SACRAMENTO – (INT) - California students made progress in the second year of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) online tests, with the percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards increasing at every grade and in every student group.

Nearly half the students tested met or exceeded standards in English language arts, and nearly four in ten met or exceeded standards in mathematics. These online tests, based on California’s challenging academic standards, ask students to write clearly, think critically, and solve complex problems, just as they will need to do in college and on the job.

More than 3.2 million students took part in CAASPP, which includes a number of different assessments.

“The higher test scores show that the dedication, hard work, and patience of California’s teachers, parents, school employees, and administrators are paying off. Together we are making progress towards upgrading our education system to prepare all students for careers and college in the 21st century,” State School’s Chief Torlakson said.

“Of course there’s more work to do, but our system has momentum. I am confident that business, political and community leaders will join parents and educators to help continue supporting increased standards and resources for schools,” Torlakson said.

San Bernardino County students in grades 3-8 and 11 improved 4 percentage points in English language arts/literacy and 3 percentage points in math. “Seeing improvement across grade levels and among most of our significant subgroups is a positive step,” County Superintendent Ted Alejandre said.

In Riverside County, 45 percent of the students reached the top two tiers in English, a 4-percentage point increase from 2015, while the math number in those categories inched up from 28 to 31 percent, according to the Riverside County Office of Education.

Story Date: August 30, 2016