State test scores, graduation rates dip
Student test scores and graduation rates took a hit during the pandemic, according to a snapshot of data that offers the first look at academic performance after a year or more of distance learning for many students.
The data released Friday offered only a partial picture of how the state’s 6 million public school students were doing in math and English in the spring of 2021 and what percent of seniors graduated on time.
Only about a quarter of those eligible took the state test given insufficient access to classrooms or the technology required. Because of the ongoing pandemic and issues related to conducting an online exam, not all districts offered the state’s standardized test. Others were allowed to evaluate students using their own assessment, which will be reported on the School Accountability Report Card by Feb. 1.
San Francisco and Oakland school districts were among those without results on the state test, but are expected to post scores from local assessments this month.
Based on the limited results, 49% of students who took the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress were proficient or above in English and 34% met the standard in math.
Two years earlier, the last time students took the test, 51% were proficient in English and 40% in math.
Officials cautioned that given the discrepancy in numbers tested, an overall comparison between years was not entirely reliable.
Still, the scores, while offering an incomplete picture, seem to indicate the pandemic took a toll on student learning, a not unexpected result given the stress and isolation of distance learning, or the disruption of hybrid schedules, which put students in classrooms on a part-time basis.
“Our road ahead is clear — we must continue to focus our energy and resources in
supporting our students, families, and educators so they not only recover from the impacts of COVID-19 but thrive in the days ahead,” said State Board of Education President Linda DarlingHammond, in a statement. “This must remain our top priority.”
The scores showed significant gaps in achievement depending on ethnicity.
More than 75% of Asian American students were proficient in English, compared to 34% of Black students, 38% of Latino students and 60% of white students.
The gaps were even greater in math, with 69% of Asian Americans proficient compared to 18% of Black, 20% of Latino and 45% of white students.
The graduation rate, however, provided a more complete picture, and using data from all districts showed 84.2% of high school seniors graduated on time in 2021, down by .06% from a year earlier.
State data includes an analysis of academic achievement among those who did take the exam, offering a look at the growth those students showed in English and math. Compared to previous years, students taking the tests in 2021 did not see the same increases in learning as students in previous years.
For example, eighthgrade test takers in 2019 saw a 42-point gain from sixth grade, while those in 2021 saw a 25-point gain.
“The statewide performance data from last year confirm what we heard from school districts and county offices throughout the year,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. “Namely, the challenges that students and educators faced during the pandemic were multidimensional and disruptive to learning and mental health. Our goal now is to move all students forward.”