Atascadero Unified reviews CAASPP scores, flags gaps for English learners and assessments
October 22, 2025 | Atascadero Unified, School Districts, California
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Atascadero Unified School District staff presented a high-level review of 2024–25 CAASPP (SBAC) results during a board study session, reporting that districtwide results generally sit above the California average but below San Luis Obispo County in English language arts, mathematics and science. District staff and trustees used the presentation to identify subgroup gaps — especially for English learners and long-term English learners (LTELs) — and to discuss the limitations of the district’s current local assessment tools.
EJ, the district presenter, summarized key percentages and subgroup patterns and urged the board to focus on assessment alignment and instructional infrastructure. EJ said the district’s overall English language arts percentage was "just over 50%" meeting or exceeding standards, the mathematics rate was 40.1% meeting or exceeding standards, and the science rate was 36.9% meeting or exceeding standards. EJ highlighted that English learners' proficiency dropped over two years, that LTELs showed no proficiency gains in the latest results, and that students with disabilities and socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students require targeted attention.
"What do we want students to know? How are we going to know if they knew it? How do we know if they're learning it? What do we do if they're not?" EJ asked, listing the four essential questions that staff say must guide instruction and assessment planning. EJ also explained that FastBridge, the district’s current universal screener, measures foundational skills and is useful for intervention but does not map closely enough to SBAC standards and the deeper-transfer demands of the CAASPP.
Superintendent Tom Bennett said the data show where the district needs to strengthen its infrastructure and assessments. "I think we need a structure in place," Bennett said, describing the need for clearer standards prioritization, assessments that align to state expectations and a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) that addresses both intervention and extension. He said the district has already updated some curriculums — ELA K–12 adoptions are complete, secondary math and various science/secondary adoptions have been phased in — and that staff plan to pilot assessment tools that better correlate to SBAC results.
Presenters and trustees discussed subgroup details included in the presentation: EJ said about 48% of the district’s students are socioeconomically disadvantaged. EJ noted that English learners make up roughly 7.1% of students and LTELs about 2% of enrollment (approximately 84 students districtwide by EJ’s calculation), and that small subgroup sizes can cause large year-to-year percentage swings. EJ also pointed out that CAASPP science tests are given only in grades 5, 8 and 11, which reduces the sample size for some subgroups and can magnify variability.
Board members pressed for practical next steps. Trustees and staff discussed piloting assessments that break results down by standards and provide teacher-level, classroom-level reporting; involving teachers and intervention staff in pilots; and using EduClimber and similar data tools to surface teacher- and classroom-level trends. EJ and trustees agreed to bring teachers into pilot evaluations and to research assessment products that align to SBAC claims and to classroom standards.
Trustees also discussed comparing Atascadero's practices to higher-performing districts outside the county to identify scalable practices. EJ said he used statewide data tools to find comparative districts with similar enrollments and demographics and intends to pursue peer-district outreach where productive comparisons are possible.
The board did not take action on the CAASPP presentation; it was a study-session item. Trustees asked staff to return with phased next steps and more-detailed school- and grade-level analysis.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the minutes of the Oct. 7 regular meeting and approved the consent agenda (items A–D) by roll call earlier in the meeting; both motions passed unanimously in the recorded roll calls.
EJ, the district presenter, summarized key percentages and subgroup patterns and urged the board to focus on assessment alignment and instructional infrastructure. EJ said the district’s overall English language arts percentage was "just over 50%" meeting or exceeding standards, the mathematics rate was 40.1% meeting or exceeding standards, and the science rate was 36.9% meeting or exceeding standards. EJ highlighted that English learners' proficiency dropped over two years, that LTELs showed no proficiency gains in the latest results, and that students with disabilities and socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students require targeted attention.
"What do we want students to know? How are we going to know if they knew it? How do we know if they're learning it? What do we do if they're not?" EJ asked, listing the four essential questions that staff say must guide instruction and assessment planning. EJ also explained that FastBridge, the district’s current universal screener, measures foundational skills and is useful for intervention but does not map closely enough to SBAC standards and the deeper-transfer demands of the CAASPP.
Superintendent Tom Bennett said the data show where the district needs to strengthen its infrastructure and assessments. "I think we need a structure in place," Bennett said, describing the need for clearer standards prioritization, assessments that align to state expectations and a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) that addresses both intervention and extension. He said the district has already updated some curriculums — ELA K–12 adoptions are complete, secondary math and various science/secondary adoptions have been phased in — and that staff plan to pilot assessment tools that better correlate to SBAC results.
Presenters and trustees discussed subgroup details included in the presentation: EJ said about 48% of the district’s students are socioeconomically disadvantaged. EJ noted that English learners make up roughly 7.1% of students and LTELs about 2% of enrollment (approximately 84 students districtwide by EJ’s calculation), and that small subgroup sizes can cause large year-to-year percentage swings. EJ also pointed out that CAASPP science tests are given only in grades 5, 8 and 11, which reduces the sample size for some subgroups and can magnify variability.
Board members pressed for practical next steps. Trustees and staff discussed piloting assessments that break results down by standards and provide teacher-level, classroom-level reporting; involving teachers and intervention staff in pilots; and using EduClimber and similar data tools to surface teacher- and classroom-level trends. EJ and trustees agreed to bring teachers into pilot evaluations and to research assessment products that align to SBAC claims and to classroom standards.
Trustees also discussed comparing Atascadero's practices to higher-performing districts outside the county to identify scalable practices. EJ said he used statewide data tools to find comparative districts with similar enrollments and demographics and intends to pursue peer-district outreach where productive comparisons are possible.
The board did not take action on the CAASPP presentation; it was a study-session item. Trustees asked staff to return with phased next steps and more-detailed school- and grade-level analysis.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the minutes of the Oct. 7 regular meeting and approved the consent agenda (items A–D) by roll call earlier in the meeting; both motions passed unanimously in the recorded roll calls.
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