Dive Brief:
- California released results from last year's round of Common Core testing and just 44% scored proficient in English.
- In math, proficiency rates were close to 34%. Few students — less than 1% — opted out.
- But the state had big gaps in proficiency between student groups; wealthy students were more than twice as likely to score proficient, compared with poor students.
Dive Insight:
As with other states, California also had big gaps between racial groups. White and Asian students were far less likely to score in the lowest tier. Just 18% and 12% did, respectively. Meanwhile, close to half (46%) of black students, 41% of Native American students, and 39% of Latino students scored in the lowest tier.
States across the country are beginning to release data from early rounds of Common Core testing. For most, the scores mark a starting point for improvement, as the rates are supposed to more closely reflect students’ actual abilities, compared with old tests.