Results to Serve as New Baseline after Pandemic Disruptions
VENTURA COUNTY — New student test score data released today by the California Department of Education will help Ventura County educators provide support and interventions 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). The 2021-22 school year was the first that CAASPP was fully administered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, only about half of Ventura County students took the test, and the year before that it was not administered at all. As a result, these new results can’t be meaningfully compared to prior years and are being used as a new baseline.
Ventura County school districts have had access to their local results prior to today’s release and have been using the data to provide extra support to students who lost ground during the pandemic. The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) is working closely with local school districts on a variety of fronts to accelerate learning and enhance academic performance. This includes supporting the rollout of transitional kindergarten (TK), a brand new grade level for four-year-olds that’s being phased in statewide. Nearly 80% of Ventura County school districts are offering TK ahead of the schedule that’s mandated by the state. VCOE is also facilitating the expansion of after-school programs that will provide student learning opportunities outside of the regular school day, including on weekends and during summer break. In addition, VCOE and local districts have increased efforts to open wellness centers and promote student well-being so trauma and stress don’t become obstacles to learning. During the last school year, on-campus wellness centers provided support and referrals to more than 28,000 students throughout Ventura County.
“I’m extremely proud of the work that’s underway in my office and in our local schools to address student needs in the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “The CAASPP scores along with more frequent local assessments allow us to provide individualized support that helps students get to where they need to be.”
It’s important to remember that test scores alone don’t tell the full story of student performance and school accountability. Later this year, the 2022 California School Dashboard will provide a more complete picture with the release of state and local data on absenteeism, graduation rates, suspension rates, and English learner progress. The new Dashboard data is expected to be public by the end of December. In the meantime, the newly released CAASPP test scores are available now at caaspp-elpac.cde.ca.gov
About the Ventura County Office of Education — The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org