Los Angeles Unified School District Shows Strong Gains in State Metrics, But Academic Performance Remains Short of Goals
Positive Trends and Areas of Improvement
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has made significant strides in the latest release of state metrics, with improvements outpacing the state as a whole. According to the data, the district’s suspension rate has dropped to a state-best "blue" rating, indicating a successful reduction in the number of students sent home from school for disciplinary reasons.
The district also received a "green" or "good" rating for its graduation rate of 87%, a record high for LAUSD. Additionally, the district’s test scores in math and English language arts earned a "yellow" rating, which is less than good but better than the state’s overall rating of "orange".
Challenges and Concerns
Despite these positive trends, the district’s overall academic performance fell short of state learning goals. According to experts, the district’s test scores, while showing improvement, are still below the state average. Additionally, the district’s proficiency rates in English, math, and science are lower than the state average.
Expert Analysis
Michael W. Kirst, former state Board of Education president and emeritus professor of education and business administration, commented, "LAUSD scores are on an upward trend, but the initial goal needs to be to attain results that meet or exceed LAUSD pre-pandemic levels. For example, there are some test-score results that meet this goal. I am less interested now in how they compare to the rest of the state on dashboard indicators. That will be more relevant in subsequent years."
Efforts to Improve
To address these challenges, the district has implemented various strategies. For example, summer school has been expanded to help students complete required course work, resulting in a 1.2 percentage point increase in graduation rate. Additionally, the district has provided specialized training for teachers on strategies to support English learners and has assigned a specialist to work with teachers to improve instruction.
Conclusion
While LAUSD has made significant strides in some areas, there is still much work to be done to meet state learning goals. The district’s test scores and proficiency rates remain below average, and more needs to be done to support students, particularly English learners and students of color.
FAQs
Q: What are the implications of LAUSD’s test scores and proficiency rates?
A: The district’s test scores and proficiency rates are lower than the state average, indicating that more work needs to be done to support students.
Q: What are some effective strategies being used to improve student outcomes?
A: The district is using strategies such as summer school, specialized training for teachers, and assigning specialists to work with teachers to improve instruction.
Q: What are the district’s goals for future improvement?
A: The district aims to continue to improve its test scores and proficiency rates, particularly for English learners and students of color.
