LSS SAT Scores exceed state and national averages in verbal and math sections

Student Achievement Reports

Laurel Springs is proud of students who study hard to take the SAT each year. Our high scores affirm our personalized instructional practices and back-up our high average GPA. In the 2004/2005 school year the average grade for our students was B; strong evidence that flexible scheduling and one-on-one teaching result in quality work.

UC a-g Requirements

Laurel Springs offers 30 courses approved as meeting UC a-g requirements in all academic subject areas. The Curriculum and College Advising Departments have worked hard to stay abreast of the UC a-g course approval process, designing courses that meet both the University of California subject area requirements and helping students plan their academic schedules to graduate with the appropriate courses in the a-g categories. This year 97 students are taking a-g courses and have received counseling on preparation for application to UC and CSU schools.

It has been observed that UC requirements align with the requirements of many other colleges and universities, including ivy leagues.

Student Feedback

Overall, LSS students are doing well and benefiting from the kind of personalized teaching and parent involvement that is the hallmark of our school philosophy. Problems and deficiencies are easy to identify against a backdrop of positive assessments.

We recently created a report on an online survey we conducted, to which over 9,000 students responded. An overwhelming 94% of students reported that their curriculum was challenging, with 88% assuring us that it was also interesting. Another exciting statistic that immediately went to the teachers was that 89% of students agreed their teachers understood their personal needs and learning styles.

As in any valid survey, there was also negative feedback. The Director of Education identified a troubling statistic from the same survey. In contrast to the 85% of students who felt the amount of work expected of them was just right, a whopping 68% said they were not able to manage their time well to get the work done. This finding reinforces concerns brought to the last faculty meeting; students are procrastinating and, therefore, not reaping the benefits of teacher feedback or finishing on time. A large-scale project, to help students, parents, and teachers with time management and study skills, will likely be one of the key items in the school's next action plan.

Our action plan is a living document committing the necessary resources to attain a few key goals to improve student learning. In addition to surveys, other feedback considered in crafting the action plan includes teachers' reports and student learning achievements.