.and.evaluate.such.programs.for.their.effectiveness.
will.need.to.undertake.and.address.eight.key.priorities. and.impact.on.student.achievement.
1.. ChanGe Cusd Graduation rates to aLiGn 4.. provide teaChers and CounseLors with sus-
with the uC/Csu a-G Course sequenCe..Of.all. tained and meaninGfuL professionaL deveL-
the.chokepoints.and.barriers.to.college.and.career.readi- opment..Teachers.agree.that.instructional.rigor.must.
ness,.the.most.salient.is.the.gap.between.the.courses. remain.a.districtwide.commitment.at.the.elementary.
CUSD.requires.for.graduation.and.the.courses.required. and.secondary.levels..Indeed,.as.CUSD.institutes.a.more.
for.admission.to.California’s.two.public.university. rigorous.high.school.curriculum,.teacher.support.will.be.
systems..Research.and.the.experience.of.high-performing. essential..Teachers.should.have.input.in.selecting.high-
schools.across.the.state.confirm.that.student.perfor- quality.professional.development..In.addition,.coun-
mance.will.conform.to.the.level.of.adult.expectations.. selors.must.be.included.in.high.school.reform.efforts.
To.prepare.all.students.for.college.and.a.career,.CUSD. and.provided.with.relevant,.differentiated.professional.
leaders.must.require.rigorous.coursework.for.all.students. development.that.allows.them.to.offer.students.high-
and.improve.access.to.these.courses.for.all.students..As. quality.counseling.services..The.district’s.professional.
part.of.this.alignment,.courses.which.are.not.UCOP- development.plan.must.be.monitored.for.its.effective-
approved,.such.as.Oceans.and.Senior.English,.must. ness.in.improving.student.achievement..
either.be.eliminated.or.re-designed.to.be.approved.as.
college.preparatory. 5.. improve the eLL instruCtionaL proGram..ELL.
students.currently.are.not.completing.the.UC/CSU.A-G.
2.. deveLop earLy warninG systems to identify course.sequence..This.is.due.in.part.to.lack.of.“sheltered”.
struGGLinG students as soon as possibLe.. course.offerings,.which.would.provide.students.with.
The.initiative.to.prepare.all.students.for.college.and. rigorous.coursework.in.their.native.language..CUSD.
a.career.cannot.succeed.as.a.uniquely.high.school. leaders.must.analyze.the.instructional.program.for.ELLs.
endeavor..Educators.from.preschool.through.eighth. to.accelerate.their.progress.in.pursuing.a.college.and.
grade.must.also.raise.their.expectations.and.the.rigor. career-preparatory.curriculum..While.the.small.popu-
of.their.assignments,.and.CUSD.leaders.must.develop. lation.of.ELL.students.at.CHS.may.limit.the.ability.to.
systems.to.identify.struggling.students.before.they.reach. offer.sheltered.courses.in.all.subject.areas,.adding.some.
high.school..This.may.entail.improved.and.systemic. additional.sheltered.courses.for.these.students.will.still.
articulation.between.middle.and.high.school.teachers,. prove.beneficial.
increased.communication,.and.additional.opportunities.
for.professional.development..Utilizing.results.from.for- 6.. deveLop an effeCtive Community outreaCh
mative.assessments.and.CSTs.will.help.identify.problem. strateGy..CUSD.families.want.students.to.leave.high.
x The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

11. school.prepared.for.college.and.a.career..They.also.
believe.that.all.students.should.follow.the.UC/CSU.A-G.
course.sequence.to.make.this.a.reality..CUSD.lead-
ers.must.improve.communication.with.families.and.
community.organizations,.particularly.regarding.the.
details.and.importance.of.the.A-G.course.sequence..This.
outreach.should.involve.the.community.early.in.the.pro-
cess.of.developing.any.new.policy.and.provide.critical.
information.in.Spanish.and.other.languages.
7.. prioritize resourCes that enabLe reform..
