State take a look at scores within the Santa Barbara Unified Faculty District had been a supply of rigidity even earlier than the pandemic threw a wrench into lesson plans. Though they’re nonetheless total decrease than pre-pandemic numbers, preliminary 2022-23 literacy and math proficiency scores present enchancment from the 2021-22 faculty 12 months, prompting a hopeful outlook from the district because it awaits the ultimate report from the California Division of Schooling in November.
The statewide take a look at, known as the California Evaluation of Scholar Efficiency and Progress Report, measures achievement in English language arts/literacy and arithmetic for college kids in grades 3-8 and 11.
Throughout all grade ranges, English scores jumped by 2.7 p.c, from 47.6 p.c to 50.3 p.c of scholars testing at or above grade degree. Math scores jumped by 2.57 p.c, from 35.8 p.c to 38.4 p.c.
“We’re pleased with the continued development in the proper path all through the District. This development is a mirrored image of the skilled work of our academics, college, and employees to offer Each Baby, Each Probability, Each Day,” mentioned Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado.
However English scores are nonetheless 4 p.c decrease than they had been in 2019, pre-pandemic, and math scores are 7 p.c decrease than in 2019, a 12 months when mother and father criticized the state testing knowledge as “damning.”
[Click to enlarge] Credit score: Courtesy SBUSD
Proper now, the district is enjoying catch-up, attempting to get well from the consequences of studying loss on pupil achievement. That being mentioned, SBUSD has stayed comparatively in-line with, or hovered barely above, statewide averages.
Primarily based on the preliminary knowledge, Hispanic and Latino college students confirmed the best development from final 12 months. Latino college students symbolize 60.7 p.c of pupil enrollment, however have traditionally lagged behind different pupil teams, the district mentioned.
This 12 months, on common, the variety of Latino college students assembly or exceeding grade-level requirements elevated by 8.85 p.c in English and eight.3 p.c in math, with some faculties exhibiting extra optimistic development than others.
However they had been already at an obstacle when in comparison with their friends, and even with this 12 months’s development, greater than half of the district’s Latino college students are usually not assembly grade-level requirements in English or math, which hasn’t modified since pre-pandemic.
If the proficiency hole for Latino college students is an ocean, for White college students (who make up 30.6 p.c of enrolled college students), it’s a pond. Final 12 months, the proportion of White college students testing at or above grade degree was greater than double that of their Latino friends.
The district mentioned it has “a number of initiatives underway” to handle the wants of every pupil, similar to constructing skilled capability in its educators, creating school-specific plans primarily based on the 2022-23 knowledge, implementing standards-based classes for college kids in secondary faculties, and implementing the brand new Wit & Knowledge and Fundations literacy curriculum.
The ultimate CAASPP report and full faculty breakdowns will likely be launched in November.