I did a breakdown of SBAC scores for each grade for SFUSD and CA. 8th grade scores, the threshold year for
9th grade placement decisions make a good comparison as typical of other years as well.
Not exact matches
One promising approach involves administering
placement exams earlier, when students are in
9th or 10th
grade.
Applicants seeking nonguaranteed kindergarten or
9th -
grade Main Round
placements for the 2013 — 14 school year submitted forms with only 3.1 schools ranked, on average.
For the 2013 — 14 school year, 2,881 applicants requested a nonguaranteed kindergarten or
9th -
grade placement during the Main Round in February.
In the Main Round, 315 families that requested nonguaranteed kindergarten or
9th -
grade placements with applications listing fewer than eight schools did not get placed at all.
However, another 774 applicants first requested a nonguaranteed kindergarten or
9th -
grade placement in either Round 2 (in May) or Round 3 (in July), before the final administrative matching process.
The new law applies only to
9th -
grade placement, but acceleration decisions are starting in some districts, including Cupertino Union School District, in 5th
grade, leading to accelerated classes in middle school, and as late as 11th
grade in other districts, such as San Francisco Unified.
Supporters of the new law hope that districts will apply the same principles of fairness and objectivity they will implement for
9th grade under the new law in whatever
grades placement decisions are made.