SBUnified
The final results of the 2022-2023 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test scores were released for public review.
Santa Barbara Unified’s final scores were 50.08% meeting or exceeding the standard for English Language Arts (ELA) and 38.1% for Mathematics. Those numbers changed slightly by 0.3% from the preliminary data in September.
The California average for test scores is 46.66% in ELA and 34.62% in math. In Santa Barbara County, Districts averaged 39.17% in ELA and 28.44% in Math.
Some of the most significant test score gains were reported at Roosevelt Elementary and La Colina Junior High. We are proud to report that Dos Pueblos High School leads Santa Barbara County for test scores in both ELA and Math.
Comparison Data by School
| School | 2021-22
ELA % Met/ Exceed Standards |
2022-23
ELA % Met/ Exceed Standards |
ELA/
Growth/ Decline |
2021-22 Math%
Met/Exceed Standards |
2022-23 Math%
Met/Exceed Standards |
Math
Growth/ Decline |
| District | 47.6% | 50.08% | 2.48% | 35.83% | 38.10% | 2.27% |
| SB County | 40.7% | 39.2% | -1.5% | 28% | 28.4% | 0.4% |
| California | 47.1% | 46.7% | -0.4% | 33.4% | 34.6% | -1.2% |
| Adams | 37.8% | 52.2% | 14.4% | 30.5% | 44.6% | 14.1% |
| Cleveland | 20.7% | 30.5% | 9.8% | 15.5% | 22.6% | 7.1% |
| Franklin | 52.1% | 47.0% | -5.1% | 42.6% | 45.0% | 2.4% |
| Harding | 32.1% | 36.8% | 4.7% | 18.3% | 36.0% | 17.7% |
| McKinley | 25.4% | 22.0% | -3.4% | 16.7% | 19.0% | 2.3% |
| Monroe | 53.9% | 50.3% | -3.6% | 38.9% | 39.1% | 0.2% |
| Roosevelt | 44.5% | 59.3% | 14.8% | 38.3% | 47.2% | 8.9% |
| SBCA | 32.5% | 28.3% | -4.2% | 23.7% | 17.3% | -6.4% |
| Washington | 57.7% | 57.8% | 0.1% | 50.3% | 47.4% | -2.9% |
| Goleta Valley JHS | 57.0% | 55.5% | -1.5% | 49.4% | 49.6% | 0.2% |
| La Colina JHS | 60.5% | 67.5% | 7.0% | 48.4% | 56.4% | 8.0% |
| La Cumbre JHS | 37.1% | 35.3% | -1.8% | 23.4% | 21.1% | -2.3% |
| SBJHS | 35.3% | 26.3% | -9% | 24.1% | 22.1% | -2.0% |
| Dos Pueblos HS | 69.7% | 72% | 2.3% | 47.1% | 45.8% | -1.3% |
| San Marcos
HS |
49.7% | 55.8% | 6.1% | 28.4% | 31.9% | 3.5% |
| Santa Barbara HS | 33.2% | 42.8% | 9.6% | 23.7% | 22.1% | -1.6% |
Roosevelt Principal Valerie Galindo credits her school’s growth to a steadfast commitment to providing each student with a tailored approach to their learning and social-emotional development.
“As Roosevelt celebrates its 100th birthday, it also celebrates historic achievement. We nurture social-emotional development through our mindfulness program and ensure the highest quality instruction through collaboration among our teacher teams. As we mark our centennial, we take pride in our students’ remarkable accomplishments, which set new benchmarks for excellence,” said Galindo.
At La Colina, Principal Jennifer Foster attributes her growth to the hard work of her teachers. “These results validate the dedicated efforts of our teachers and staff to engage all students in rigorous standards-based learning experiences and provide appropriate support. Our students are to be commended for the perseverance and academic self-confidence necessary to successfully demonstrate their learning on these assessments,” said Foster.
Dos Pueblos Principal Bill Woodard says staff members are focusing on what’s called “The Four Cs” to improve student learning: creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.
As part of that effort, teachers at Dos Pueblos developed a critical thinking rubric that is used school-wide. Each fall and spring, teachers implement critical thinking assignments in all disciplines to develop higher-level thinking skills and use the rubric to identify areas of strength and areas for growth. “We really zeroed in on elevating students’ critical thinking schoolwide. Our number one mission was how can we engage students in higher levels and in deeper critical thinking skills to help improve learning,” said Woodard. That work is used to evaluate what teachers focus on to develop their learning both inside and outside the classroom.
