Test scores are below state averages in San Joaquin County, the first glimpse at one metric of student achievement since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest results are from spring 2022, the first full-year back to in-person teaching and the first mandatory testing since 2019. In California, 2022 Smarter Balanced CAASPP math and English Language Proficiency Assessment scores were down with 2 out of 3 kids not meeting math standards and half not meeting English standards.

Stockton Unified School District scored far below state averages, with 85% of students not meeting math standards and over 73% of students scoring below English standards. That’s the lowest English scores since SUSD’s 2016-17 school year and the lowest math scores since the CAASPP test system replaced the STAR test system in 2014.

A joint study between Stanford and Harvard universities released in October shows learning losses in California based on test scores — Stockton’s largest school district was not spared.

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The study has equated the change in SUSD’s math scores from 2019-2022 to a learning loss of 64% of a grade level districtwide. The study also shows the district’s math scores are nearly three grades behind the 2019 U.S. average and reading scores 2.4 grades behind the 2019 national average.

Lincoln Unified School District, while faring better socioeconomically than SUSD, suffered nearly the same learning loss as SUSD, the study found. LUSD’s test scores were higher than SUSD but below state averages, with more than 75% of students not meeting math standards and 56% not meeting English standards — up on the voluntary testing the year prior but down on every other year since 2014.

Though test scores are down on years prior in many cases, the California Department of Education has advised to consider this year's results baseline data for measuring student progress going forward from pandemic-related challenges. The other larger school districts in San Joaquin County also tested below state averages:

• Lodi Unified School District: 74% did not meet math standards, 61% did not meet English standards

• Manteca Unified School District: 80% did not meet math standards, 62% did not meet English standards

• Tracy Joint Unified School District: 76% did not meet math standards, 62% did not meet English standards

The entire picture

Jane Steinkamp, assistant superintendent of education services at San Joaquin County Office of Education, said the test scores are but one metric to measure student success.

“The purpose of assessment data is for teachers to know where their students are so they can provide intervention, support and accelerate learning,” Steinkamp said. “Student attendance, graduation rates, truancy — those are some of the things that districts look at, as well as whether kids are present and actively engaged in school.” 

Learning loss came in tandem with significant mental health challenges at home and at school for students. Districts are now prioritizing hiring counselors and mental health clinicians to be at school sites to “serve the basic needs of students before the student can even begin to learn,” said Lisa Neugebauer, SJCOE’s Williams Act accountability and college readiness coordinator.

“These test scores don’t tell us everything and they’re from last spring. We’re into mid-year this year; there’s been a lot of work that our districts and educators have been doing to help meet the needs of our students,” Neugebauer said.

Steinkamp is the recipient of this year’s ATHENA Award, a Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce honor to individuals who support professional women and business and devote their time and energy to the community and mentorship.  She said conversations from the pandemic have been “rich and powerful,” and have shifted the focus onto the “whole child” and away from test scores as a measure of success.

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“We’re really proud of the work that our community does in support of our children,” Steinkamp said. “We have dedicated and amazing teachers in San Joaquin County, they don’t get enough credit … There’s someone waiting at the door of that classroom every single day for a kid and might be the most important person in that kid’s life every day. That’s nothing that gets measured on a test.”

Record reporter Ben Irwin covers Stockton and San Joaquin County government. He can be reached at birwin@recordnet.com or on Twitter @B1rwin. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County schools fall in state testing scores