After being accused of delaying potentially negative test results from the academic year following COVID the California Department of Education is set to release its spring Smarter Balanced test results.
The department, which typically releases the data in late summer or early fall had initially stated that scores would be coming out later in the year in a collective dashboard of testing data and metrics to measure school performances after the November General Election. Many deemed this a politically motivated move as voters cast their vote for the state Superintendent of Schools, and Governor, among other democratic officeholders. Yet this week the department changed its tune, Deputy Superintendant of the Initiatives Branch said in a radio program that “there is no reason to withhold the data”, the department announced test results will be made available this month.
Combined California schools overall scores from the 20-21 academic year had 49% of students in 3rd to 11th-grade meeting or exceeding English Language Arts goals while only 34% met or exceed math competency skills. Results for the 21/22 school year are highly expected to see more pandemic-related declines in student achievement.
