OAKLAND, CA (August 16, 2010) – Results from the 2010 Standardized Testing and Reporting Program (STAR) released today by the California Department of Education (CDE) show marginal statewide improvement across most grade levels and content areas.  Since last year, the percentage of students at or above the proficient level increased by two points in English-language arts (ELA) and two points in mathematics.  While there have been measured gains over the last eight years, we still have much work to do.

• Forty-eight percent of California’s students are not proficient in English-language arts (ELA) and more than half, 52 percent, are not proficient in mathematics.
• Latino 4^th graders have steadily improved their performance in mathematics, increasing 27 percentage points since 2003 and narrowing the Latino-White achievement gap to 19 points.
• English Learners gained 5 percentage points in 4^th grade mathematics from 2009 to 2010, but they still trail their peers by 23 percentage points (52% compared to 75%).

“Once again, the STAR results present two different storylines of student achievement in California,” said Dr. Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director of The EdTrust—West, a statewide education advocacy organization that works to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement for students of color and students in poverty. “The first storyline is one of overall gains made by students over the last eight years.  The second is of the persistent achievement gaps and unacceptable results for Latino and African-American students and students in poverty.  Our state’s leaders should not be patting themselves on the back when the majority of our student population is not performing at grade-level.”

The results of the data reveal that proficiency rates remain low, gaps remain large, and progress remains slow:

• Forty percent of African-American, Latino, and low-income students reached proficiency in 8^th grade English-language arts, compared to 71 percent of their white and more affluent peers.
• Sixty-one percent of African-American and 54 percent of Latino students did not reach basic levels of proficiency in Algebra I.  These rates demonstrate little improvement from 2003, where 68 percent of African-American and 63 percent of Latino students performed below basic levels.
• Algebra II proficiency rates remain abysmally low for both African-American (14%) and Latino (20%) students in a course required for entrance into public universities in California.
• African-American 11^th graders have improved less than one point per year in English-language arts and only 28 percent reached proficiency in 2010.  Achievement gaps in 11^th grade ELA for African-American and low-income students have actually widened by 3 percentage points since 2003.

“After eight years, these storylines are getting old,” continued Ramanathan.  “We are long past the time of applauding meager gains and acknowledging the existence of achievement gaps.  It is time to move beyond rhetoric and into concrete solutions that will close the gap between the tremendous potential of our students and the opportunities we afford them.  This means finding ways to ensure that all students are taught by an effective teacher and have access to a quality neighborhood school,” he concluded.

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About The EdTrust—West

The EdTrust—West works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, kindergarten through college, and to forever close the achievement gaps separating low-income students and students of color from other youth. Our basic tenet is this— All children will learn at high levels when they are taught to high levels.