PUSD scores higher than state, county averages

Poway Unified School District students have scored well over the state and county averages in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.

This statewide assessment replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting program and is part of the state’s Common Core requirements. The assessments were taken by students in grades three through eight as well as grade 11. This is the second year that the test has been given in California.

Students earn one of four scores on the test in both math and English: standards exceeded, standards met, standards nearly met and standards not met.

In PUSD, 67 percent of students who took the CAASPP met or exceeded state math standards, compared to 37 percent statewide. In English, 76 percent of PUSD students met or exceeded state standards, compared to 49 percent statewide.

Both of these show small increases from last year, where 65 percent of PUSD students met or exceeded math standards and 73 percent met or exceeded English standards.

PUSD scored much higher than the county average, which was 44 percent of students in San Diego County meeting or exceeding math standards and 56 percent of students meeting or exceeding English standards.

While all PUSD schools scored above the state average scores, some schools did better than others. The highest-ranked school, both of elementary schools and overall, was Deer Canyon Elementary School, where 88 percent of students met or exceeded math standards and 92 percent of students met or exceeded English standards.

The lowest-ranked school in PUSD, for both elementary schools and overall, was Valley Elementary, with 49 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 51 percent of students meeting or exceeding the English standards.

Middle and high schools saw lower average scores than elementary schools, with Oak Valley Middle School topping the middle school scores with 74 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 85 percent meeting or exceeding English standards. Twin Peaks Middle School was the lowest-scoring middle school, with 55 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 68 percent meeting or exceeding English standards.

For high schools, Westview and Del Norte high schools were very nearly tied for top score, with both schools having 72 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards. Westview High School barely eked out the top spot with 77 percent of students meeting or exceeding English standards, compared to Del Norte High School’s 76 percent.

Poway High School saw the lowest local high school scores, with 54 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 70 percent of students meeting or exceeding English standards. Rancho Bernardo High School saw 66 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 83 percent met or exceeded English standards.

San Diego Unified School District scored roughly the same as the county average, with 43 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 57 percent of students meeting or exceeding English standards. San Dieguito Union High School District scored far above both the state and county averages, with 71 percent of students meeting or exceeding math standards and 80 percent of students meeting or exceeding English standards.

To see your school’s individual scores, visit caaspp.cde.ca.gov/sb2016 and click “search smarter balanced results.”