logo
Student test score descriptions get a makeover: Advanced, Proficient, Developing, Minimal

Student test score descriptions get a makeover: Advanced, Proficient, Developing, Minimal

The State Board of Education on Wednesday approved new labels to inform families and teachers about how students are performing on state standardized tests, aiming to provide clear descriptions that will not be demoralizing for lower-performing students.
Student scores will be ranked in one of four categories on California's annual tests in math, reading and science. The new categories will be: Advanced, Proficient, Developing and Minimal.
The old categories being replaced are: Standard Exceeded; Standard Met; Standard Nearly Met, or Standard Not Met.
In the 7-h6664 vote, the board majority rejected labels recommended by staff from the California Dept. of Education, which had conducted two rounds of focus groups.
Rob Manwaring, who was part of a coalition of nine groups that had raised concerns about earlier labels, was cautiously optimistic.
He said he understood the value of providing information in a positive, encouraging way, which is called an 'assets-based approach,' but that parents also need a sober understanding of where their child stands academically to convey an appropriate 'sense of urgency.'
'I think the labeling of the lowest level as Minimal and the second level as Developing seems to suggest that level of need,' said Manwaring, senior policy and fiscal advisor for the Oakland-based advocacy group Children Now.
The coalition had expressed strong concern over labels for the lowest two groups that had been proposed in November: Foundational and Inconsistent.
The coalition — which included EdTrust-West, California Charter Schools Assn., Alliance for a Better Community, Teach Plus and Children Now — had said the terms Foundational and Inconsistent would 'would make the data more confusing and misleading.'
The state board delayed action in November, in large part because students, parents and rank-and-file educators were not given an opportunity to provide input. Focus groups in December and January reinforced the objections to Foundational and Inconsistent, according to a staff report.
Instead, state education department staff changed direction and recommended Basic and Below Basic for the lower two levels. These labels had the broadest support within focus groups of students, parents, teachers, testing coordinators and advocates.
The full set of recommended labels — Advanced, Proficient, Basic and Below Basic — also aligned with the labels used on a well-known nationwide test, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, which is often called the nation's report card. The proposed labels also are in common use on tests in other states.
But members of the appointed state board did not fall in line.
'Labels matter,' said Francisco Escobedo. 'We see our kids as continual learners.' Below Basic suggests failure, he said. 'Emerging is a more fitting word.' He noted that Emerging is used for lowest level on a state test of assessing how well non-English-speaking students are learning English.
But a staff member pushed back — saying that a term to capture a student who is just starting to learn English is different from a description of a student's academic skills.
Other board members were not won over by Escobedo's suggested term. But they shared his concern over negativity.
'I also had a visceral reaction to the word Basic,' said Haydee Rodriguez, who added that students use the word basic as a slang insult, a revelation that caused board President Linda Darling-Hammond to take pause.
Board member Cynthia Glover Woods first suggested Minimal for the lowest category. Another suggestion brought forward for the lowest scorers was Beginning.
Board members also slightly reworded the extended description of what became the Developing label — saying it did not convey that a student at that level was likely to need extra academic support.
Among those who voted no on the new labels, board member Alison Yoshimoto-Towery felt the discussion was being unnecessarily curtailed. Escobedo said the new labels remained too harsh. Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez said the views of students and parents in the focus groups should be respected — they apparently had no issue with the word Basic.
Disappointing scores, regardless of label
Even if the board had opted for the NAEP-style labels, they would not have been interchangeable across the tests.
In general, the NAEP labels represent a more rigorous grading standard, with a higher threshold for achieving a rating of Proficient or Advanced. These higher levels are harder to achieve on NAEP than on California tests concluded research that compared state tests with the national NAEP exams.
NAEP results remain low nationwide and in California and have generally failed to recover from the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Math and English test scores of fourth- and eighth-graders largely held steady or declined nationwide over the last two years — results that were about the same in Los Angeles and California.
Not only are few students scoring as Advanced or Proficient, but fewer are achieving NAEP's version of a Basic ranking, the next level down.
On the most recent results from this test, for example, the percentage of L.A. students who scored as Proficient or better in fourth-grade math was 27%. For California it was 35%.
In fourth-grade reading, 25% of L.A. students tested as proficient or better. California's rate was 29%.
On California's tests, student proficiency rates are higher, but still widely trailing pre-pandemic achievement levels that themselves were considered unacceptable at the time.
Overall, the state tests offer a more precise check than NAEP on what students in California are supposed to be learning. The NAEP test, in contrast, tests a small sample of students to allow for state-to-state comparisons.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump 'gold card' website opens. Here's how to join the $5 million waitlist
Trump 'gold card' website opens. Here's how to join the $5 million waitlist

USA Today

time44 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Trump 'gold card' website opens. Here's how to join the $5 million waitlist

