The Newhall School District governing board reviewed preliminary test results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress for the 2024-25 school year during Tuesday’s meeting.
The CAASPP, established by the California Education Code, is a test designed to support educators and students and promote high-quality teaching and learning. It evaluates students on categories including English language arts and literacy, mathematics, and a California Science Test, also known as CAST, according to the California Assessment System website.
Newhall district students grades 3-6 were assessed in English Language Arts and mathematics, fifth graders were given the California Science Test, also known as CAST, and all English learners K-6 were tested in the English Language Proficiency Test of California, according to a presentation attached to the agenda.
“We are very proud of the preliminary test results. It is a testament to the hard work of our NSD educators, staff and students.” Superintendent Leticia Hernandez said in an emailed statement to The Signal, referring to the scores meeting or exceeding state standards.
For the English language arts category, 2,360 students, or 69%, met or exceeded the achievement standard, and 1,045 students, or 31%, did not, according to the presentation.
For the math category, 2,175 students, or 63%, met or exceeded the achievement standard, and 1,254, or 37%, did not, the presentation also added.
In the CAST assessment, taken by only fifth graders, 483, or 58%, met or exceeded the achievement standard and 356, or 42%, did not, according to the presentation.
The English Language Proficiency test results were provided through four categories labeled as beginning, intermediate, somewhat developed, and well developed, and across all grades at least 33% of non-English speaker students scored in the somewhat developed category, the presentation stated.
Over the past three years, the Newhall District has enrolled 333 students who identify as English learners, or students born outside of the U.S. who have attended U.S schools for less than three years, the agenda read.
“We will continue to meet the needs of our students while providing a rigorous academic education,” Hernandez added in the email regarding standards that were not met.
Moving forward, district staff will implement new approaches to help assist students improve their test scores and meet state standards, according to the presentation.
Those approaches include: refine integrated and designated language instruction, provide a series or professional learning for new and veteran teachers, deepen conceptual and procedural fluency, continue to use common formative assessment data to plan targeted instruction, and monitor student group progress and provide timely support.