While the growth is being celebrated, Santa Barbara Unified is committed to continuing to see even more improvement in the coming years ahead.
“We are proud and grateful to our teachers and staff for their hard work and dedication. However, we still have a lot of focused, intentional instructional support to close the achievement and opportunity gaps that persist. All students need to be prepared to be caring, literate, and critical thinkers. That is why this year, we are working with our leaders to know our students by name, face, and story,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent.
District and school leaders have analyzed the data to determine the next steps and how we can continue to improve test scores. This process includes principals building plans to meet the unique needs of each school. This year, the District is implementing the Wit & Wisdom and Fundations curriculum to improve evidence-based teaching aligned with standards. The Elementary team and site leaders are going on “Learning Walks” at each school this year. These collaborative learning walks will focus on student learning, building strong and meaningful relationships with our teachers and staff, and guiding our decisions for continued professional learning support.
The Secondary schools are concentrating on rigorous standards-based lessons for all students, known as High-Quality Tier 1 Instruction. They are working with the implementation of UDL – Universal Design for Learning in classes, which helps teachers learn how to ensure they meet the needs of all learners, such as visual, auditory, spatial, and more. The secondary schools will also be working on a plan to implement Learning Walks to continue improving teaching and learning for every child.
There’s enough spin in this district-generated (taxpayer-funded) PR piece to make anyone dizzy. What an embarrassment to the entire community to tolerate this utter disaster of school district leadership that fails half the students. Of course, what is untold is the huge number of students who receive pricey tutoring services outside the school day, which significantly raises the scores that would be even worse. Anyone paying attention will note that the superintendent has run off far too many educators and administrators with institutional knowledge, transforming SB Unified that serves neither students, family, community members nor educators. No one, it seems, but Hilda and her hand-picked, well-compensated admins–none of whom are experiencing the soul-searing issues faced by children not learning and teachers not supported. Who is ever going to clean up this mess? And how?
Yet people are still against the concept of school choice.
Hey VOICE tell us again about all those “multiple schools” that cost under $7500 here in town….
Still haven’t taken that Econ 101 class I see. When demand increases, new suppliers enter the market.
This article sums up all the reasons why it’s a bad idea with a hidden agenda https://adayinourshoes.com/vouchers-school-choice-bad/
and I can post a dozen links on why it’s good and those opposed have an agenda. Our schools are doing poorly because our legislatures value their jobs, which are dependent upon support of the public school teachers unions, which require more and more funding without any regard to actual results of students and accountability for administrators and their bloated staffs/salaries. Those same legislators who are against school choice and say there is an “agenda” send their kids to private schools.
Rational and educated people are against school choice for a variety of reasons. A few being our public schools are doing poorly because our legislators do not value public education not because parents “don’t have a choice.” (Btw, aren’t there a few charter schools within SBunified that parents can go to as an alternative?)
If we were going to do school choice, legislators (aka GOP) still have no plans to increase the funding to schools. So they want that same amount of money just to be spread out over even more schools. Their “vision” is that with the same amount of money spread out over more schools, only the best would survive. Taking away more money will somehow make the schools better? Idiotic logic.
No, for every student that would take a voucher to attend alternative education (not just private schools) leaves more per-pupil-funding for public schools.
Ah yes…. the assumption that new schools (or what, private daily tutors?) will begin opening at a low rate in one of the most expensive places to live. How do you think the existing private schools will react to these new low-income private education “centers” or whatever you’re dreaming about?
Why are you so against most obvious means of improving education: Giving the public schools more money? You know, like the developed and more advanced countries do.
What mythical pot of money will these vouchers come from? If a family gets a school voucher it’s coming from the public education pot of money so that equals less money for public schools.
And you’re ignoring the whole separation of church and state thing where private schools are allowed to discriminate who they accept yet still receive tax payer funds. Quite the can of worms.
Vouchers are less than the per pupil amount given to schools. For each kids that receive a voucher it would increase the amount available per-pupil for those who choose to stay in public schools. Income restrictions on the vouchers should certainly apply. There are many examples where denominational schools/programs accept federal funds (GI Bill and Pell Grants for example). The government also can’t discriminate against denominational schools either, if they offer something to a private schools in general they can’t deny them to denominational schools. Most importantly, the vouchers go first to the families to provide them with a CHOICE in what is the best program for their child, if that’s a Catholic school, home schools program, LGBT+ school, service academies, whatever the PARENT thinks is best for their CHILD. Bottom line the current system is and has been providing abysmal results, the current solution of throwing more money at the problem isn’t producing results. A monopoly doesn’t serve it’s customers well, it’s time to try something new.
