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San Rafael High principal outlines academic goals, calls for system changes to raise assessment scores
Summary
Principal Joe Ryan Dominguez told the board that San Rafael High serves about 1,300 students and outlined data showing low pass rates on state assessments, higher AP pass rates, and a plan emphasizing professional development, changes to intervention time and exam preparation to raise scores.
Joe Ryan Dominguez, principal of San Rafael High School, told the board Jan. 27 that his campus serves roughly 1,300 students and is focused on raising student performance on state assessments by changing school practices and increasing exam preparation and interventions.
Dominguez presented demographic and assessment data, noting the school’s student body is majority Latino and that California Assessment (CAST/SBAC) pass rates for math have ranged “between 19% [and] 40%” in recent years while AP exam pass rates sit “at a 70% passage rate,” which he said indicates the school’s programs are strong but that system‑level practices are not producing consistent results on state assessments. “We need to rethink the way we're providing our services as a campus,” Dominguez said. He described low exam fidelity, limited incentives for students to engage with state tests, and constrained time for immediate tier‑2 interventions.
Dominguez told trustees he intends to expand professional development, expose staff to research‑backed practices, and reconfigure the school day to embed intervention time. He said he is sending staff to conferences in Austin and Phoenix and invited a board member to attend a Phoenix professional‑learning conference Feb. 18–20 with his administrative team so trustees can see the work firsthand.
Trustees asked how the school will communicate the importance of state assessments to students and families and how to make the school’s reputation reflect the classroom performance. Dominguez said he plans to bring in college admissions representatives to explain how district reputation and standardized measures influence college evaluations and to run targeted exam‑familiarity activities for students and staff.
Dominguez described next steps that include expanding staff professional development, rethinking how time is used for interventions and tutorials, collaborating with families to identify barriers, and developing concrete plans for exam practice and student incentives. He said the school will not “force change” on staff but will prioritize shared planning and collaborative professional learning communities.
The presentation included a question-and-answer period; trustees asked for a school tour and were invited to upcoming site visits and events to see programs and student work in person.
