PIEDMONT — Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) students placed first in Northern California for meeting or exceeding standards in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test’s English language arts/literacy category for the fourth year, Superintendent Randy Booker announced at the school board’s recent meeting.
The PUSD placed first also in Northern California for students meeting or exceeding standards in mathematics. Piedmont ranks third in the state for the test’s English language arts/literacy category and second in the state for its mathematics category. The CAASPP tests are administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and 11. Tests were administered this spring, and scores were released Oct. 9. Students in grades 5, 8 and 11 or 12 participated in the new science test, educator Stephanie Griffin told the board.
The CAASPP tests supplanted the state’s STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) tests beginning in 2014. Piedmont students scored 87%, meeting or exceeding standards in English language arts/literacy for 2018-19, 2017-18 and 2015-16, and scored 86% in 2016-17. The San Marino Unified School District near Pasadena scored slightly higher this year than Piedmont with 89%; the San Ramon Unified School District scored 81%; and the La Cañada Unified School District, also near Pasadena, scored 89%. Overall in California, just 51% of student scores met or exceeded standards.
In mathematics, Piedmont Unified was first in Northern California for the fourth year running, scoring 86% for 2018-19, 85% for 2017-18, 84% for 2016-17 and 87% for 2015-16. The PUSD was No. 1 in the state in 2015-16. San Marino Unified edged out Piedmont in math, scoring 87%. Statewide, just 40% of students tested met or exceeded math standards.
Results from the new science tests taken by fifth-grade, eighth-grade and high school students will be released in December. Griffin and Booker explained that these tests are only one way to gauge student progress.
“It helps determine how students are doing in school, and (in) developing curriculum,” Griffin said.
The tests were administered on secure Chromebooks, and Griffin said there were adaptive tests for English learners or those with special needs. Results will not be mailed to families this year. Instead, student’s scores can be accessed at bayareane.ws/2PujIp1. All CAASPP results can be viewed at caaspp.cde.ca.gov.
“We are super-proud of these results,” said board president Amal Smith.
Said Booker, “The district is extremely proud of students’ efforts, parent support and the extraordinary teaching found across the district.”
In other business: The board voted 5-0 for a memorandum of understanding with the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT) and the California School Employees Association (CSEA) that if Measure H passes, all revenues will be directed to compensation such as salary increases, a health benefits cost cap, changes to step and column increases and additional stipends for degrees and certificates.
