About Half of Orange County Students Test Below Grade Level

Orange County students fared much better than their counterparts statewide in new Common Core curriculum testing released Wednesday, but nearly half of the county’s students are below grade level in language arts and math.

The test results released Wednesday will serve as a baseline for future testing.

In Orange County, 23 percent of students are exceeding the English standard, 30 percent are meeting the standard, 23 percent are nearly meeting it and 24 percent are failing to meet it. In math, 22 percent exceeded the standard, 23 percent met the standard, 27 percent nearly met it and 29 percent did not meet it.

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, administered to about 3.2 million students across the state in the spring, is vastly different from the previous Standardized Testing and Reporting program. The results of the new tests, therefore, cannot be compared to the previous year.

“The results show our starting point as a state, a window into where California students are in meeting tougher academic standards that emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical writing,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. “California’s new standards and tests are challenging for schools to teach and for students to learn, so I am encouraged that many students are at or near achievement standards.

“However, just as we expected, many students need to make more progress,” he said. “Our job is to support students, teachers and schools as they do.”

The tests were administered to students in grades three through seven, as well as those in 11th grade.

According to the results, 16 percent of students statewide exceeded the standard in English language arts and literacy, while 28 percent met the standard. Meanwhile, 25 percent “nearly met” the standard, and 31 percent did not meet the standard.

In math, 14 percent exceeded the standard, 19 percent met it, 29 percent “nearly met” it and 38 percent fell short.

In Los Angeles County, 15 percent of students exceeded the standard in English, with 27 percent meeting the standard, 26 percent nearly meeting it and 32 percent failing to meet it. In math, 12 percent of Los Angeles County students exceeded the standard, 19 percent met it, 29 percent nearly met it and 40 percent did not meet the standard.

Torlakson said the overall results continued to show an achievement gap among some ethnic groups, English-learners and low-income families.

“Clearly we must continue working to eliminate these gaps,” Torlakson said. “Much work needs to be done, but we are moving in the right direction with our efforts to provide extra resources and services for students and schools with the greatest needs.”

City News Service