California.is.experiencing.an.unprecedented.fiscal.crisis,.
and.the.state.has.asked.schools.and.districts.to.bear.an.
especially.large.proportion.of.the.budget.shortfall..Thus,.
districts.must.be.particularly.thoughtful.about.resource.
allocation,.investing.in.the.reform.efforts.that.maximize.
benefits.for.students..Streamlining.processes,.eliminat-
ing.ineffective.programs,.and.committing.stimulus.funds.
to.the.goal.of.a.college.and.career-ready.curriculum.for.
all.students.will.allow.the.district.to.continue.its.reform.
efforts.even.in.the.face.of.financial.hardship..Effective.
reform.will.cost.plenty,.but.delay.will.prove.even.more.
costly.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 xi

12. xii The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

13. the carlsbad
Educational opportunity audit (Eoa)
i. collEGE and carEEr-rEady curriculum:
rationalE and rElEvancE
The.tide.of.education.reform.continues.to.gather.strength,. increased.their.proportion.of.college-educated.workers.and.
as.President.Barack.Obama.calls.for.higher.achievement. are.projected.to.employ.greater.numbers.of.workers.with.
for.all.students.and.closing.persistent.achievement.gaps.. bachelor’s.degrees.3.Even.jobs.once.thought.of.as.“nonaca-
Although.these.are.difficult.goals.to.accomplish,.achieving. demic”.demand.a.rigorous.academic.foundation..Automo-
them.is.crucial—and.possible..Across.the.educational.land- tive.technicians,.plumbers,.manufacturers,.and.the.building.
scape,.the.conditions.are.ripe.for.change. trades.require.“college.track”.levels.of.physics.and.mathemat-
The.unparalleled.federal.investment.in.education.reform. ical.ability,.not.to.mention.strong.English.literacy.4.
through.the.Race.to.the.Top.grants.has.provided.unprec- The.economy.has.changed,.and.schools.must.change.
edented.opportunities.for.major.changes.to.education.policy. accordingly..All.students.must.have.access.to.a.rigorous,.
and.the.practice.of.educating.students..The.Department. high-level.curriculum.and.develop.the.knowledge,.critical.
of.Education’s.determination.to.harness.the.possibility.of. thinking,.and.problem-solving.skills.that.are.essential.both.
such.a.climate.signals.a.federal.commitment.to.providing. to.postsecondary.work.and.to.a.living-wage.career.
schools.with.the.resources.necessary.to.improve.both.policy. Translating.these.principles.into.standards.and.tangible.
and.practice.in.education..Additionally,.educators.across. academic.programs.may.be.a.demanding.process,.but.it.is.far.
the.nation.now.recognize.that.with.the.reauthorization.of. from.impossible..California.is.not.alone,.and.the.state.can.
Elementary.and.Secondary.Education.Act.drawing.closer,. look.to.other.states.for.guidance..In.January.2008,.Califor-
the.goal.of.raising.student.achievement,.particularly.in.high. nia.joined.35.states.that.have.signed.on.to.the.American.
schools.the.distinction.between.a.student.being.“college. Diploma.Project.(ADP),.an.initiative.aligning.high.school.
ready”.and.“work.ready”.no.longer.is.irrelevant..Today,.every. standards.with.the.demands.of.college.and.careers..In.so.
young.person.must.possess.the.knowledge.and.problem- doing,.California’s.education.community—including.the.
solving.capabilities.that.once.were.expected.only.of.a.select. governor’s.office,.the.California.Department.of.Education,.
few..Thus,.it.no.longer.is.acceptable.to.prepare.some.young. business.leaders,.the.two.state.university.systems,.and.a.coali-
people.for.college.and.others.for.careers..In.today’s.world,.all. tion.of.community.colleges—pledged.to.work.together.to.
students.need.the.same.preparation.1 raise.the.value.of.a.high.school.diploma..This.multiyear.pro-
Nationally,.President.Obama’s.American.Graduation. cess.entails.increasing.curricular.rigor,.improving.the.quality.
