Measuring Growth in Test Scores is Key to Understanding Student Progress

Posted on September 27, 2017
Contact: Julie White
(916) 596-2548
Commentary by: Steve Martinez, Superintendent of Twin Rivers Unified; 
                                Rick Miller, Executive Director of CORE Districts                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

With the campaign behind him, incoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has a tremendous opportunity to champion systems and policies put in place to benefit students. One way we can do that is to change the way the state measures progress on its standardized tests in math and English.

The release last month of the state’s standardized test results, which showed only a slightly more than 1 percentage point increase in students who “met” or “exceeded” English and math standards from last year, while discouraging, does not tell the whole story. It does not help districts figure out…