Test scores in Los Angeles elementary schools are rising nicely and many view such gains as evidence that state and district reforms in math and reading are working. Turning its back on a hodgepodge of exploratory math programs, L.A.U.S.D. standardized its math program and now uses only two textbooks in the elementary grades, both of which stress fundamental skills. The latest Stanford 9 math results show that the percentages of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders scoring at or above the national average are all about 20 points higher than 4 years ago. Reading scores also rose for the fourth consecutive year in grades 2 through 5, and teachers and administrators say that the district's embrace of the Open Court reading program, a heavily scripted curriculum, may deserve some of the credit. The state's high quality academic standards and a statewide accountability system that ranks schools based on their test scores were also given some credit for the impressive results. "Math Scores Equal Success," by Solomon Moore and Erika Hayasaki, Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2002; "L.A. Unified Hails Reforms as Test Scores Rise for Fourth Year," by Duke Helfand, Solomon Moore, and Erika Hayasaki, Los Angeles Times, August 21, 2002
