Fallbrook district reports notable reading, math gains and lays out 'resource alignment' plan

The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District presented a set of student achievement and attendance measures showing measurable gains and next steps to accelerate progress.

Assistant Superintendent Tabqa Bustani told the board the district is using multiple measures — STAR assessment results, attendance and school‑climate indicators — to guide instructional support and resource allocation. “This update reflects the collective efforts of our dedicated staff, our incredible students, and committed leadership teams,” Bustani said.

Seventh‑grade student Matthew Cardbo summarized assessment wins: “We’re getting smarter,” he said, reporting district growth across grades 3–8 of about 6 percentage points in English language arts and 7 points in mathematics from August to March. Presenters highlighted specific gains including a 14‑point increase in grade 8 math and substantial middle‑school reading gains.

The presentation called out reading progress in particular. According to the presenters, district reading rates rose from about 32% to 51% across grades 3–8 (a 19‑point increase), with sustained gains in grades 6–8. Bustani said the gains reflect a focus on reading culture and classroom practices that promote independent reading.

District staff described a set of “resource alignment plans” implemented since March: site leadership teams used small‑group instruction, extended instructional minutes in math and language arts, after‑school tutoring led by classroom teachers, intervention technicians and instructional coaches, and targeted feedback cycles for teachers. The aim is to close remaining gaps and advance toward a district target the superintendent framed as the “10/10/10” goal: reach 63% in ELA and 53% in math by boosting current proficiency several percentage points.

On attendance, the district reported modest improvement in chronic absenteeism (the share of students missing 10% or more of the year), declining from 18.10% last year to about 17.19% this month, and average daily attendance roughly 94% (mid‑March P‑2 benchmark). Officials said sites with lower ADA are using incentives, regular family outreach and student attendance reviews to recover lost minutes.

Trustees praised the student presenters and staff, and asked for operational details about tutoring offerings — which staff said vary by site and are typically classroom‑teacher led, scheduled on a small‑group basis and adjusted by student needs. The board heard staff will continue monitoring progress and return with implementation details.

The presentation closed with an emphasis on equity: presenters said they track outcomes by student group (English learners, students with disabilities, migrant students and racial/ethnic groups) and noted growth among those groups while flagging areas needing deeper analysis.

Next steps the board identified were continued monitoring of site resource alignment plans, continued tutoring and small‑group instruction, and follow‑up reports on student‑group performance and the operational details of expanded supports.