Newark Student Test Scores Dip, New Data Shows (2024)

Schools

California's student test scores took a dive amid the pandemic. See how your school fared.

Posted Tue, Oct 25, 2022 at 3:11 pm PT|Updated Tue, Oct 25, 2022 at 3:34 pm PT

The “nation’s report card” is the first comprehensive analysis of the pandemic’s academic toll on America’s school children.

While measurable drops in performance were seen across the state compared to 2018-19, Newark Unified School District students actually increased just over one-tenth of a percentage point in English language arts but dropped three-quarters of a percentage point in mathematics.

Compare test scores at schools in your area with this state tool.

Nationally, nearly four in 10 eighth graders failed to grasp basic math concepts in the biggest decline in math scores in decades, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, report released Monday by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Reading scores among fourth graders also slid to the lowest level since 1990. The declines in fourth and eighth graders’ scores in mathematics were the largest ever recorded.

The percentage of Golden State students meeting math standards fell 7 percent, to 33 percent and those meeting English language standards dropped 4 percent, to 47 percent, according to the report and state data.

In Newark Unified School District, 48 percent of students met state standards for English language arts. Meanwhile, 37.35 percent of students at the same school met or exceeded standards for mathematics showing an increase from the 2018-19 school year numbers of 47.89 percent in English language arts and a decrease from 38.10 percent in math.

Results from both statewide and national data showed that California's school children suffered less learning loss than in other states, but achievement gaps widened.

The day the results were published, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office quickly released a statement, touting California as one of the only states to outperform others in "minimizing learning loss."

“California focused on keeping kids safe during the pandemic,” Newsom said, “while making record investments to mitigate learning loss and transforming our education system.”

It's important to note that the national test indicated that the achievement gap among students of color widened in California, which is contradictory to the state test, CalMatters reported.

“While California’s students experienced less learning loss than those in most other states during the pandemic, these results are not a celebration but a call to action — students are struggling academically and we need to keep getting them the resources they need to thrive," Newsom said.

What's more, in California, two out of three students in the state did not meet math standards, and more than half did not meet English standards on testing completed in the spring, according to data from the California Department of Education.

READ MORE: Tests Show Steep Pandemic Learning Loss And Signs Of Recovery In LAUSD

The achievement test given every two years to the nation’s fourth and eighth graders also showed reading scores are sliding. The NAEP test is mandated by Congress to measure students’ progress and learning experiences in various subjects. It hasn’t been given since 2019 because of the pandemic.

“It is a serious wake-up call for us all,” Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the United States Education Department, told The Associated Press.

“In NAEP, when we experience a 1- or 2-point decline, we’re talking about it as a significant impact on a student’s achievement. In math, we experienced an 8-point decline — historic for this assessment,” she said.

Education researchers generally equate a 10-point decline with a year of learning.

In mathematics, California eighth grade math scores fell 6 points on a 500-point scale, (from 276 in 2019 to 270 this year). Fourth grade scores slipped 5 points over the same period (from 235 to 230).

According to the state's dashboard, just 33.3 percent met or exceeded standards for math.

In reading, California's scores only fell two points, from 216 to 214, not a significant change. Meanwhile, eighth graders’ reading scores stayed the same — 259.

Statewide, 47 percent of school children met or exceeded standards for English Language Arts, according to the state dashboard.

Average scores for fourth-grade reading held steady in two districts participating in the nation's report card — Los Angeles and San Diego. LA was also the only district in the nation where average scores for eighth-grade reading increased.

Some of California's Republican leaders quickly weighed in after the results were released.

"Democrat policies get an F," Senate GOP leader Scott Wilk of Lancaster said in a statement. "It is no wonder these scores were kept under lock and key. They are a clear referendum on the failed policies advocated by the governor, legislative leaders, and the state superintendent of public instruction for years — not just during the pandemic. After shuttering schools for the better part of two years, student failure is on steroids."

Nationally, the average mathematics score for fourth graders has fallen 5 points since 2019 (from 241 to 236), while the score for eighth graders dropped 8 points (from 282 to 274). In reading, average scores for both grades fell 3 points (from 220 to 217 at fourth grade and from 263 to 260 at eighth grade).

The math score declines are the largest ever recorded for the subject. None of the 50 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in eighth grade math scores, though Utah and the U.S. Department of Education Activity schools saw no change.

Overall, 38 percent of eighth graders’ scores were graded as “below basic,” a cutoff that measures, for example, whether students can find the third angle in a triangle if they’re given the other two. In 2019, 31 percent of eighth graders scored below that level.

“Eighth grade is a pivotal moment in students’ mathematics education, as they develop key mathematics skills for further learning and potential careers in mathematics and science,” Daniel J. McGrath, acting NCES associate commissioner for assessment, said in a news release. “If left unaddressed, this could alter the trajectories and life opportunities of a whole cohort of young people, potentially reducing their abilities to pursue rewarding and productive careers in mathematics, science, and technology.”

Every region of the country saw test scores slide, and every state saw a decline in at least one subject. Several major districts saw test scores fall by more than 10 points.

Confirming what many had feared, racial inequities appear to have widened during the pandemic. In fourth grade, Black and Hispanic students saw bigger decreases than white students, widening gaps that have persisted for decades.

Inequities were also reflected in a growing gap between higher and lower performing students. In math and reading, scores fell most sharply among the lowest performing students, creating a widening chasm between struggling students and the rest of their peers.

Surveys done as part of this year’s test illustrate the divide.

When schools shifted to remote learning, higher performing students were far more likely to have reliable access to quiet spaces, computers and help from their teachers, the survey found.

The achievement gap isn’t a surprise. The pandemic upended nearly every aspect of American life, with millions of students learning from home for months or more.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said it’s a sign that schools need to redouble their efforts, using billions of dollars Congress gave schools to help students recover.

“Let me be very clear: these results are not acceptable,” Cardona said.

Carr said recovery isn’t as simple as a reset to pre-pandemic normalcy.

“Academic recovery cannot simply be about returning to what was ‘normal’ before the pandemic, as the pandemic laid bare an ‘opportunity gap’ that has long existed,” Carr said in the news release. “It also showed how every student was vulnerable to the pandemic’s disruptions. We do not have a moment to waste.”

The results make clear that schools must address the “long-standing and systemic shortcomings of our education system,” said Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Los Angeles schools and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets the policies for the test.

“While the pandemic was a blow to schools and communities, we cannot use it as an excuse,” he told the AP. “We have to stay committed to high standards and expectations and help every child succeed.”

Other recent studies have found that students who spent longer periods learning online suffered greater setbacks. But the NAEP results show no clear connection. Areas that returned to the classroom quickly still saw significant declines, and cities — which were more likely to stay remote longer — actually saw milder decreases than suburban districts, according to the results.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.