Initiative.seeks.to.bring.America.back.to.international. of.assessments,.and.aligning.the.expectations.of.high.school.
preeminence.by.2020.in.the.proportion.of.college.gradu- with.expectations.for.college.and.career.readiness.
ates..In.introducing.this.initiative,.the.president.said.the. The.UC/CSU.A-G.course.requirements.contain.the.rigor.
shifting.labor.market.in.the.United.States.requires.workers. high.school.students.need..These.requirements.represent.
to.have.higher.levels.of.analytical.and.collaborative.skills.2. both.an.ambitious.target.and.a.navigable.path.to.raise.
These.skills.are.precisely.what.students.must.develop.in.high. expectations.and.outcomes.for.all.California.students..For.
school.to.help.move.the.country.toward.this.laudable.goal. California.to.remain.economically.competitive,.this.college-
In.California,.the.fastest.growing.sectors.employing.the. prep.course.sequence—which.only.34.percent.of.students.
most.workers—health.care,.social.services,.computer.science,. statewide.successfully.completed.in.2008—must.become.the.
and.education—hire.substantial.percentages.of.employees. default.curriculum.and.minimum.graduation.requirement.
with.college.degrees..Other.sectors,.such.as.business,.arts.and. for.all.high.school.students..Across.the.state,.visionary.district.
design,.personal.care,.and.transportation.have.dramatically. leaders.have.begun.to.take.the.steps.necessary.to.make.the.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 1

14. UC/CSU.A-G.course.sequence.available.to.all.students. ii. carlSBad uniFiEd School diStrict’S
California.faces.a.daunting.array.of.challenges..Clearly,. commitmEnt to rEForm: thE road to
a.highly.educated,.highly.skilled.workface.remains.central. riGor
to.our.ability.to.grow.our.economy.and.our.standing.on. In.an.effort.to.become.a.truly.world-class.school.district,.
the.world.stage..It.is.therefore.inexplicable.that.we.are.still. Carlsbad.Unified.School.District.has.been.working.diligently.
debating.whether.to.teach.our.children.to.the.highest.levels. to.improve.educational.outcomes.for.all.students..As.a.key.
of.academic.rigor..Now.that.we.have.adopted.exacting.state. step.in.bringing.this.ambitious.goal.to.fruition,.CUSD’s.
standards,.we.must.elevate.high.school.graduation.require- superintendent.and.school.board.in.fall.2008.asked.ETW.to.
ments.to.ensure.that.all.California.students.graduate.ready. analyze.the.educational.experiences.of.CUSD.students..
for.college.and.a.career. The.school.board.affirmed.its.belief.that.all.students.
should.be.prepared.for.college.and.a.career.by.passing.
Resolution.#50-0809.on.May.13,.2009.(see.Appendix.A)..
This.resolution.aimed.to.create.educational.equity.and.help.
prepare.all.Carlsbad.graduates.for.success.in.college.and.a.
career..With.this.commitment,.CUSD.is.leading.the.charge.
for.equitable.access.and.success.for.California’s.most.histori-
cally.underserved.students.
progress
One.way.to.measure.the.district’s.progress.thus.far.is.to.
examine.current.expectations.for.students.to.graduate.from.
high.school..How.do.current.CUSD.graduation.requirements.
compare.with.college.admissions.requirements?.CUSD.
requires.students.to.earn.240.credits.(with.credit.require-
ments.in.each.subject.area),.pass.the.California.High.School.
Exit.Exam.(CAHSEE),.pass.Algebra.I.and.geometry,.complete.
at.least.20.hours.of.community.service,.and.maintain.a.
grade-point.average.of.1.50.or.higher..
Currently,.CUSD.graduation.requirements.do.not.align.with.
the.UC/CSU.A-G.course.requirements..This.means.that.not.all.
Carlsbad.High.School.students.graduate.with.a.diploma.prepar-
ing.them.for.college.and.career.success..Table 1.demonstrates.
that.students.can.fulfill.CUSD.graduation.requirements.and.
meet.many,.but.not.all,.of.the.15.A-G.course.requirements..
