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Desert Sands posts modest gains on CAASPP and ELPAC; district to provide further breakdowns
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Summary
Coordinator Michael O'Neil reported small year‑over‑year gains in state assessments: about +2 percentage points in ELA, +1.2 in math, a 1.1 point gain in CAST science and a 1.7 percentage‑point increase in students potentially reclassifying on the ELPAC; the district ranked seventh (ELA) and sixth (math) among county unified districts on the slides shown.
Dr. Michael O’Neil, coordinator of assessment and accountability, presented the district’s spring 2025 assessment results, including ELPAC, Smarter Balanced ELA and math, and the California Science Test (CAST). He said the ELPAC showed a roughly 1.7 percentage‑point increase in the number of students who could potentially reclassify this year and that the district saw a 2 percentage‑point increase in ELA and a 1.2 percentage‑point increase in math compared with 2024.
“Desert Sands currently ranks seventh” in the county in ELA and sixth in math, O’Neil said while reviewing comparative charts. He noted that subgroup results can swing when cohorts are small and that foster youth and certain small groups require careful interpretation because raw counts drive big percentage swings.
Trustees asked for further breakdowns by grade span and newcomer status. O’Neil said he would provide a follow‑up Friday letter with a grade‑span breakdown and additional LPAC/longitudinal categories and agreed to return with more detailed slides at a subsequent meeting.
The presentation also previewed how the results will feed into the California School Dashboard when it is posted in mid‑November. Board discussion focused on areas of continued growth and where targeted interventions may be needed; trustees thanked staff for the report.
What’s next: Staff will provide requested disaggregated data and a follow‑up report to trustees.
