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Teachers say instructional changes helped Sierra Linda lift math scores from under 10% to 54%
Summary
At a March 25 Oxnard School District board meeting, Sierra Linda staff highlighted years of academic growth and whole‑child supports, saying targeted standards, collaborative coaching and a 'thinking classroom' approach drove gains in state math scores and student engagement.
Sierra Linda school staff told the Oxnard School District Board of Trustees on March 25 that focused instructional changes and whole‑child supports have produced steady academic gains.
Principal-level staff opened the presentation with district-aligned priorities and preliminary assessment data showing four consecutive years of growth. Third‑grade teacher Monica Phoenix described using prioritized standards, targeted small groups and technology tools (IXL and NextGen Math) to differentiate practice for students. Phoenix said the school maximizes its ISP teacher for enrichment so classroom teachers can concentrate on intervention work.
Fourth‑grade teacher Regina Alvarado credited collaborative coaching and a shift to what she called a "thinking classroom" for lifting students’ performance on the statewide math assessment. She described a multi‑year trajectory that rose from below 10 percent meeting or exceeding the standard in 2022 to 54 percent most recently, noting partnerships with math coaches, use of CAST data and letting students explain their reasoning in group problem solving.
School counseling staff outlined a three‑tiered mental‑health and support model that includes universal schoolwide social‑emotional learning activities, targeted small‑group interventions and intensive one‑on‑one supports connected to district services and community resources.
Trustees praised the presentations and asked about data disaggregation and how practices are shared across sites. Staff said the school can provide desegregated Panorama and assessment data, that many results reflect third‑ through fifth‑grade respondents, and that the school participates in a district cohort to disseminate teacher practices across K–5 sites.
Board members asked how to scale effective practices and requested site‑level impact information when districtwide decisions are made. The superintendent and administrators said they would provide additional, disaggregated data and continue coaching support and cross‑site planning.
The board recognized students who opened the meeting and presented certificates of appreciation.
