The Irvine Unified School District’s (IUSD) state standardized assessment scores have outperformed both state and Orange County averages with IUSD ranking No. 1 in California in Science, Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) for public school districts of 35,000 or more students. This marks the sixth consecutive year IUSD has been ranked a top school district in the state and county since the CAASPP assessments were launched in 2015, with two year hiatus due to the pandemic. See info graphic below for more information.
Last spring, IUSD students in grades three through eight and grade 11 participated in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) tests in Mathematics and ELA. Students in grades five and eight and 11-12 also took the California Science Test (CAST). Both assessments provide information about each student’s progress toward meeting state standards. While the scores are just one of many measures of student performance, they help to enhance our understanding of each student’s needs and improve student learning through our educational efforts.
“These results represent an unprecedented moment in time and are a reflection of our strong partnership with teachers, staff, students and families, and our commitment to continuous improvement and student-centered learning,” said Superintendent Terry Walker. “The pandemic challenged us all and we know that there is more work to be done to support students both academically and from a social emotional wellness standpoint. As we have always done, we continue to leverage the power of our people, including Professional Learning Communities, to assess the evidence of student learning to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. We will also continue to maximize our limited resources by investing in what adds the most value, and collaborate with our partners to support bright futures for our students.”
Through the IUSD Board of Education leadership and this partnership, our District was one of the first school districts in California to open for TK-12 in-person instruction, including a full-time TK-6 in-person instruction program in 2020, bringing students back to the classroom, where they learn best. Since then, the Board has approved targeted funding and initiatives to provide a variety of academic and mental health supports for students and families, including supportive and collaborative learning environments, the Learning Recovery Academy, free online Tutoring through Paper, WellSpaces, increased mental health resources, and more. For more information about IUSD, regularly visit iusd.org.
California released statewide aggregate data on student performance in ELA, Mathematics and Science on October 24, 2022.
Please keep the following in mind about these assessments.
Scores are One of Many Measures
Assessment scores should be recognized as only one measure when evaluating student learning; they provide some but not all information about a student’s knowledge and skills. Results from tests should be reviewed in combination with other measures, such as in-class assignments, classroom tests, and teacher input. For more information about your child’s academic progress, please stay in close contact with your child’s teacher(s) and school.
How Test Scores are Used
IUSD will use these scores to better understand each student’s learning and help us continue to improve upon the high-quality instruction we provide. The scores will not be used to determine student advancement to the next grade level or as the sole piece of information when making academic decisions about students.
For additional information, please visit the following resources:
- https://iusd.org/department/data-and-assessment
- https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/
- https://caaspp-elpac.cde.ca.gov/caaspp
