Last month, the California Department of Education released the results of the 2018 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) online tests in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics, with Orinda schools scoring well above the state average. In the Orinda Union School District (OUSD), comprised of the four elementary schools and one intermediate school, students in grades three through eight complete the annual CAASPP testing. This year, 88 percent of those students met or exceeded standards in ELA, and 85 percent met that same benchmark in mathematics, an overall improvement on the 2017 results.
“These scores are a direct result of dedicated and knowledgeable teachers, staff, and administrators, the unwavering parent and community support of Orinda’s public schools, and students who come to school engaged and ready to learn,” remarked Dr. Carolyn Seaton, OUSD superintendent of schools.
This is the fourth year of CAASPP online testing for California’s public school students, and while OUSD performs well year to year, district administrators say they continue to strive for greater student growth and achievement. David Schrag, director of curriculum and instruction, noted, “We are consistently impressed by the collective work of our students, staff, and parents that merited these results. We also are aware of students who have not yet reached our achievement goals, and we are redoubling our efforts to support these students in realizing their academic potential.” Dr. Seaton added, “We will not rest on our laurels. We will continue to analyze our CAASPP data and other indicators to identify ways to improve teaching and learning across the district.”
Schrag presented an overview of Orinda’s CAASPP results to the OUSD Board of Trustees at their regular meeting on Oct. 8. Comparative CAASPP results by school or district as published by EdSource can be found at http://caaspp.edsource.org. OUSD’s 2018 CAASPP scores place the district second in ELA and seventh in mathematics for all California school districts with 500 or more students enrolled.
