New student test score data released this week by the California Department of Education will help Mendocino County educators provide support and interventions for students where they are needed the most. The test results show student performance in math and English Language Arts on the 2021-22 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP).
Several factors should be taken into consideration when interpreting the results. In 2021, CAASPP testing was not required, and some districts opted to administer local tests. In 2020, CAASPP testing was suspended statewide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, these 2022 results can’t be meaningfully compared to prior years and are being used as a new baseline to support the teaching and learning that is happening in classrooms now.
Assessment data serves as a compass, a general idea as to where students are performing. Mendocino County school districts use the data to provide extra support to students who lost ground during the pandemic. The Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) collaborates with local school districts to accelerate learning and enhance academic performance. This includes supporting the rollout of Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) for four-year-old children that is being phased in statewide. MCOE leads a countywide collaborative UPK Plan that includes eleven districts, three charter schools and multiple early learning and care agencies. MCOE is also helping districts create plans to implement the state’s Expanded Learning Opportunity mandates, to offer after-school programs for transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. These programs will provide learning opportunities outside of the regular school day, including on weekends and during summer break. In addition, MCOE and local districts have increased efforts to partner with Mendocino County Behavioral Health Services to promote student well-being, so trauma and stress don’t become obstacles to learning. During the last school year, on-campus mental health services provided support and referrals to more than 2,500 students throughout Mendocino County.
“I am proud of the work that’s underway in my agency and in our local schools to address student needs,” said Michelle Hutchins, Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools. “We want to meet students where they are and accelerate their learning by building on their strengths and needs at this exact moment in time.”
It is important to remember that test scores alone don’t tell the full story of student performance and school accountability. In December, the 2022 California School Dashboard will give communities a clearer picture of student achievement and the challenges our students faced during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, including data on academic progress, attendance, graduation rates, suspension rates, and English learner progress. In the meantime, the newly released CAASPP test scores are available now at caaspp-elpac.cde.ca.gov.