VOICE thinks if 1 student leaves public school, the lost money isn’t really lost because it would have been used only to educate that student. Reality isn’t a strong suit in this argument. Also ignores the inability to pay for private/alternative education for most low income families in this town even with the magic money, unless he’s doling out at least $20K checks this time around?
There’s plenty of money for schools!! 50% of property taxes go to our local school districts. We’re the 5th most expensive area in the nation. Money is not the problem. It’s how it is spent. Voters need to elect a competent Supt. The Supt and community need to respect professional teachers, reduce class sizes from 35 to 25. Classroom aidea are essential. Parents must get involved with their children’s schools and instruction. Sadly, most high performing students are tutored by their parents or outsiders.
@SBwoman, and therein lies the issue. We are the 5th most expensive area in the nation and our educators cannot afford to live here so if a bulk of the funding goes to salaries and cost of living, that doesn’t leave much else left. It’s impractical to think teachers can afford to live in SB on a $60k/year salary and it’s absurd to expect teachers to live in Lompoc or Ventura and drive in every day.
Ms. Maldonado and the SBUSD Board all get F’s!
If you want to know why the math scores are so bad, look into the terrible math program we are using . Illustrative Math is lacking and most teachers know it isn’t working. All complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Why did we buy it, you may ask? Well, certain people who are district employees also helped develop it and work for that company in addition to their district job. Major conflict of interest.
This article was written by the district so they also aren’t going to admit that teacher turnover and empty positions are a factor. Maybe if they hadn’t stolen 6.7 million from us and paid us more than the state required minimum, we would be able to keep good teachers.
Every one of SBUSD administrators should be fired immediately
I cannot undr5estand why parents are not rising up and demanding a decent education for their children. For far too many thousands of these kids, the future is bleak inan an ver changing job market. To top it off, English is now the world language and tought in most countries. Foreign students who come to a univresity system here to learn, speak better English than our own children.
Ms. Maldonado-
The new achievement report for math and English does praise the up-ticks, but fails to mention the regression and the lousy scores for several schools.
Ms. Galindo and her staff seem to be doing something right. It might be a good idea to put her in charge of teaching math and English because too many of our local schools are still cranking out thousands of functionally illiterate Mexican (and other) children who will pay a dear price in securing decent paying jobs as they enter the adult world.
The buck stops with you and after three years as Superintendent, you are not making much progress.
Sincerely,
Yet the board renewed her contract for 3 more years.
Disgusting
Who exactly is watching out for our community kids?
Ms. Galindo is amazing, and it was a sad day when La Cumbre JH lost her. The constant pressure from the district to eliminate the Core Knowledge program probably didn’t incentivize her to stay. We are lucky that my kid had her.
Giving individualized instruction is very hard though. Those La Cumbre scores…why? Is it because so many families transfer out?
PATHETIC AND CRIMINAL ARE THE ONLY WORDS I HAVE FOR THE SANTA BARBARA EDUCATION SYSTEM
Santa Barbara average is 39% for ELA and 28% for math. And they want to tout Roosevelt, La Colina, and DP as showing improvement in SB? Woot woot, Dos Pueblos is the winner 🥇 of the losers. These scores have cost taxpayers $27,000 per student. 💰💰💰💰💰💰. Good thing we can still do math.
There’s about 76,000 students in our county.
Trustees have failed voters by hiring and retaining current Supt. Fire her!
Our vulnerable students, need a lot more than “learning walks” from our leadership. And parents expect more than as Maldonado says , learn students name, face and story. Is it asking too much that our students learn to read and do math by end of third. The scores have been stagnant long before covid.
Because our system does far too little for students when it is already too late. We have a leadership crisis.
Learning walks is a joke and so is every child, every chance every day. So many students in secondary are years behind and unlikely to catch up because their parents don’t have the means for pricey tutors or intensive interventions. Our current model only benefits admin and Maldonado. Every one else is stressed, behind and on the verge of leaving. Sure hope the board realize they are in charge and need to do something now for teachers and vulnerable students. And it’s not walking tours or articles like this that treat the public like they are gullible idiots. This top down model does not work. Nothing left for teachers or vulnerable students.
And walking tours just don’t cut it.