As the last week of state standardized testing approaches, M-A’s staff is acting to incentivize diligence from students. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is a mandatory assessment taken by juniors in March each year that measures proficiency in English and math. Students also take the California Science Test (CAST), which is part of the CAASPP. While CAASPP test scores don’t directly impact students’ grades, absences and a lack of effort from even small numbers of students can significantly reduce M-A’s average scores and hold consequences later on.
“Our scores on the CAASPP test are an indicator to the state of how good of a school M-A is,” math teacher Laurel Simons said. Simons explained that a dramatic decline in scores could require teachers to undergo more training and face greater expectations. M-A English teachers have already had to attend additional meetings in the past due to inadequate scores.
When M-A scores poorly on the CAASPP, it signals to the state of California that the school needs intervention to raise performance. “Absolutely, there would be more time spent in class on CAASPP-style questions and preparing specifically for the standardized test, as opposed to general curriculum that helps us in our particular classes,” Simons said. “M-A would lose a lot of the wonderful extracurricular things that make it such a great school.”
By putting forth a sincere effort, students communicate to the state that their teachers are effective, giving them more freedom in how they instruct their classes. This means students can continue enjoying activities like group projects and field trips, rather than spending time preparing for standardized tests or learning whichever way the state may deem necessary.
“If our students are earning 5’s on the AP Calc tests and 5s on the Physics tests, and they’re not meeting expectations on the CAASPP, that doesn’t equate, right?” math and computer science teacher Tomiko Fronk said. “When we have only the test scores from CAASPP to go off of to reflect our academic programs here, and then we have to justify why so many students aren’t passing the CAASPP, it’s frustrating because I know my students should be passing and also raising that average if they try.”
“Our students are smart at M-A. I know you guys work really, really hard, and the classes here are really challenging, and you guys always rise to those challenges. That work that you guys do in class every year is not accurately reflected in our school data, and it’s unfortunate because you guys should also be acknowledged for the work that you do,” Fronk explained. “It’s just frustrating for me as a teacher who spends a lot of time crafting content and curriculum to be challenging and rigorous, but also to make sure you’re learning in class, and then not have that reflect on a standardized test.”
M-A’s teachers and administration have been encouraging students to try their best on the CAASPP. English and art history teacher Liane Strub grants extra credit to her students who take the test, and other teachers have similar incentives for students with strong performance. Fronk explained that there’s no penalty in her classes for not trying, but they must do so to be eligible for a letter of recommendation. “As a math department, we’re pretty uniformly aligned on the letter of rec thing, and the English department has their own way of motivating students to come,” Fronk said. Fronk helps oversee testing and assists students with technical issues, noting an increase in testing attendance in the last few years.
This year, M-A’s administration is granting students a ticket for treats like ice cream sandwiches each day and a barbecue on the last day of testing for showing up on time and putting forth effort. Students with perfect testing attendance will also be entered into a Prom ticket raffle.
The CAASPP system is relatively young, having been implemented in January 2014. The CAST science test, which is part of the CAASPP, was first administered in 2019. “It’s only been in the past few years, I would say, since post-pandemic, that we’ve really been paying attention to the scores,” Simons said.
M-A’s 2024-25 testing scores saw a decline in proficiency in both English and math, despite an improvement the year before. This is partially explained by the fact that 25 white and five Asian enrolled students did not take the English test, as they are commonly the highest performers. Should poor attendance continue, M-A’s testing scores could suffer.
CAASPP scores are calculated as an average of every student’s individual result, rather than a more nuanced approach that focuses on how many students fall into each achievement level category. The state requires a minimum of 95% participation, with serious score penalties if students don’t take the test.
For every absent student that is needed to reach 95% school participation, scores are automatically assigned as 333 points below standard for English and 348 points below standard for math, rather than a “zero.” These scores are then factored into the school average.
The score range for English standard met is 2583-2681, with a minimum possible score of 2300 and a maximum of 2900, and the math range for standard met is 2628-2717, with a minimum possible score of 2280 and a maximum of 2900. Since parent opt-out waivers aren’t recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, absences still result in “loss” penalties for the school.
Student effort on the CAASPP has other effects too, such as impacting M-A’s reputation for rigor in the eyes of universities. Currently, M-A’s funding and teacher salaries aren’t affected by standardized test scores, but funding methods like grants could be. A school can also be shut down for consistently falling below annual academic growth standards.
The CAASPP test is only required once for M-A students throughout their four years of high school. For students, showing up and demonstrating what they have learned is a relatively easy yet impactful way to ensure that teachers are given credit for their hard work. Additionally, students help conserve teacher and curriculum flexibility, making school more fun. “I encourage my students to try to basically show the state what an amazing school M-A is by doing the best that they can on these tests,” Simons said.
Juniors completed their English testing last week on March 9 and 10. They will complete math testing next week on March 23 and 24, and will conclude this year’s testing with science testing on March 25.