The.changes.necessary.to.align.the.CUSD.graduation.require-
ments.with.the.UC/CSU.sequence.are.fairly.minimal..Students.
graduating.from.CUSD.must.complete.three.years.of.mathemat-
ics.through.geometry;.to.meet.UC/CSU.eligibility,.students.
must.take.Algebra.II..Carlsbad.currently.requires.two.years.of.
science,.one.biological.and.one.physical;.for.UC/CSU.eligibility,.
students.would.need.to.complete.these.two.lab-science.credits.
through.classes.approved.by.the.UCOP.as.college.preparatory..
Additionally,.CUSD.students.have.the.option.of.completing.
either.one.year.of.a.world.language.or.one.year.of.a.fine-arts.
course..To.meet.UC/CSU.eligibility,.students.would.need.to.
complete.both.one.year.of.a.visual.and.performing-arts.course.
2 The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

15. table 1: cuSd Graduation requirements, uc/cSu a-G course requirements, and Suggested changes for alignment
and.two.years.of.the.same.world.language.course.(see Table 1).. Changes to Align CUsD Gradu-
2009 CUsD Graduation UC/sCU A-G
subject Area ation Requirements with A-G
Requirements Requirements
requirements
a. Social Studies World History/ College-Prep World Social Studies 30 credits
Geography ......10 credits
. History/Cultures/Geo- (no changes)
graphy ............10 credits
.
US History .......10 credits
College-Prep U.S. History/
US Government /
Government ....10 credits
Economics ......10 credits
b. English Language Arts English ............40 credits College-Prep English/ English ............40 credits
Language Arts 0 credits
4 (no changes)
c. Mathematics Mathematics College-Prep Elementary Math ...............30 credits
.
(including Algebra Algebra ...........10 credits (including Algebra I, Geometry,
I & through at least and Algebra II)
College-Prep
Geometry) ......30 credits Geometry .......10 credits
.
College-Prep Intermediate
Algebra II ........10 credits
d. Sciences Science (including College-Prep Biology Science ............20 credits
biology and a physical or Chemistry (College-Prep lab sciences)
science) ..........20 credits
. or Physics .......20 credits
e. World Language World language Same World
(or American Sign College-Prep World Language .......20 credits
.
Language) Language .......20 credits
. (10 additional credits)
OR Visual/Performing
Arts .................10 credits
.
f. Visual Performing Arts Visual/Performing College-Prep Visual/Performing
Arts .................. 0 credits
. Visual Performing Arts .................10 credits
.
Arts .................10 credits
. (required)
g. Electives Electives .........90 credits
. College-Prep Electives .........70 credits
.
Elective ...........10 credits
h. Physical Education Physical None Physical
Education .......20 credits
. Education .......40 credits
.
(beginning Class of 2011)
i. Required Testing Passing the CAHSEE SAT reasoning or ACT Passing the CAHSEE
with writing and SAT
Subject exam
j. Other 20 hours community 20 hours community service
service
Total 240 credits 150 credits 240 credits
Source: Ed Trust–West Analysis of CUSD graduation requirements.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 3

16. iii. audit componEnt #1: ExamininG StudEnt
Figure 1: carlsbad unified School district & carlsbad high School
pErFormancE trEndS 2008-09 enrollment by ethnicity. cuSd serves a diverse student
ETW.examined.publicly.available.student-achievement. population.
data.to.uncover.trends.within.the.district..The.goal.was.to. 100
determine.whether.students.graduate.in.four.years.with.a.
80
meaningful.high.school.diploma,.prepared.for.college.and. 64
60
career..ETW.analyzed.enrollment.and.student.achievement. 60
Percent
data,.focusing.on.the.California.Standards.Tests.(CSTs),.Aca- 40
demic.Performance.Index.(API),.UC/CSU.A-G.requirement. 23 21
20
completion.rates,.Advanced.Placement.(AP).exams.results,. 6 9
5 8
2 2
Early.Assessment.Program.(EAP).results,.and.graduation.and. 0
CUSD CHS
dropout.rates..Finally,.ETW.disaggregated.all.data.to.deter-
African American Latino Asian White Other
mine.the.achievement.levels.of.significant.student.subgroups.
