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Board reviews high‑school mile‑markers; algebra pass rates, A‑G trajectories and AP/CTE enrollment discussed
Summary
District staff presented high‑school mile markers showing about 61% of ninth graders passing Algebra I, roughly half of tenth graders on track for UC A‑G eligibility (target 70%), and 74.3% of eleventh graders enrolled in AP/CTE pathways (target 85%). Trustees pressed for subgroup breakdowns and earlier outreach to families.
San Rafael City Schools’ education services team presented high‑school academic mile markers to the board on Nov. 18, showing incremental gains in math pathways and rising participation in advanced coursework but persistent gaps toward district targets.
Coordinator Cassandra Lane walked trustees through three high‑school indicators: ninth‑grade semester course passing (English, math, science), tenth‑grade projected UC A‑G eligibility based on students’ academic plans, and eleventh‑grade enrollment in AP or CTE courses.
Lane said about 61% of ninth graders were passing Algebra I with a C or better (the measure used for UC placement), noting that some ninth‑grade students are enrolled in prerequisite courses and others are in accelerated geometry after taking Algebra I in eighth grade. "We have about 61 percent of our ninth graders who are passing Algebra I," Lane said, and added that semester‑to‑semester dips are common because second semester content is often more rigorous.
For tenth grade, Lane used students’ academic plans to project A‑G eligibility: roughly 50% of tenth graders were on track in the fall, short of a 70% district target. She reported cohort graduation outcomes of 41.7% (class of 2023), 43.9% (2024) and 45.3% (2025) A‑G completion, indicating incremental improvement.
Eleventh‑grade enrollment in AP and/or CTE courses has grown, Lane said, reaching 74.3% for the all‑student rate (district target 85%). Trustees and staff credited a deliberate effort to expand AP access and reduce enrollment barriers, and the district’s strategy to send teachers to AP training and to rework scheduling to make AP courses more accessible.
Trustees requested disaggregated views (ever/never English learner groups, socioeconomic subgroups and cohort‑level analyses) to better understand gaps. Lane said the district can produce subgroup charts and cohort data on request. Board members also discussed dual‑enrollment and articulation agreements (later on the agenda) as levers to increase college readiness.
What happens next: staff will return in January with state dashboard data and updated semester grades; trustees asked for additional subgroup breakdowns and recommended more family outreach about course trajectories earlier in middle school.
