Burbank Unified School District received scores on Wednesday, September 9, for the new Smarter Balanced Assessments. Burbank Unified Common Core scores in subject proficiency ranked higher than Los Angeles County and State of California for all grades tested in English Language Arts, mathematics and science.
“Our number one focus is ensuring all of our students graduate with a degree that prepares them for college and/or their careers,” commented BUSD Superintendent Matt Hill. “While important, these results are just one measure that we look at to ensure we are preparing our students for their futures.”
The overall number of Burbank students who scored proficient or above in English Language Arts was 56%. In mathematics the overall score was 39% proficient or above.
These scores are a baseline and will be used to measure progress from year to year, according to Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Assesment Sharon Cuseo. They cannot be compared to the scores on the previous testing system, as the tests are completely different.
The new California testing system is now known as the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). This test is aligned to the new California Standards, commonly referred to as the Common Core State Standards.
The new assessment required the students to test on computers. In addition, the computer-based assessment was adaptive, which means that the test changed for students based on how they answered questions; the more questions they answered correctly, the more difficult the questions became.
Science, like English Language Arts and mathematics, has new standards. The new science assessment is in development, but will not be ready for administration until the 2017-2018 school-year.
It is important to note that the assessment data is baseline data only and is not being used for state or federal accountability purposes, District officials stressed. The CAASPP assessment is only a snapshot of student performance on a single test. The district uses the results to analyze global areas of success and opportunities for improvement, but primarily relies on data from the classroom to support teaching and learning.