The.trends.and.patterns.uncovered.during.the.data.analy- Source: California Department of Education.
sis.deepened.ETW’s.understanding.of.students’.educational.
experiences..ETW.was.able.to.observe.growth.in.student.
Figure 2: on the rise over the past six years, Growth apis for
achievement.and.learn.whether.achievement.gaps.narrowed.
carlsbad unified and carlsbad high School top statewide averages.
or.widened.during.the.period.studied..As.schools.become.
900
100 858
increasingly.accountable.for.the.academic.achievement.of. 828 831
846
810 819
all.students,.school.and.district.leaders.similarly.can.use. 800
80
806 813
770 768 775 775
student-performance.data.to.find.out.which.subgroups.are.
700
60 713
702
Percent
doing.well.and.which.need.more.support.
600
40
Findings of Student performance trends 500
20
enrollment 0
400
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Disaggregating.student-achievement.data.by.ethnicity. Carlsbad High CUSD CA (9-11)
provides.insight.into.the.achievement.levels.of.all.significant.
Source: California Department of Education.
subgroups..Figure 1.shows.the.ethnic.composition.of.both.
CUSD.and.CHS.for.the.2008-09.school.year..Two.other.
significant.subgroups.for.CUSD.include.special.education.
students.(10.percent.of.enrollment).and.English-language.
learners.(9.percent)..Enrollment.at.Carlsbad.High.School. Figure 3: Five-year Growth api trends by ethnic group - the gap
resembles.that.of.the.district.as.a.whole,.with.slightly.more. between latino and white students remains apparent, in spite of
white.students.and.fewer.Asian.students..Special.education. fairly steady growth by both student groups.
students.represent.10.percent.of.the.CHS.enrollment,.and. 900
100
830 834
approximately.5.percent.of.the.high.school.students.are. 794 801 801
800
80
English-language.learners. 714 725
700
60 684 678
CUSD’s.dropout.rate.of.less.than.1.percent.compares. 673
Percent
favorably.with.California’s.5.percent.rate.. 600
40
student achievement—state accountability 500
20
California.uses.the.Academic.Performance.Index.(API).to. 0
400
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
measure.the.academic.performance.and.growth.of.schools.
Latino White
on.a.variety.of.measures..The.major.components.of.this.
accountability.model.include.the.California.Standards.Tests. Source: California Department of Education.
4 The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

17. Figure 4: api Growth for student subgroups compared with chS –
(CSTs).and.the.California.High.School.Exit.Exam.(CAHSEE).. English- language learners, poor students, and special education
CUSD’s.2009.growth.API.is.858..Carlsbad.High.School’s. students continue struggling to achieve at high levels equal to
Growth.API.is.813..This.score.is.significantly.higher.than.the. their peers.
state.API.for.grades.9.through.11.(see Figure 2). 900
100
While.Carlsbad.High.School’s.overall.Growth.API.is. 806
813
800
80 768 775 775
above.the.state.average,.disaggregating.the.data.by.significant.
712 704
subgroups.shows.large.gaps.in.performance.between.stu- 700
60
Percent
637 653 638 640
627
dent.groups..In.particular,.the.gap.between.Latino.and.white. 644
600
40 620
students.is.cause.for.some.concern..The.Growth.API.for.both. 569 568
groups.has.been.increasing.over.time,.and.though.the.gap. 500
20 538
between.the.two.groups.has.diminished.over.the.past.five. 0
400
years,.it.has.closed.by.a.total.of.12.points.(see Figure 3).. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
English-language Learners Economically Disadvantaged
Another.concern.at.CHS.is.the.recent.drop.in.API.growth.
Carlsbad High Special Education
for.English-language.learners.and.low-income.students.(see Source: California Department of Education.
