Manhattan Beach Unified School District students scored significantly higher than students around the county and state on new tests related to the Common Core. The computer-based tests, administered in the spring, were the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress System and included English Language Arts and math sections.
On the English Language Arts section, 81 percent of the district’s students met or exceeded the standards, compared with 44 percent of the state. For math, 71 percent of the district met or exceeded the standards, compared with 33 percent in the state.
“Although we are still analyzing the data, we believe they will show that MBUSD continues to be one of the highest performing districts in the state,” said Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews. “Our students are performing at extremely high levels, particularly in their writing and reading achievement.”
The tests replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting, or STAR, program, which was discontinued in 2013. The state department of education said the exams were too different to compare scores.
Students in grades three through eight and eleven were tested. Subjects included under English Language Arts were reading, writing, listening and research. Math subjects included problem solving, using concepts and procedures and communicating mathematical reasoning. District students’ scores were also higher compared to the rest of Los Angeles County, whose scores were lower than the rest of the state.
The district said it hadn’t yet received individual students’ scores, but will send them out when they do, most likely in mid-October. ER