Trump 'gold card' website opens. Here's how to join the $5 million waitlist Show Caption Hide Caption Trump wants to sell $5 million 'gold cards' as path to citizenship President Donald Trump says he wants to offer wealthy immigrants "gold cards" that would give a pathway to citizenship in exchange for a $5 million purchase price. President Donald Trump's long-touted "gold card," which offers foreigners a path to U.S. citizenship after paying $5 million to the government, is open for business. But even if you have the money, there's a waitlist at And read the fine print carefully: Your $5 million doesn't buy you immediate citizenship. Trump has said that he is not seeking approval from Congress as he is not providing gold card buyers with citizenship - only a path to citizenship. The path to citizenship requirements for card buyers are unclear and White House officials have said more details will be provided soon. The most common path to U.S. citizenship through naturalization is being a lawful permanent resident for at least five years. It requires the applicant to be least 18 years old when they apply, be able to read, write, and speak basic English (depending on age) and be of "good moral character." Trump has described the card, which he has also dubbed the Trump card, as 'somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication.' 'FOR FIVE MILLION $DOLLARS, THE TRUMP CARD IS COMING!,' President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on June 11. 'Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World.' The website shows an image of the gold-colored card, emblazoned with a likeness of Trump's face, and asks a few questions including name, region, email address and if an applicant is applying for themselves or as a business. The new website asks interested people to fill out a form that specifies eight regions: Europe, Asia (including Middle East), North America, Oceania, Central America, South America, Caribbean and Africa. Other countries also offer immigration programs that offers permanent residency or citizenship to foreign investors in exchange for investment. Portugal, for example, offers residency and a path to EU citizenship after five years. When he first floated the idea in February, Trump said the card would replace the "EB-5" immigrant investor green card visa program, The EB-5 visa allows immigrant investors the option to invest between $800,000 and $1.05 million to obtain a green card. The investment money is used to help create or preserve U.S. jobs. 'Wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card,' Trump said in February. 'They'll be wealthy, and they'll be successful, and they'll be spending a lot of money, and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people.' 'It's a road to citizenship for people and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent where people of wealth pay for those people of talent to get in,' he said. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal

Primaries topple at least two Assembly incumbents — and more could follow
Primaries topple at least two Assembly incumbents — and more could follow

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Primaries topple at least two Assembly incumbents — and more could follow

Assembly candidate Katie Brennan celebrates with running mate Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, center, and Jersey City Councilman James Solmon after Brennan declared victory in the 32nd District's Assembly race on June 10, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Ben Ackman/Jersey City Times) At least two sitting members of the Assembly appear to have lost their reelection campaigns Tuesday, though it may take days yet to determine which lawmakers will see their tenures end in January. Democratic incumbents face defeat in the 28th and 31st districts, with the chance of another loss in the 32nd, according to election results that remain preliminary. So far, only one incumbent, Assemblywoman Garnett Hall (D-Essex), appears certain to lose her seat in the 28th District after a single term in office. Three Democrats vied for two spots on the November ballot in this largely Democratic district. Hall sought a second term under gubernatorial hopeful Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop's 'Democrats for Change' slogan after Essex County Democrats backed Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) and former assistant community affairs commissioner Chigozie Onyem over Hall. Hall trails Onyem by 3,563 votes, about 12 points, with nearly 98% of the 28th District's votes reported. The gap between Hall and the two candidates currently in the lead is insurmountable. In the Hudson County-based 31st District, four Democrats vied for two slots, with the incumbent Assembly members — William Sampson and Barbara McCann Stamato — running against one another on opposite slates. Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker, who ran with Sampson, appears certain to ascend to the Legislature, running in first place with 8,453 votes with about 96% of the district's votes counted. And Sampson narrowly leads McCann Stamato 7,161 to 6,853, with Bayonne Councilwoman Jacqueline Weimmer trailing the pack with 6,853 votes. 'We still have an election to go on in November, and we want to wipe Republicans out,' Walker said at a victory party Tuesday. 'And look, I'm happy to say this right here: Steven Fulop, you lost.' Walker and Sampson had the backing of the Hudson County Democratic Party. McCann Stamato and Weimmer ran under a ticket backed by Fulop. Whoever ends up in second place in this contest, one of the 31st District's incumbents won't return to Trenton next year. In the Hudson-based 32nd District, six Democrats vying for two seats were on Tuesday's ballot. Two candidates ran with the backing of Hudson's Democratic Party, two ran on Fulop's slate, and two ran solo. Former New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency chief of staff Katie Brennan leads the pack with 6,762 votes. Her running mate, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, has a narrow edge over Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (D-Hudson), leading Ramirez 6,535 to 6,462. 'We did it. We really did it. We just showed the whole state that the people can beat the party bosses,' Brennan said in a statement Tuesday night. 'This is what democracy looks like when it's not rigged by political machines.' The district also hosts what appears to be the roundest defeat of party-backed Assembly candidates in the state. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in that contest yet. Hoboken Public Library director Jennie Pu and Jersey City buildings director Crystal Fonseca — who were backed by Hudson Democrats — are in fifth and sixth place with 5,152 and 4,964 votes, respectively. Jersey City Councilman Yousef Saleh, who ran with Ramirez on Fulop's slate, is in fourth place with 5,165 votes. Pu, Fonseca, and Saleh face insurmountable gaps. In the 35th District, which represents parts of Bergen and Passaic counties, independent Democrat Newark Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart appears to have won the nomination with 7,298 votes due to a groundswell of support in the Passaic County portions of the district. 'Thank you to every single person who showed up, supported, and believed in this movement,' Stewart said on Facebook. 'We did this together, and I am deeply humbled by your trust. Now it's time to get to work — and I promise to make you proud every step of the way.' He leads Assemblyman Al Abdelaziz (D-Passaic), who won 5,997 votes, and Passaic County Commissioner Orlando Cruz, who nabbed 5,736 votes. Romi Herrera, the district's only Fulop-backed candidate, has about half as many votes as Herrera and is well out of the running. Officials are still counting votes, and they'll continue to receive mail ballots postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day until Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

