Three San Luis Obispo County high schools make lowest performing list

February 11, 2019

By KAREN VELIE

Three San Luis Obispo County high schools made the California Department of Education’s list of the state’s 781 poorest-performing schools in 2018, published last week. Only two county high schools scored above the standard in both English language arts and mathematics. [Cal Coast Times]

Under federal law, states have to report the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools so that they can receive additional aid. Each school is given $160,000 in Title I federal aid per year, according to the state.

Many of the under-performing schools listed are in financially disadvantaged neighborhoods including Shandon High School with 79 percent of students living in poverty. The state considers a number of factors related to 11th grade students, including suspension rates and English and math testing scores, to determine whether a school makes the list.

The under-performing list includes three high schools in SLO County: a public school, a continuation school and an alternative school. In SLO County, no elementary schools made the state’s 781 poorest performing schools list.

San Luis Obispo County’s poorest-performing schools:

Shandon High in the Shandon Joint Unified School District has 10.2 percent of students who have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 62.5 points below the standard and math scores at 126 points below the standard.

Lopez Continuation High School in the Lucia Mar Unified School District has 10.1 percent of students who have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 80.7 points below the standard and math scores at 177.4 points below the standard.

San Luis Obispo County Community through the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education has 18.8 percent of students who have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 120.3 points below the standard and math scores at 217.5 points below the standard.

Top ratings for San Luis Obispo County public high schools:

At San Luis Obispo High School, 3.9 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 55.5 points above the standard and math scores at 8.1 points above the standard.

At Morro Bay High School, 6.5 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 33.5 points above the standard and math scores at 15.8 points above the standard.

At Templeton High School, 4 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 65.9 points above the standard and math scores at 16.2 points below the standard.

At Arroyo Grande High School, 2.7 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 28.5 points above the standard and math scores at 59.2 points below the standard.

At Paso Robles High School, 9.4 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 29.4 points above the standard and math scores at 37.8 points below the standard.

At Atascadero High School, 5.6 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 7.3 points above the standard and math scores at 53.9 points below the standard.

At Nipomo High School, 3.6 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at 5.2 points above the standard and math scores at 79.1 points below the standard.

At Coast Union High School in Cambria, 4.5 percent of students have been suspended at least once. Testing shows English scores at .04 points below the standard and math scores at 60.7 points below the standard.