Schools
PUSD Language Arts Scores on the Rise, Nearing 100 Percent Proficiency
The school district's fourth-graders are near a state goal of having all students proficient in English-language arts.
Poway Unified's fourth-graders are closing in on a state goal of across-the-board proficiency in English-language arts, following a California trend of improving scores, according to state testing data released Monday.
"We continue to be pleased and impressed with the work of our teachers and our kids, our students and our parents considering the budget crisis," said Eric Lehew, executive director for Learning Support Services for the Poway Unified School District.
State education officials have set the goal of having all students score proficient or higher on the English-language arts and mathematics tests in the California Standards Tests (CST) program. This means all students would need to reach the top two tiers of the CST's five rung scoring system: far below basic; below basic; basic; proficient; advanced.
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According to data released Monday, 50 percent of California students are scoring at proficient or advanced on the mathematics tests, the highest level of proficiency since the test was implemented in 2003.
“The significant and sustained improvements we’ve seen for nine consecutive years prove how hard teachers, school employees, administrators and parents are working to help students achieve despite budget cuts that have affected our schools,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said in a statement. “Their heroic teamwork is paying off for California.”
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PUSD's fourth-graders are doing their part, too, with 89 percent now scoring at proficient or advanced on the English-language arts test, which Lehew said the district is very proud of.
But, as at the state level, district officials continue to be concerned about the achievement gap—the difference in test performance between white students and those in certain minority groups, particularly Latino and African-American.
Lehew said teachers and district staff are in a "relentless pursuit" to try and get all students to the same level of high achievement.
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