Figure 4)..While.economically.disadvantaged.students.have.
seen.an.improvement.in.their.API.growth.scores.over.the.past.
several.years,.existing.gaps.are.troubling.in.any.form,.but. Figure 5: 2009 cSt Ela results - approximately seven out of ten
ninth-grade students achieve proficiency in English language arts,
growing.or.remaining.gaps.demonstrate.the.school’s.need.to.
with slightly smaller rates of tenth and eleventh graders reaching
focus.on.providing.high-quality.education.for.all.students,. Ela proficiency.
with.particular.focus.on.historically.underserved.groups. 100
72
california standards Tests (csTs) 80
63
The.CSTs.administered.in.spring.of.each.school.year.to. 60 68
Percent
students.in.grades.2-11.measure.student.proficiency.on.state.
40
standards..All.students.take.tests.in.English.language.arts.
21 21
(ELA).and.mathematics..In.addition,.schools.administer.tests. 20 18
in.science.and.social.studies..Figures.5-11.survey.the.perfor- 9 12 16
0
mance.of.Carlsbad.High.School.students.on.the.ELA.and.math. 9th 10th 11th
portions.of.the.CST..Figure 5.shows.that.in.ninth.grade.almost. Proficient/Advanced Basic Below Basic/Far Below Basic
three-quarters.of.CHS.students.scored.proficient.or.higher.in. Source: California Department of Education.
ELA..For.tenth.and.eleventh-grade.students,.this.rate.drops.
slightly,.by.four.and.nine.percentage.points,.respectively..
The.proficiency.rates.for.CHS.students.are.much.higher.
Figure 6: carlsbad high School 2009 cSt Ela proficiency levels by
than.those.of.California.overall..Indeed,.only.half.of.the. subgroup – latino students achieve proficiency at lower rates than
state’s.ninth-graders.and.only.35.percent.of.eleventh-graders. white students by large margins.
reached.that.proficiency.benchmark.. 100
Although.these.comparisons.show.how.well.CHS.is.prepar- 80
80 76
ing.some.students.for.state.assessments,.further.examination. 66
of.the.data.suggests.that.much.work.remains.to.promote.high. 60
Percent
48 51
achievement.for.all.students..Disaggregating.the.ELA.results.by. 40
41
significant.subgroup.demonstrates.a.clear.achievement.gap.at.
20
CHS..The.gap.between.Latino.students,.on.the.one.hand,.and.
white.and.Asian.students,.on.the.other,.is.large..Gaps.among. 0
9th 10th 11th
ninth-grade.students.are.particularly.troubling,.with.fewer.
than.half.of.Latino.students.reaching.proficiency,.compared. Latino White
with.80.percent.of.white.students.(see Figure 6). Source: California Department of Education.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 5

18. Figure 7: carlsbad high School 2008-09 cSt algebra 1 results – chS Figure 9: cuSd 8th Grade algebra 1 cSt results 2005-09 –
ninth graders perform higher than the state average, but still have proficiency rates have remained high, as more students enroll in
much progress toward total proficiency. algebra in middle school.
100 6 100
8
36 19
80 21 80 51
64
73
60 60
Percent
Percent
84
89
40 75
40 72 40
30
20 20 31
24 25
13
18 19
1 1 3 5
0 0
9th 10th 11th 2005 (287/824) 2006 (276/838) 2007 (323/914) 2008 (455/1,030) 2009 (652/1,188)
Proficient/Advanced Basic Below Basic/Far Below Basic Proficient/Advanced Basic Below Basic/Far Below Basic
Source: California Department of Education. Source: California Department of Education.
CST.results.in.math.demonstrate.again.that.CHS.ninth-
graders.are.surpassing.the.state.average,.which.stands.at.21.
percent.proficiency..The.data.from.Figure 7.shows.that.profi-
ciency.rates.for.tenth.and.eleventh-graders.are.much.lower.. Figure 10: carlsbad high School 2009 cSt algebra 2 results –
Importantly,.a.large.percentage.of.students.complete.Alge- virtually all ninth grade students tested demonstrated proficiency.
bra.1.in.the.eighth.grade..In.the.past.four.years,.the.percent- 100
13
age.of.eighth-grade.students.completing.the.Algebra.1.CST.
80
test.overall.in.California.has.remained.fairly.steady..At.the. 60 37
same.time,.CUSD.has.increased.eighth-grade.participation.by. 60
Percent
97
22.percentage.points.(see Figure 8)..
