Students in all five of the Santa Clarita Valley’s school districts performed better on the California standardized tests than their peers statewide for the 2016-17 school year, according to results released by the California Department of Education today.
Results of the California used the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP)—issued nearly a month after their scheduled release date due to an error in special education students’ scores—indicate that SCV students may have a better mastery of the Common Core English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics standards than students statewide.
“Even though our numbers have changed little, they are impressive, especially compared to county and state scores,” said David LeBarron, director of curriculum and assessment for the William S. Hart Union High School District.
This is the third year California used the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) to measure students’ understanding of Common Core standards.
Each year, students in third grade to eighth grade and in eleventh grade participate in the CAASPP by taking Smarter Balanced Assessments that include a computer adaptive test and performance tasks.
Students’ results fall into one of four performance categories: standards exceeded, standards met, standards nearly met and standards not met.
This year, more than 3.2 million students took the CAASPP statewide. Of these students, 48.56 percent met or exceeded standards in ELA and 37.56 percent met or exceeded standards in math.
“We need to work diligently to narrow achievement gaps and make sure all students continue to make progress,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torklakson said in a statement. “It’s important to remember that these tests are far more rigorous and realistic than the previous paper and pencil tests.”
In the Hart District, approximately 10,200 students took the CAASPP. Results from the district’s standardized test scores indicate 78.1 percent met or exceeded standards in ELA and 53.01 percent met or exceeded standards in math.
This means the district outperformed the state by 29.54 percentage points in ELA and by 15.45 percentage points in math.
“Hart District students do well on state assessments because we place a strong focus on ensuring that our students are taught the State’s academic content standards, which is what the tests assess,” LeBarron said. “Every one of our schools has a professional development plan that focuses on research-based programs that improve student learning.”
In anticipation to the accountability measured tied to 11th grade performance on the CAASPP, the district said it increased its math requirement for graduation from 20 credits to 30 credits, beginning with the class of 2019.
This change will ensure that all students are enrolled in math classes until the take the CAASPP. Results of this change are expected to be seen next year.
“We take it very seriously,” LeBarron said. “Our students’ performance on the state assessments is a measure we use to evaluate our instructional programs.”
In the Castaic Union School District, 1,544 students in third grade to eighth grade took the CAASPP. Results of the test indicate that 62.56 percent met or exceeded standards in ELA and that 43.62 percent met or exceeded standards in math.
High results were also visible in the Saugus Union School District where, of the 5,657 students in third to sixth grade tested, 62.71 percent met or exceeded standards in ELA and 51.02 percent met or exceeded standards in math.
“We are proud of our teachers, administrators and students for their diligence, their growth mindset, and their performance,” said Assistant Superintendent of Education Services Isa De Armas in a statement.
In the Sulphur Springs Union School District, 3,033 students in third grade to sixth grade were tested this past year. Of these students, 60.16 percent met or exceeded standards in ELA and 49.54 percent met or exceeded standards in math.
In the Newhall School District, 3,946 students in third grade to sixth grade took the CAASPP. Results of the test indicate that 70.22 percent met or exceeded standards in ELA and that 66.15 percent met or exceeded standards in math.
“I attribute our ongoing success to our culture of excellence, nurtured over many years and based on a philosophy of continuous improvement. We raise performance, celebrate our results and work on doing better,” NSD Superintendent Paul Cordeiro said. “It’s an effort that never ends. I am grateful to our entire Newhall team for being all-in for the kids.”
CAASPP Test Results for Each SCV School District
William S. Hart Union High School District
10,231 students in seventh, eighth and 11th grade tested
English Language Arts
- standards exceeded: 33.8
- standards met: 39.30
- standards nearly met: 17
- standards not met: 9.9
Mathematics
- standards exceeded: 26.12
- standards met: 26.89
- standards nearly met: 25.35
- standards not met: 21.64
Castaic Union School District
1,544 students in third to eighth grade tested
English Language Arts
- standards exceeded: 24.48
- standards met: 38.08
- standards nearly met: 20.73
- standards not met: 16.71
Mathematics
- standards exceeded: 16.40
- standards met: 27.22
- standards nearly met: 32.99
- standards not met: 23.40
Saugus Union School District
5,657 students in third to sixth grade tested
English Language Arts
- standards exceeded: 26.59
- standards met: 31.95
- standards nearly met: 20.21
- standards not met: 17.17
Mathematics
- standards exceeded: 22.37
- standards met: 28.65
- standards nearly met: 29.85
- standards not met: 19.13
Sulphur Springs Union School District
3,003 students in third to sixth grade tested
English Language Arts
- standards exceeded: 29.45
- standards met: 30.71
- standards nearly met: 21.54
- standards not met: 18.30
Mathematics
- standards exceeded: 23.75
- standards met: 25.79
- standards nearly met: 28.58
- standards not met: 21.88
Newhall School District
3,946 students in third to sixth grade tested
English Language Arts
- standards exceeded: 42.27
- standards met: 27.95
- standards nearly met: 15.41
- standards not met: 14.37
Mathematics
- standards exceeded: 41.32
- standards met: 24.83
- standards nearly met: 20.71
- standards not met: 13.13
[email protected]
661-287-5575
On Twitter as @_ChristinaCox_
