SCUSD to Unveil Much-Anticipated Results of Bold School Reform Effort
Data on ‘Priority Schools’ revealed at press conference with State Superintendent Tom Torlakso

Press release

SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond will reveal the results of the
district’s aggressive initiative to turnaround low-performing schools during Wednesday’s press conference with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

The press conference will be at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, August 31, in the library of Oak Ridge Elementary School, 4501 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Superintendent Raymond’s remarks will follow a presentation by Superintendent Torlakson on state Academic Performance Index (API) data and federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) information. The data is embargoed by the California Department of Education until after Wednesday’s press conference.

Last year, SCUSD launched its Superintendent’s Priority Schools program to speed up the rate of learning and close “achievement gaps” at six schools: Hiram Johnson High School; Oak Ridge, Jedediah Smith and Father Keith B. Kenny elementary schools; and Will C. Wood and Fern Bacon middle schools.

Principals at five of the six schools were replaced, the schools were landscaped, painted and cleaned and faculties underwent extensive training in the latest research-tested methods for improving learning.

API numbers to be revealed on Wednesday will show the results of that effort.

WHAT:  Press conference on student achievement data

WHEN: 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, August 31

WHERE: Oak Ridge Elementary School library; 4501 Martin Luther King Blvd.

WHO: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond, Orange County Schools Superintendent Bill Habermehl