Washington Unified reports 41% met/exceeded in ELA, 28% in math; district outlines curriculum, intervention steps

Washington Unified School District leaders presented preliminary 2024–25 California Assessment of Student Performance (CAASPP/CASP) and CAST results at the Oct. 9 board meeting and outlined a multi‑pronged plan to improve outcomes.

Key results: Assistant Superintendent Audrey Streak and Director Brittany Billingsley said 41% of tested students scored at the 'met' or 'exceeded' levels in English/language arts and 28% met/exceeded in math for 2024–25. Streak noted the district results were below statewide averages (state: 48% ELA, 37% math). (Audrey Streak)

District analysis and subgroup notes: Presenters reviewed grade‑level cohorts and subgroup trends: Filipino and American Indian/Alaska Native groups had notable gains in ELA; several grade cohorts showed mixed movement year‑to‑year; and the district described cohort declines (e.g., a 10% drop in one cohort discussed in presentation) which staff attributed to areas for targeted intervention.

Planned responses: Staff described a package of responses to the data: - Adoption and roll‑out of a newly adopted K–11 ELA curriculum with Unbound Ed partner support and ongoing professional learning; - A districtwide instructional schedule protecting grade‑level instructional minutes and adding a 30‑minute in‑day intervention block for ELA and math; - Continued use of common formative assessments (CFAs) and MTSS teams to create individualized plans; and - Implementation of state‑mandated K–2 reading screeners (DIBELS or mCLASS) in November for early identification.

Board discussion: Trustees asked how the district will monitor classroom implementation and whether signature practices will be uniformly adopted; staff said they will use structured walkthroughs, targeted professional learning, coach licenses from curriculum vendors and district‑level PL days to support classroom practice and fidelity. Staff also said the public performance dashboard will be published Nov. 13.

What this means: District leaders said the results show some bright spots and consistency across years but not the acceleration the district seeks. The presentation emphasized building teacher capacity through focused PL, common materials, and systematized intervention time as the primary strategy to 'move the needle.' (Brittany Billingsley)

Next steps: Staff will release the public dashboard on Nov. 13, continue targeted PL and MTSS supports, and bring further curriculum and implementation updates in future study sessions.

Ending: Board members thanked staff for the depth of analysis and urged accelerated improvement and monitoring of implementation fidelity.