THIRD GRADE LITERACY BEGINS TO RECOVER FROM COVID-INDUCED LOW
Research shows that children who are not proficient readers by the end of third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers, and more likely to engage in criminal activity.[1] This indicator measures third grade proficiency for English language arts and literacy (ELA/literacy) 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, 34% of third graders in the county met or exceeded standards for ELA/literacy, which is lower than in 2018/19 (42%). This is an improvement, however, from 2020/21 when less than one-third (31%) of third graders in San Bernardino County met ELA/literacy standards. (In 2019/20, the state did not conduct academic performance testing due to the pandemic.) San Bernardino County’s 2021/22 third grade performance is lower than the statewide average (42% of students met or exceeded ELA/literacy standards). It is also lower than all counties compared including Orange (52%) and San Diego (49%), Los Angeles (43%) and Riverside (37%).
THIRD GRADE LITERACY PERFORMANCE REMAINS BELOW PRE-PANDEMIC RATES, BUT IMPROVING
Percentage of Third Graders Meeting or Exceeding ELA/Literacy Standards in San Bernardino County and California, 2014/15-2021/22
RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL
In 2019, 75% of Asian students met or exceeded standards, compared to 70% of Filipino students and 55% of White students. By contrast, 37% of Native American students and 28% of Black students met third grade ELA/literacy standards. This substantial variation in outcomes contributes to an Equity Gap Score of 2.7. This score means that the group of students with the highest rate of meeting or exceeding standards (Asian students) is nearly three times higher than the group of students with the lowest rate (Black students).
In 2021/22, 73.5% of Filipino students met or exceeded standards, compared to 70.3% of Asian students and 45.9% of White students. By contrast, 22.5% of Black students and 23.1% of Native American students met third grade ELA/literacy standards. This substantial variation in outcomes contributes to an Equity Gap Score of 3.3. This score means that the rate for the group of students with the highest rate of meeting or exceeding standards (Filipino students) is over three times higher than the rate for the group of students with the lowest rate (Black students).
EQUITY GAP SCORE FOR THIRD GRADE ELA IS 3.3
Percentage of Third Graders Meeting ELA/Literacy Standards by Socioeconomic Characteristics in San Bernardino County, 2021/22
| Race/Ethnicity | Percent Meeting Standard |
|---|---|
| Black | 22.5% |
| Native American | 23.1% |
| Pacific Islander | 29.4% |
| Latino | 29.6% |
| Average | 34.2% |
| Two+ | 43.5% |
| White | 45.9% |
| Asian | 70.3% |
| Filipino | 73.5% |
Source: California Department of Education, DataQuest; data is for all schools (charter and non-charter)
SOCIOECONOMIC DETAIL
Less than one-third (27.4%) of socioeconomically disadvantaged students met or exceeded ELA/literacy standards, compared to 51.4% of students who were not socioeconomically 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, 18.2% met or exceeded standards. Only 15.8% of children classified as English Learners met or exceeded ELA/literacy standards.
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND PARENT EDUCATION INFLUENCE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Percentage of Third Graders Meeting ELA/Literacy Standards by Socioeconomic Characteristics in San Bernardino County, 2021/22
[1] Hernandez DJ. “Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation.” The Annie E. Casey Foundation (2012).