More arrests as LA extends curfews and other cities brace for protest, too
More arrests as LA extends curfews and other cities brace for protest, too

UPI

timean hour ago

  • UPI

More arrests as LA extends curfews and other cities brace for protest, too

June 11 (UPI) -- The second night of curfew took place in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, as local law enforcement, backed by several thousand members of the National Guard, attempted to restrain violent protests and prevent vandalism. Meanwhile, a group of protesters were in a standoff with law enforcement officers outside a federal courthouse in Santa Ana, about 32 miles south of Los Angeles, in Orange County. Military-style vehicles and National Guards troops blocked a portion of a street in front of the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse and in front of a federal building a couple blocks away. And protests also are occurring in other major U.S. cities,, including New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The downtown Los Angeles curfew will remain in effect between 8 a.m. and 6 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Division. Ramps onto and off the 101 freeway also will continue to be closed, police said. ⭕️ COMMUNITY CONCERNS ⭕️ Questions have been raised regarding the 101 freeway on and off ramps. They will remain closed due to scheduled protests today. Curfew will remain effective begging this evening at 8 pm and ending at 6 am. If an employee or family/friend member... LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) June 11, 2025 The curfew zone covers about 1 square mile and affects about 100,000 of Los Angeles' 10 million residents. Limited exceptions include law enforcement, emergency and medical personnel, residents, people traveling to and from work and credentialed news media representatives. The White House confirmed Wednesday that 330 people were taken into custody by federal authorities since immigration sweeps by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began last week in Los Angeles. Mayor Karen Bass said the number of people arrested from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning was "minor." About 225 were made, including 203 for failure to disperse. One person was arrested after an assault of a police officer with a weapon. "If there are raids that continue, if there are soldiers marching up and down our street, I would imagine that the curfew will continue," the mayor said. During a news conference, Bass said she is trying to set up a call with President Donald Trump for him "to understand the significance of what is happening here." Court case The Trump administration is asking a federal judge to reject California's emergency court order request to limit how federal officials can use Marines and members of the state's National Guard in and around Los Angeles. The Guardsmen "are not performing law enforcement or any other functions," Army Maj. General Niave F. Knell said in a declaration submitted to federal court Wednesday. Justice Department lawyers responded to San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer on Wednesday seeking briefs. The 32-page filing notes that it is entirely within Trump's authority as commander-in-chief, and is not reviewable by the court. Federal law generally bars the military from enforcing domestic laws, but Trump invoked a provision to protect federal property and personnel when there is a "rebellion" or "danger of rebellion." The brief suggests that Gov. Gavin Newsom broke the law by failing to pass on Trump's order to activate the guard. They said he might be "unwilling" to put a stop to the violence. The judge, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, initially rejected an immediate order and has scheduled a hearing for Thursday. "The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens," Newsom said in a news release Tuesday announcing the lawsuit. "Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy. "Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President. We ask the court to immediately block these unlawful actions." The attempted order was filed as part of the governor's lawsuit against Trump, Hegseth and the Department of Defense, "charging violations of the U.S. Constitution and the President's Title 10 authority, not only because the takeover occurred without the consent or input of the Governor, as federal law requires, but also because it was unwarranted." According to the lawsuit: "ICE officers took actions that inflamed tensions -- including the arrest and detainment of children, community advocates, and people without criminal history -- and conducted military-style operations that sparked panic in the community." Community members then began protesting to express opposition to "these violent tactics, arrests of innocent people, and the President's heavy-handed immigration agenda." Protests continued for two more days, "and although some violent and illegal incidents were reported -- leading to justified arrests by state and local authorities -- these protests were largely nonviolent and involved citizens exercising their First Amendment right to protest. The protests did not necessitate federal intervention, and local and state law enforcement have been able to control of the situation, as in other recent instances of unrest. Federal response Approximately 2,000 Guardsmen from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are helping protect ICE Officers, Customs and Border Protection Officers and FBI Special Agents. Another 2,000 have been called up. Army Maj. Gen. Scott M. Sherman, who is overseeing the National Guard, said about 500 of the National Guard troops have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations. National Guard troops have temporarily detained civilians in the Los Angeles protests, but they quickly were turned them over to law enforcement, Sherman said. