Ventura County students largely held on to gains made last year on the statewide California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test, according to new data released by the California Department of Education. The percentage of Ventura County students who met or exceeded the state standards for English language arts (ELA) in 2017 was 49 percent, which is down one percentage point from 2016. In math, 38 percent of Ventura County students met or exceeded the state standards, which is unchanged from 2016. Ventura County scores are up three percentage points in ELA and two percentage points in math from 2015, which is the first year the test was given.
The results show three years of continuous growth in ELA for English learners, which is a population targeted for improvement by recent changes in the school funding system. They also show that Ventura County eleventh grade students have improved in ELA and math for three years in a row. The eleventh grade scores are used as a gauge of college readiness.
Also known as “Smarter Balanced,” CAASPP is administered each spring in grades three through eight and eleven. This is the third year of results for the computer-based assessment, which reflects California’s more challenging academic standards and asks students to write clearly, think critically, and solve complex problems. “We’re pleased to see growth in some key areas, but know there is more work to be done,” said Stan Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “These scores provide the data schools need to focus attention on student populations who need it most. It also allows them to apply techniques that are working in districts that have seen the most improvement.”
Ventura County Highlights for 2017
NOTE: These highlights include scores for Las Virgenes Unified School District, which has territory that covers portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
- ELA scores for English learners have increased for each of the three years the test has been administered. Math scores for English learners were unchanged from 2016.
- Sixty-one percent of Ventura County eleventh grade students met or exceeded the standard for ELA, which is up from 59 percent in 2016.
- Thirty-six percent of Ventura County eleventh grade students met or exceeded the standard for math, which is up from 33 percent in 2016.
- ELA scores increased for African American and white students and were unchanged for Asian and Hispanic students.
- Math scores increased for African American, Hispanic and white students and were unchanged for Asian students.
- Ventura County ELA scores increased for students in third, fourth and eleventh grades, but decreased in fifth, sixth and seventh grades. The ELA scores were unchanged for eighth grade students.
- Ventura County math scores increased for students in third and eleventh grades, but decreased in fifth, seventh and eighth grades. The math scores were unchanged for fourth and sixth grade students.
Additional details are available in these charts.
Individual Student Reports
Local school districts are mailing customized Individual Student Reports to parents. The reports provide a clear picture of how individual students performed in math and English language arts. The four categories of performance on the assessment are Standard Not Met, Standard Nearly Met, Standard Met and Standard Exceeded. Parents will be able to see how their children’s scores have progressed over the past three years. The reports also detail performance in seven key skill areas known as “claims” which include reading, writing and math concepts and procedures. This information allows parents and teachers to identify the areas where students can use some extra help.
The Bigger Picture
The CAASPP results website shows scores for individual schools, districts, counties and the entire state. This year, there are some new ways to view the data. Year-to-year progress shows how the scores have changed over time for up to three years. There’s also a new feature that allows side-by-side comparisons of different schools, districts and counties.
Resources