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ABC Unified reports assessment gains, outlines new supports for English learners
Summary
District officials told the school board that ABC Unified outscored California on CAASPP tests and showed gains in math and advanced science; staff outlined targeted initiatives for long‑term English learners, Saturday language labs and a winter professional learning symposium to support literacy and math.
ABC Unified School District leaders presented 2023–24 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) results at the Oct. 15 board meeting and highlighted measurable gains across English language arts, math and science.
"We outscore the state by an average of 133%," said Dr. Castro while reviewing districtwide charts showing year-over-year increases in students reaching grade-level and advanced performance in key subjects. She told trustees the district saw particular improvements in math and a jump of about 10.6 percentage points in students achieving advanced science performance.
The superintendent and site principals credited sustained collaboration, targeted interventions and new site practices. Principals from Hawaiian Elementary, Whitman Elementary, Tesloff Middle School and Gar High described multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), structured teacher collaboration, performance-task routines and campus writing centers as key drivers of growth. Hawaiian Elementary's principal reported expanding academic-language routines and professional development tied to classroom practice.
Dr. Castro described programs and investments intended to sustain momentum: vertical alignment of math curriculum through the STEPS initiative, a renewed district emphasis on reading by grade three and literacy-for-college-and-career work, the district's "Amplify ABC" Saturday language lab for long‑term English learners (fifth–eighth grades, November–February), and an "Ignite EdTech" winter professional learning symposium on Jan. 25. She said the work is funded in part through the district's LCAP allocation.
Trustees asked for more disaggregated data and for staff to show how $27 million in LCAP funding is allocated to the programs cited. Vice President Nishi asked that staff link proposed interventions to measurable cost/benefit analyses and called for clarity on why a STEAM/STEAM-embedded approach was selected for some language supports. Dr. Castro responded that CAASPP tasks often draw on content-area texts (science/history) and that STEAM-based programming builds integrated reading and writing skills in context.
Board members also pressed for targeted supports for subgroups flagged in the data. Dr. Castro said the district is prioritizing low-income students, students with disabilities and long‑term English learners with a combination of professional development, embedded assessments, writing centers and expanded tutoring offerings.
The board did not take an action to change the district's assessment or accountability plans at the meeting; staff said they would return with disaggregated results and more detail on program budgets and outcomes.
