Story by Jill Tucker
Photos by Mike Kepka
Normally at this time of year, teachers and administrators at San Francisco’s June Jordan School for Equity would be starting to gear up for the standardized tests given to students early in the spring.
And the educators would be hoping that this time, unlike in years past, the school’s abysmal scores would really go up. But that won’t happen.
This year, the Excelsior neighborhood high school will get a welcome reprieve from the predictable cycle of testing.
It’s a practice year for California schools as the state transitions to a new computerized testing system based on the new Common Core curriculum adopted by most states. While students will take the new tests, the scores won’t count or even be reported to parents or the public.
For June Jordan, it wipes an ugly test-score slate clean and offers a shot at redemption.
District officials had high hopes for June Jordan.