Capistrano Unified School District

School Information

District Name: Capistrano Unified School District
District Address: 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA, 92675
School Phone: 949.234.9200
Superintendent: Dr. Joseph Farley
Email: superintendent@capousd.org
Web Address: http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/

2010 Demographics

Number of Students: 52,681
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch: 7,624
Percent of Limited English Proficient: 11.1%
Percent of Special Education:  9%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

White: 64.9%
Black: 1.3%
Hispanic: 18.7%
Asian/Pacific Island: 5.2%
Other: 9.8%

Schools in District:

Elementary Schools:

Ambuehl Elementary School
Arroyo Vista School (K8)
Don Juan Avila Elementary School
Barcelona Hills Elementary School
Bathgate Elementary School
Truman Benedict Elementary School
Marian Bergeson Elementary School
Canyon Vista Elementary School
Castille Elementary School
Chaparral Elementary School
Concordia Elementary School
Crown Valley Elementary School
R H Dana Elementary School
Del Obispo Elementary School
Carl Hankey Elementary/K-8 School
Hidden Hills Elementary School
Kinoshita Elementary School
Ladera Ranch Elementary School
Laguna Niguel Elementary School
Las Flores Elementary School
Las Palmas Elementary School
Clarence Lobo Elementary School
John S. Malcom Elementary School
Marblehead Elementary School
Moulton Elementary School
Oak Grove Elementary School
Oso Grande Elementary School
Palisades Elementary School
Philip Reilly Elementary School
San Juan Elementary School
Tijeras Creek Elementary School
Viejo Elementary School
Vista Del Mar Elementary School
Wagon Wheel Elementary School
George White Elementary School
Wood Canyon Elementary School

Middle Schools:

Aliso Viejo Middle School
Arroyo Vista School (K8)
Bernice Ayer Middle School
Carl Hankey K-8 School
Don Juan Avila Middle School
Ladera Ranch Middle School
Las Flores Middle School
Marco Forster Middle School
Newhart Middle School
Niguel Hills Middle School
Shorecliffs Middle School
Vista del Mar Middle School

High Schools:

Aliso Niguel High School
Capistrano Valley High School
Dana Hills High School
San Clemente High School
San Juan Hills High School
Serra High School
Tesoro High School

Student Achievement Data

API Growth from 2003-2010 (Scale of 1000)

 

 

 

 

 

The district’s Academic Performance Index (API) has steadily risen over each of the last 7 years, from 793 in 2003 to 862 in 2010. 800 is considered the bar of proficiency in the state of California.  While considered a high-performing district, this data speaks to the model of continuous improvement realized when schools operate as professional learning communities.  Capistrano Unified continues to lead California’s large districts in its overall achievement.

ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

MATHEMATICS

 

Please present any additional information that indicates your efforts to build a professional learning community have had a positive impact upon students and/or teachers.

CUSD has had a long-term commitment to the Professional Learning Communities model, publicly adopting its implementation as a Major District Objective in 2002.  The district’s strategic plan was updated in 2010, placing significant focus on ensuring that all students learn at high levels, and the goal of closing the achievement gap for students identified as English Learners or having special needs.  To that end, the district continues to provide weekly release time (ACE Time) for all collaborative teams during which student learning is the focus.  Ongoing training in the use of data, effective teaming, and the principles of Professional Learning Communities continues in support of these goals.  Additionally, the district has structured a districtwide professional development implementation plan to ensure “quality first instruction (Tier I).”

The district established an RTI task force whose purpose is to support sites in their efforts to effectively support student needs both academically and behaviorally, embedded the principles of PLC (high levels of learning for all students).  Using a Pyramid of Interventions approach, sites have continued to expand and adjust their embedded interventions so that students get the additional time and support they need.

Please comment on any aspect of the data that you believe is particularly signficant:

CUSD students have consistently grown in their attainment of passage rates on California’s High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as seen in the chart below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please elaborate upon strategies you have found to be effective in any of the following areas:

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Through the development of frequent, common, formative assessments, teachers are able to monitor student learning on a timely basis.  In the district’s initial stages of PLC implementation, teams struggled with the development of their own formative assessments. Considerable progress was made when the district defined its K-12 power standards, which fully answered the question “what do we really want students to learn.”  Having this clarity assisted school teams to move forward in designing CFA’s that were aligned to the standards.  

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

Virtually every one of the district’s 57 schools has defined a Pyramid of Intervention for the purpose of addressing the needs of students who require additional time and support.  Each school has designed interventions based on the unique context at their schools, but our secondary schools do share some common elements, including the frequent use of “mandatorials” which require students who are , the development of intervention sections for students who demonstrate pervasive academic needs, and the implementation of programs such as ZAP (Zeros are Prohibited).  At the elementary level, the district has developed various approaches to providing timely, systematic interventions for students including models in which students are served by an entire team of teachers, monitored frequently in their learning, and assigned to different teachers based on the results of common formative assessments to receive differentiated instruction for a portion of their day.

3. Building the capacity of teachers to work as members of high performing collaborative teams who focus the efforts of their team on improved learning for students.

Like many districts in California and across the nation, Capistrano Unified has faced significant economic challenges, resulting in recent reductions in force among the ranks of both teachers and administrators.  To continue its commitment to the PLC model, a number of strategies have been used to ensure that the message and the capacity for implementing the model is consistent.  Among these strategies are the use of mini “academies” to train teacher leaders and administrators in the principles and operational strategies of Professional Learning Communities, specific references and actions within the district’s newly-revised Strategic Plan,  and ongoing administrative and site support for the development of effective teams and practices.  It’s clear that the work of sustaining a professional learning communities model must be attended to on an ongoing basis—districts and sites need to nurture and support, build capacity, and continue to refine and calibrate their practices. 

Awards and Recognition

- Magna Award Winners- PD Academy, Voluntary Drug Testing
- Top 100 districts for music education by the American Music Conference
- Top Arts Education district in the county by Arts Orange County
- 2006 California School Board Association Golden Bell Award- wellness and fitness models
- US Department of Education New American High School- Aliso Niguel High School
- California Distinguished Schools Award- 40 schools have been honored and recognized
- National Blue Ribbon Winners – 11 schools in the District have been honored
- Golden Bell winners (highly effective and innovative-contact District for more information)

• Learning Link
• Project Compel
• Teaming for the Learning of All Children
• CUSD Safety Program
• PEP Physical Education Program