40
CHS.students,.particularly.ninth-graders,.demonstrated.
29 62
high.rates.of.proficiency.in.Algebra.2.(see Figure 10)..This.is. 20
impressive,.as.students.who.complete.Algebra.2.are.more. 0
3 12
likely.to.be.eligible.for.college.admission.. 9th 10th 11th
However,.a.large.gap.remains.between.the.proficiency. Proficient/Advanced Basic Below Basic/Far Below Basic
rates.in.math.of.Latino.students.as.compared.to.white.stu- Source: California Department of Education.
dents.(see Figure 11)..Further,.far.fewer.Latino.students.are.
enrolling.in.Algebra.2.compared.to.their.white.peers.
Figure 8: cSt algebra 1 test-takers: cuSd has significantly increased Figure 11: 2009 cSt algebra 2 proficiency rates by student group.
its 8th grade students completing algebra 1. asian and white students are taking higher level math courses
60
earlier than latino students.
55
100 95 94
100
50
44
80
40
80
35 35 60
33 33 33
32 60 56
Percent
30
60
Percent
40
20
40
20 13
10
20 9
0
0 9th 10th 11th
2006 2007 2008 2009
Latino* Asian* White
CUSD CA * Some data not available for this student group
Source: California Department of Education.
Source: California Department of Education.
6 The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010

19. advanced placement (ap) tests Figure 12: ap test passage rates. chS has increased both the total
AP.courses.provide.high.school.students.with.an.opportu- number of students taking ap tests and the number passing with a
nity.to.pursue.a.more.rigorous.course.of.study..CHS.provides. score of 3 or higher.
a.large.number.of.AP.courses.to.students,.to.better.prepare. 1200
1,132
them.for.college-level.work..Over.the.past.four.years,.CHS.
1000
100
50
has.increased.not.only.the.amount.of.students.enrolling.in. 846
880
791
AP.Courses.and.taking.the.corresponding.test.by.over.sixty. 800
40
80
688
630 650
percent,.but.also.the.amount.of.students.passing.the.tests. 600
30
60 565
Percent
with.a.score.of.3.or.higher.by.over.fifty.percent.(see Figure
400
20
40
12)..Disaggregated.enrollment.data.is.unavailable.for.AP.
tests..ETW.transcript.analysis.did.uncover.some.differences.in. 200
10
20
enrollment.between.student.subgroups.(see.Audit.Compo-
0
nent.#2)..As.CHS.moves.toward.a.college.and.career.prepara- 2005 2006 2007 2008
(367 students) (428 students) (475 students) (587 students)
tory.curriculum.for.all.students,.opening.enrollment.to.AP.
Tests Taken Tests Passed
courses.to.all.students.will.serve.to.increase.these.participa-
Source: California Department of Education.
tion.rates.at.even.higher.rates.
Graduation rates Figure 13: cuSd Graduation rates, 2003-2008: carlsbad students
Accurate.graduation.rates.are.unavailable.because.Califor- graduate a rate significantly higher than the state average.
nia.currently.lacks.a.statewide.longitudinal.data.system..Until. 100 93 93
97
93 90
this.is.an.option,.the.state.calculates.graduation.rates.using.
80 85 85 83
data.from.the.National.Center.for.Education.Statistics..As.Fig- 81 80
ure 13.shows,.CUSD’s.gradation.rate.is.almost.ten.percentage. 60
Percent
points.higher.than.California’s..
40
In.addition.to.examining.the.district’s.graduation.rates,.
ETW.reviewed.the.data.to.determine.how.many.graduates. 20
meet.the.more.rigorous.UC/CSU.A-G.requirements..Students. 0
who.meet.these.requirements.emerge.from.school.prepared. 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
CUSD California
for.college.and.a.career..Understanding.these.completion.
rates.helps.illuminate.the.level.of.preparation.provided.to. Source: California Department of Education.
some.Carlsbad.students.and.flags.areas.for.improvement..
