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District posts strong ELA and math gains but English‑learner progress metric falls; reclassification noted as factor
Summary
Fullerton officials reported significant gains in distance‑from‑standard in ELA and math and low suspension/absenteeism rates, while noting the state’s EL‑progress metric fell to level 2; staff said reclassification of English learners removes high‑performing students from the measure and presented a recalculation showing stronger results.
District staff presented Fullerton’s results on the California School Dashboard at the Jan. 20 board meeting, reporting significant gains in academic distance‑from‑standard (DFS) for English language arts and math and low suspension and chronic‑absenteeism rates, while flagging the English‑learner (EL) progress indicator as an area of concern.
Data presenter explained that Fullerton earned a level‑4 performance for ELA with a DFS 23.9 points above standard and improvements that outpaced prior years; math also improved and placed the district in a strong percentile compared with similar districts. Suspension and chronic‑absenteeism rates ranked favorably for a TK–8 district.
On the EL progress indicator, staff reported 47.7% of English learners made progress, a decrease of 2.1 percentage points that placed the district at level 2. Presenter Sung Chi and colleagues explained a key effect: when students meet reclassification criteria and are exited from the English‑learner group, their potential high scores on ELPAC are removed from the EL progress calculation, which can lower the apparent percentage of students still counted. Staff ran an internal recalculation that would have moved the district to level 4 if recently reclassified students’ likely scores were included.
Trustees discussed how to explain those results to parents. Staff said they are conducting parent outreach (ELAC meetings, one‑page resources, Blackboard Connect notices and practice links) and will provide communications about testing windows and goal‑setting for reclassification. Trustees also requested further school‑level and longitudinal data, including transition outcomes for dual‑language immersion students entering high school.
What happens next: Staff said the dashboard will inform school improvement plans and targeted strategies for LTELs, foster and homeless students; trustees asked for additional community communication materials and follow‑up data on transitional outcomes.
Sources: Dashboard presentation by district data staff (Sung Chi and team) and discussion recorded Jan. 20.
