In relatively poor schools, in which school facilities and human resources are limited, people rarely expect to find high National Examination (UASBN in Indonesia) test scores. Rimpang Elementary School was an exception. This study focused on studying this anomaly. A main research question: “What factors explain the unusual UASBN performance of a relatively poor elementary school?” and four sub-research questions related to the School-Level Curriculum (KTSP) and the National Examination (UASBN) were generated in order to holistically explain this phenomenon.
In order to respond to those questions, the research method used Grounded Theory. The data collected from documents, interviews, reflective journal and field notes, and classroom observation were processed through initial coding, focused coding, theoretical coding, and memo writing.
The study indicated that in Rimpang Elementary School, the teaching performances of classroom teachers played an important role in enabling the students to obtain relatively high scores in the UASBN. However, instead of validating the unusual UASBN performance of a relatively poor elementary school, the study of the curriculum transfer process uncovered inconsistency between the KTSP and the UASBN. The study showed that during the curriculum transfer process, a number of significant ideas were left out. In addition, the study revealed that as a measure, the UASBN lacked test validity.
This study suggested that educational practitioners should be able to pin down the terms of reference in the curriculum transfer process in order to reduce misunderstanding. To do so, they should equip them with strategies to implement ideas into practice, including the strategies to embed pedagogical theories within the curriculum.