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the administration "is not scared to go further" in expanding its legal authority to deploy troops in the city. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also has deployed 700 Marines near Los Angeles. Sherman said the Marines are still training outside Los Angeles. "Marines get a two-day set training for civil unrest, very extensive. It's all about civil disturbance and how to control crowds and protection of facilities," Sherman said during a news briefing Wednesday. Hegseth told senators at a hearing Wednesday that Trump's order to federalize the National Guard in California could be applied in other states. "Thankfully, in most of those states, you'd have a governor that recognizes the need for it, supports it and mobilizes it, him or herself," he said. "In California, unfortunately, the governor wants to play politics with it." Trump said in an interview with the New York Post's Pod Force One, said: "I'm able to do things now that I wouldn't have been able to do because the previous president and presidency was so bad that anybody looks good. "As an example, I can be stronger on an attack on Los Angeles," Trump said. "I think bringing in the National Guard four years ago, or eight years ago, would have been more difficult." Newsom on Wednesday said: "President Trump has unnecessarily redirected 4,800 activated guards and Marines to Los Angeles - that's more soldiers than are currently stationed in Iraq and Syria combined." Situation on the streets Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his agency is investigating whether there's "conspiracy" or organization behind crimes committed during protests. "There is some evidence we've seen that I don't want to share at this time," Luna said at a Wednesday news conference with Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. He said authorities are focused on arresting individuals in causing unrest at the protests. Hochman said his office will review additional criminal cases brought by law enforcement in addition to the five he announced Wednesday. Two people were charged with assault on a peace officer after they allegedly drove motorcycles into a line of officers. One officer was hurt and several others were knocked down, Hochman said. "For any individual who is engaged in criminal conduct but did not get immediately arrested, let me provide some bad news for you," Hochman warned. "There is a tremendous amount of video out there through social media, and otherwise. We will know who you are, who engaged in this conduct. We will track you down, we will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will punish you. So for people who've already engaged in this, in this illegal activity, we're coming for you." Leticia Rhi Buckley, who lives and works just under a mile from the Los Angeles Federal Building, told CNN that the Trump administration's narrative that Los Angeles is under siege is false. She said the vast majority of what she's witnessed has been peaceful. "I live less than a mile from here. I drive home and about five blocks down, there's nothing. It's like nothing is happening," she said. "Living in downtown for 15 years, it's gotten louder when the Dodgers won the World Series, or when the Lakers won." Bass, the Los Angeles mayor, said "the portrayal is that all of our cities are in chaos. Rioting is happening everywhere, and it is a lie," she said, adding it is not an insurrection as Trump suggests. "Given that I was there on January 6th and saw that insurrection take place, the idea that this, what is happening here is an insurrection is just false and I think it is deliberately false," Bass, appearing with 30 other mayors in the region, said. "I don't think they're confused." Bill Essayli, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said authorities are collecting video, photos and body camera footage to identify anyone who committed acts of violence. ICE agents conducted raids Wednesday morning in Downey, Calif., Councilman Mario Trijulli said. The city of more than 110,000 people located south of Los Angeles. Fearful immigrants Nannies are worried they could be profiled and detained by ICE agents while working, one of them told CNN. "I'm a citizen of the United States, but my color, my skin color, makes me they see me different?" Elsy Melara said. "I'm honestly not afraid to the point myself, but I'm afraid that if they don't believe me, or if they choose not to believe me, what would happen to the kid?" She said she knows two nannies are in ICE detention after they were handcuffed in a public park. LA's garment industry is on edge. Federal agents were seen going into the manufacturer Ambience Apparel in Downtown Los Angeles on Monday. "We're hearing from our membership about a lot of fear and stress. People's mental health is really being impacted," Bo Metz, founder of LA-based manufacturer Bomme Studio, told Vogue Business. "People are afraid to leave their homes. Some people are opting to not go to work and others have no choice. We also need to continue to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. Workers are really feeling that pressure right now." More than one-third of the more than 300,000 workers producing clothing and shoes in the U.S. are immigrants, according to an analysis by an immigration reform organization. That includes an estimated 30,000 undocumented.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store