State Test Score Data Show Need to Accelerate Student Learning
10/24/2022 -
The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) results show student performance in math and English language arts for grades 3-8 and 11 for the 2021-22 school year and are viewable at caaspp-elpac.cde.ca.gov.
The results show that 44.87% of students who took the tests in Sonoma County met or exceeded the standard for English language arts, while 31.01% met or exceeded the standard for mathematics. Last school year marked the first time since 2018-19, before the COVID-19 pandemic, that the tests were fully administered. Because participation in 2020-21 was optional and the tests were not administered at all in 2019-20, meaningful comparisons to those years are difficult to make.
Sonoma County’s school districts have had access to their individual results ahead of Monday's release and have been using the data to provide extra support to students who need it. The Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) is working with the county’s school districts on measures designed to accelerate learning and improve academic performance.
SCOE’s support programs include the rollout of transitional kindergarten, a new, optional grade level for 4-year-olds that is being phased in statewide to help students build a stronger foundation for learning. SCOE also is continuing to expand its behavioral health program, begun in the aftermath of the 2017 North Bay firestorm, to provide social and emotional support to students whose academics have been disrupted by natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. Work is also being done to support districts as they develop programs to accelerate learning outside of the regular school day, including after school, on weekends, or on summer break.
“We know the pandemic has affected students in many different ways,” said Jennie Snyder, deputy superintendent of schools, who oversees SCOE’s Educational Support Services department. “Educators have been aware of and responsive to their students' social-emotional and learning needs throughout this challenging time. We will continue to prioritize student success and well-being as we build upon and refine the services and supports for students and their families throughout the county.”
Later this year, the 2022 California School Dashboard will provide a more comprehensive picture of the state of public education, with the release of data on absenteeism, graduation rates, suspension rates, and English learner progress. The new dashboard is expected to be public by the end of December.
