FULLERTON UNION HIGH SCHOOL and the CAASPP

Every April/May, our 11th grade students take the computer-based California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). This test is used to identify how well students are gaining understanding and mastery of the Common Core State Standards.

This test is important for students and for the FUHS for a couple of reasons.

First, for the student, there is a component to the assessment -- the Early Assessment Program (EAP) -- that measures if the student is prepared for entry level UC or CSU classes in math and language arts. Students who earn an EAP score of 4 are considered ready; those who earn a 3 or lower will require/are encouraged to take additional classes during their senior year to prepare them for college level courses. A student cannot take the EAP independent of the CAASPP; the EAP is embedded in the CAASPP. As a result, if a student chooses to attend a UC or CSU but does not take the CAASPP, they will have to pursue alternative actions including:
Pay to take college-administered math and English placement exams,
Pay to take necessary college summer school courses, or
Take remedial math and language arts during their first year of college (these courses do not satisfy college credit requirements).
Note that a college acceptance may be rescinded if testing/classes are not completed.

For our school, participation rate in the CAASPP is one component of meeting our Adequate Yearly Progress goals which determine if we are in program improvement. At FUHS, we need 95% of our 11th graders to take the CAASPP. If we have less than 95% take the test, then we do not meet our AYP goal, despite our students’ individual and collective academic successes. Being identified as a program improvement school because of a low testing number is not a fair representation of Fullerton Union High School, but that’s the way it works and it does harm our school’s reputation and rankings. This label does not correctly identify WHO we are and all the wonderful things happening at our school.

At FUHS, our staff is dedicated to providing a learning environment that enables our students to excel academically. FUHS repeatedly graduates students who are consistently ranked at the top of graduating seniors. A school where students can achieve success: THIS is FULLERTON UNION HIGH SCHOOL.