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Los Altos trustees hear assessment results showing high district averages, persistent gaps at Santa Rita
Summary
Board heard 2024–25 assessment results showing LASD averages well above state rates but persistent subgroup gaps—district staff highlighted growth in some subgroups while acknowledging Hispanic and socioeconomically disadvantaged intersectional students remain behind; parents urged resource reallocation for Santa Rita.
At a regular meeting, the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees reviewed the district's 2024'25 assessment data and heard public appeals for more resources for Santa Rita Elementary.
A district presenter summarized state and local results, saying, "49% meeting or exceeding in ELA, 37% in math, and 33% in science" for California and that LASD averages have been "hovering right around that 84'85% range in ELA." The presenter highlighted subgroup gains (Hispanic students and English learners showed point increases), but also flagged a small, intersectional subgroup: of 85 students who are both Hispanic and economically disadvantaged, the presenter said about 32% met ELA expectations and 28% met math expectations.
Public commenters pressed the board for action. Kaylee, a special education teacher, criticized recent decisions affecting vulnerable students and asked that teams who work directly with students be included: "When those with firsthand knowledge of a student's needs . . . are excluded from the final decision making process, it sets a troubling and deeply discouraging precedent." Parent Gavin Williams requested more disaggregated, year'over'year school data to determine whether Santa Rita's gaps are demographic or resource driven and urged the board to prioritize additional resources for schools with more vulnerable students.
Trustees asked staff about methodology and local monitoring. The presenter said students who fall into multiple subgroups are counted in each applicable subgroup and described local screening (DIBELS) and intervention steps for students identified as at risk. The presenter also noted several district interventions and professional training efforts, including Orton'Gillingham training for K'2 teachers and increased paraprofessional support at Santa Rita.
Board members discussed whether statewide CAST scores fully reflect local priorities and suggested supplementing the state assessment with local check'ins and years'of'growth measures. The presenter said staff will return with additional local-assessment data and monitoring details in January.
The meeting record shows no new allocation decision was made; trustees and staff agreed to continue analysis and return with more granular data and recommended next steps.
