Imperial County Students Make Testing Gains; Still Below State Average
Imperial County students made strides across the board in their standardized testing scores, with the biggest gains coming in science — yet Imperial County students are still scoring below the state average.
This spring, 18,415 Imperial County students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 participated in statewide assessments in English-language arts and mathematics as part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. Additionally, 8,262 students were assessed on science standards through the California Science Assessment in grades 5, 8, and once in high school (grades 10-12).
This month, the California Department of Education released the 2023-24 CAASPP and CAST test scores, reporting results in four levels: not met, nearly met, met or exceeded.
Statewide assessment results show modest progress made by K-12 students across the state, with achievement data still not back to pre-COVID levels, according to a press release from the Imperial County Office of Education.
In Imperial County, 38.94 percent of students met or exceeded standards in English-language arts, a .52 percent increase from the previous year.
Mathematics scores also showed improvement, with 25.38 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards, up .6 percent from last year.
Science scores demonstrated the most significant gains, however, rising 2.68 percent from the previous year to 20.27 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards.
The California averages for students meeting or exceeding standards for ELA increased to 47 percent in 2023-24 and increased in mathematics to 35.5 percent. In science, overall students meeting or exceeding the standards increased slightly to 30.7 percent.
Despite test scores remaining below state averages, Imperial County continues to outperform counties with similar student populations such as Colusa, Monterey, Madera, Merced and Tulare. Statewide, Imperial County has the highest combined rate of low-income students and English Learners.
2023-2024 CAASPP and CAST Scores
Percentage of students within each achievement level
2023-2024 CAASPP and CAST Scores
Percentage of students who met or exceeded standards
While overall performance remained relatively stable, ICOE officials observed significant improvements among several student groups. Low-income students, students with disabilities, homeless students and foster youths all demonstrated notable gains in ELA, mathematics and science. However, performance disparities widened among English Learners and migrant students.
These findings underscore the importance of continued engagement with students and families, rigorous curriculum, and high-quality professional development to create equitable learning opportunities for all students.
“Our team continues to work in partnership with our local school districts to improve student outcomes,” said Dr. Todd Finnell, Imperial County Superintendent of Schools. “Together, we are working to support effective learning environments while addressing the social, emotional, and other needs of our students and families.”
While CAASPP scores provide a snapshot of academic achievement, the California School Dashboard, which will be released in December, offers a more holistic perspective. It is a more comprehensive tool that measures a variety of student outcomes, including attendance, graduation rates, and other factors that contribute to overall school success.
CAASPP summary reports are available to the public on the Test Results for California’s Assessments website. Reports and data visualization tools are also available through the Imperial County Office of Education Data Hub at www.icoe.org/data.