The.A-G.graduation.rates.have.remained.fairly.steady.in.
Figure 14: a-G graduation rates for chS and california - college and
CUSD.over.the.past.five.years,.with.more.than.half.of.all.high.
career readiness for carlsbad high School graduates occurs at a
school.graduates.meeting.this.advanced.preparation.bench- much higher rate.
mark.(see Figure 14)..This.stands.in.stark.contrast.to.the.state. 100
average.of.37.percent.in.2008..Despite.Carlsbad’s.impressive.
80
A-G.participation,.much.progress.remains.to.achieve.the.
goal.of.college.and.career.readiness.for.all.the.district’s.high. 60 55 59 56 58
Percent
school.graduates. 39 40 39
40 38 38
26
20
0
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
CHS California
Source: California Department of Education.
The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010 7

20. ETW.also.examined.college-readiness.graduation.rates. Figure 15: class of 2009 a-G graduation rates by student subgroup.
by.ethnicity..Figure 15.demonstrates.that.though.Carlsbad.is. Significant gaps exist between latino students and their white peers.
achieving.higher.rates.of.college.readiness.than.many.other. 100
schools.and.districts.in.California,.gaps.still.exist.between.
80
student.groups,.particularly.between.Latinos.and.whites..The.
61 63 63
60
gap.between.these.two.groups.almost.exactly.mirrors.the.gap. 60
Percent
between.CHS.as.a.whole.and.California..The.A-G.graduation. 39 41 41
40 35
rate.in.2008-09,.as.reported.to.the.California.Department. 29
of.Education.(CDE),.was.incorrect.because.of.a.data-tagging. 20 14
issue.within.CUSD’s.student.information.system..This. 0
miscalculation.was.discovered.and.investigated..While.the. 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08
number.could.not.be.resubmitted.to.CDE,.CUSD.internally. Latino White
reports.that.52.9.percent.of.all.CHS.graduates.met.the.full. Source: California Department of Education.
A-G.course.sequence.upon.graduation.
Early assessment program
To.help.high.schools.better.assess.the.current.level.of.
preparation.of.eleventh-graders,.the.CSU.system,.the.Califor-
nia.Department.of.Education,.and.the.California.State.Board.
of.Education.have.created.an.Early.Assessment.Program.
(EAP)..The.EAP.provides.eleventh-graders.with.an.opportu-
nity.to.pinpoint.their.level.of.preparation.for.college-level.
coursework.and.to.take.steps.to.improve.their.skills.before.
enrolling.in.college.
Based.upon.their.EAP.English.language.arts.and.math.
results,.eleventh-graders.considered.ready.for.college-level.
work.will.be.exempt.from.taking.any.additional.CSU.place-
ment.tests..And.upon.entering.the.CSU.system,.they.will.be.
able.to.enroll.in.credit-bearing.college.courses..Students.who.
score.“Ready.for.College:.Conditional”.in.the.EAP.Math.sec-
tion.are.deemed.provisionally.ready.for.college-level.math.
courses,.provided.they.take.another.higher.level.math.course.
during.their.senior.year..This.will.ensure.that.they.gain.the.
skills.they.will.need.to.succeed.in.credit-bearing.work.in.col-
lege,.and.will.still.have.to.take.the.placement.test.upon.enter-
ing.a.CSU..Finally,.those.who.are.considered.“Not.Ready”.
will.have.their.senior.year.to.improve.their.skills.and.pass.the.
placement.tests..
Students.who.are.unable.to.improve.their.skills.suffi-
ciently.before.graduation.will.have.to.complete.non-credit-
bearing.remedial.courses.upon.entering.the.CSU.system..
Such.coursework.can.pose.a.problem.for.students;.those.who.
do.not.enroll.in.credit-bearing.work.upon.matriculation.typi-
cally.struggle.to.complete.their.degree.in.a.timely.fashion.
Few.CHS.students.are.prepared.for.college-level.English..
In.2008-09,.only.one.quarter.of.all.eleventh-graders.were.
8 The educaTion TrusT–wesT | carlSBad | March 2010