Fallbrook district reports gains on 2024 CAF scores; board hears educator-effectiveness spending plan

Fallbrook Union High School District Superintendent Ilse Garza Gonzalez reported to the board on Oct. 15 that district juniors posted gains on the district's 2024 CAF scores, and staff described how an educator-effectiveness block grant was used to support instruction and teacher development.

Gonzalez said 27.61% of juniors exceeded standards in English language arts and 31.9% met standards, combining to 58.7% at or above proficiency, an increase of 6.09 percentage points from the previous year. In mathematics, 24.73% of juniors met or exceeded standards, an increase of 6.55 points, she said.

District officials said the results represent early, encouraging signs and tied the gains to a multi-year focus on standards-aligned instruction, common planning time, targeted interventions during "Warrior Pride Time," and learning walks that let teachers observe and support each other. "We're focusing on standards and on professional collaboration so teachers can target the gaps our benchmark assessments reveal," Gonzalez said.

An education-services staff member gave an update on the educator-effectiveness block grant, which the presenter said originally totaled about $517,000. The presenter said approximately $88,000 remained and must be spent by June 30, 2026. Staff reported the funds have been used for professional-learning contracts (including AP and AVID trainings), substitute time to allow teachers to observe peers, attendance at state conferences, support for technology coaches, the Elevation platform for student progress monitoring, and a tool described as "Digicoach" for quick classroom feedback.

Board members asked for specifics about which practices drove the score increases. Gonzalez pointed to departments' work on pacing guides and agreed-upon benchmark assessments, deeper attention to technical writing in English, math tutorials, and counselors' efforts to place students in appropriate courses and interventions. A trustee noted the district's "no cell phones in class" policy, which staff said was implemented last year and may be reducing distractions.

Gonzalez also reviewed subgroup and demographic data the board discussed: the district reported an English-learner enrollment of 21.4%, migrant students at about 8%, socioeconomically disadvantaged students at 72.93% (free/reduced-price meal eligibility), and students with disabilities at about 15.86%. Gonzalez said the district's performance compares favorably with surrounding districts given those demographics.

Board members praised student leadership programs and recent events that support college and career readiness. Gonzalez said the district will continue departmental calibration, professional learning, and interventions tied to benchmark data.

Clarifying details: the presenter identified the $517,000 total as the original educator-effectiveness allocation; the remaining balance cited for 2025-26 spending was about $88,000 and the spending deadline was cited as 06/30/2026. Specific outcomes from individual programs (for example, how much each training improved scores) were not presented.

The board did not take action on the test-score presentation; it received the report as information.