ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IMPROVES IN POST-COVID ERA
In today’s knowledge- and tech-driven workplace, math skills are rapidly and increasingly in demand, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting math-related jobs growing more than five times faster than the average for all occupations between 2021 and 2031.[1] Further, with 94% of all jobs requiring some math skills, providing students with the math education they need can help them succeed in the workplace and life. This indicator measures fifth grade scores for mathematics using the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress assessment (CAASPP) results. The CAASPP assessment is a computer-adaptive, end-of-year academic performance test that is aligned with California’s Common Core State Standards.
TREND
In 2021/22, 22% of fifth graders in the county met or exceeded standards for mathematics, lower than in 2018/19, when 29% met or exceeded standards, but an improvement from 2020/21, when 19% of San Bernardino fifth graders met math standards. (In 2019/20, the state did not conduct academic performance testing due to the pandemic.) San Bernardino County’s 2021/22 fifth grade performance is lower than the California average (32% of students met or exceeded math standards) and all counties compared, including Orange (44%) San Diego (39%), Los Angeles (32%), and Riverside (26%).
APPROXIMATELY 1-IN-5 SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIFTH GRADERS MEET OR EXCEED MATHEMATICS STANDARDS
Percentage of Fifth Graders Meeting or Exceeding Mathematics Standards in San Bernardino County and California, 2014/15 – 2021/22
RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL
In 2021/22, 65.1% of Asian fifth-grade students met or exceeded math standards, compared to 57.3% of Filipino students and 33.8% of White students. Black students and Pacific Islander students were least likely to meet or exceed standards (11.1% and 12.5%, respectively). This substantial variation in outcomes contributes to an Equity Gap Score of 5.9. This score means that the group of students with the highest rate of meeting or exceeding standards (Asian students) is nearly six times higher than the rate for the group of students with the lowest rate (Black students).
EQUITY GAP IN MATHEMATICS IS SUBSTANTIAL
Percentage of Fifth Graders Meeting Mathematics Standards by Race/Ethnicity in San Bernardino County, 2021/22
EQUITY GAP IN MATHEMATICS IS SUBSTANTIAL
Percentage of Fifth Graders Meeting Mathematics Standards by Race/Ethnicity in San Bernardino County, 2021/22
| Race/Ethnicity | Percent Meeting Standard |
|---|---|
| Black | 11.1% |
| Pacific Islander | 12.5% |
| Native American | 14.4% |
| Latino | 17.4% |
| Average | 22.1% |
| Two+ | 29.2% |
| White | 33.8% |
| Filipino | 57.3% |
| Asian | 65.1% |
Source: California Department of Education, DataQuest; Data is for all schools (charter and non-charter)
SOCIOECONOMIC DETAIL
Less than one-fifth (16.1%) of socioeconomically disadvantaged students met or exceeded math standards, compared with 37.7% of those who are not economically disadvantaged. Socioeconomically disadvantaged students include students eligible for the free and reduced-priced meal program, foster youth, homeless students, migrant students, and/or students for whom neither parent is a high school graduate. For children whose parents were not high school graduates, 10.3% met or exceeded standards. Only 5.1% of students who are classified as English Learners met or exceeded math standards. This is compared with 23.3% of children who speak English only.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR FIFTH GRADE MATHEMATICS VARIES WIDLEY
Percentage of Fifth Graders Meeting Mathematics Standards by Socioeconomic Characteristics in San Bernardino County, 2021/22
A Note Regarding Interpretation of Academic Performance Data
The long-lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still visible and apparent in educational outcomes across the nation. Despite “distance learning” programs and policies implemented during the depths of the pandemic to keep students on track, many students fell behind. Additionally, with the passing of AB130 in California, which modified the required reporting of state accountability measures, including chronic absenteeism and statewide testing, many school districts reported local data and tested students using locally determined measures. These issues impacted not only San Bernardino County, but the state and nation, as well. As such, comparisons of student performance or absenteeism rates pre- and post-COVID as well as between the county and state should be interpreted with these factors in mind.
[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov/ooh/math/home.htm); Luminary Labs, The Math Gap (https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/Advancing_Math_Market_Scan_1.pdf)