Student Data Demonstrates Impacts of the Pandemic

The California Department of Education (CDE) released student performance data results on October 24 from the 2021–22 administration of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), which includes assessments for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. Last spring was the first time in two years that all California students in grades 3-8 and 11 took the assessments. The assessments were waived by the state altogether in spring 2020 and were optional in spring 2021 due to the pandemic.

When compared to pre-pandemic data, the 2022 data affirm the challenges created by the pandemic and the impact distance learning, chronic absences, social-emotional wellness, and other disruptions like staffing shortages have had on student progress. In Kern County, 37.9 percent of students met or exceeded standards in English Language Arts/Literacy (compared to 43.5 percent in 2019) and 21.3 percent met or exceeded standards in mathematics (compared to 28.8 percent in 2019).

Prior to the pandemic, Kern County CAASPP results in ELA and math showed improvements each year from the initiation of the assessments in 2015 through 2019. As our education systems continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, the just-released 2022 data is being considered a new baseline for which to improve upon in the coming years.

“The pandemic has been extremely challenging on so many levels and it was anticipated there would be a direct correlation to academic progress,” said Dr. Mary Barlow, Kern County Superintendent of Schools. “Our collective education community — educators, parents, and students — has worked diligently and collaboratively since the onset of the pandemic on numerous strategies to help mitigate learning gaps and we will continue to do so moving forward.”

A sampling of these efforts include:

• KCSOS has increased professional development and supports in ELA and mathematics to Kern County school districts by 600 percent since 2019.

• Dedicated math and literacy workgroups are part of the Kern Education Pledge, which bring educators from across the county to work in collaboration to research strategies, gather and analyze data, track progress, identify and share resources and best practices, and implement mutually reinforcing activities.

• To date, Kern Integrated Data System (KiDS) has onboarded 45 school districts representing 96 percent of classroom-based Kern County students, giving educators access to real-time local data to inform classroom instruction and flag problem areas so intervention can be quickly deployed.

• School districts have expanded student learning opportunities through academic coaching, enhanced summer school programs, and extended day programs.

• $65.5 million was awarded to nineteen Kern school districts to expand or implement community school strategies to mitigate the academic and social impacts of emergencies that affect local communities, improve school responsiveness to student and family needs, and to organize school and community resources to address barriers to learning.

Complete CAASPP results and other state indicators for schools and school districts are located HERE.

2022 Countywide Assessment Results

2019 Countywide Assessment Results