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Santa Paula Unified reports measurable summer gains; Cardinal Success Academy targets nonpromoters
Summary
District staff told the board that summer programs showed reading and math gains: elementary sites reported 61% ELA gains and 56% math gains among participating students, while a targeted Cardinal Success Academy reduced nonpromoters from 71 to 41 and linked students to mental‑health and mentoring follow‑ups.
Santa Paula Unified School District presented results from its summer programs and a new Cardinal Success Academy focused on rising ninth‑grade nonpromoters, reporting measurable academic progress and expanded social‑emotional support.
District presenters said the elementary combined summer program at Barbara Webster and Blanchard produced “measurable gains” on pre‑ and post‑assessments: “For English language arts, 61% of students from rising kinder through rising 8th grade made measurable gains,” Michelle Choa, summer‑school principal at Blanchard, told the board, and “In math, 56% of students … made measurable gains.” Choa added that reading practice on the RAZ Kids platform produced more than 8,320 books read across the two sites.
Why it matters: The district rolled summer instruction, enrichment and wellness supports into a single model intended to bolster foundational skills and keep students academically engaged over the break. Trustees pressed staff for assessment detail and alignment to year‑round curriculum, and staff said summer assessments used the TCM scholars curriculum’s pre/post measures and are intended to supplement, not replace, regular‑year diagnostics.
Cardinal Success Academy: a targeted model
District leaders described the Cardinal Success Academy as a competency‑based, student‑centered program for nonpromoters and long‑term English learners. Presenter Richard said the goals were to restore confidence and accelerate credits by combining academic instruction, ethnomathematics, guest speakers and intensive problem‑solving groups. He summarized the results: the number of nonpromoters declined from 71 to 41 and most participating students earned multiple semester credits.
District and partner staff also reported screening and follow‑up for mental‑health needs. “Forty‑one students were screened for the PSC‑35 and offered services; five students were approved and by the beginning of the school year those five will be getting services,” Richard reported, and school psychologists and Ventura County Behavioral Health committed to continued outreach and parent workshops.
Board members asked for more breakdowns and next steps
Trustees welcomed the reported gains but repeatedly asked for disaggregated data and follow‑up plans. Questions included how the summer assessments map to the year‑long curriculum, next steps for roughly 98 students whose scores declined on post‑tests, and how staff will sustain gains into the school year. Staff said they will supply grade‑by‑grade spreadsheets, student profiles for teachers, and plan to continue mentoring, home visits and weekly social‑emotional support groups.
What's next: Staff said they will provide a Friday update with assessment detail and circulate action plans that include mentorship, counseling referrals and academic monitoring through the semester.
