District Scores Reported Poorly

Dear Editor,

On November 4th the Oakdale Joint Unified District representative reported that Oakdale was top scoring in the county. She also reported that the SBAC test was Internationally Benchmarked. Firstly, the key to looking at the SBAC/CAASPP Test scores one must focus on the At Risk population in Oakdale Joint. Essentially the SBAC test punishes any at risk student be it Economic, EL’s, or Ethnic. Oakdale’s EL (English Learners) percentage is 7.3 percent, Economic Disadvantaged is about 43 percent. The Total population tested was only 2821 students of which only 206 were EL’s. This is why Assistant Superintendent was able to claim the highest scores, but at the same time the “At Risk” students failed at almost the same statistical rates as everyone else in the county. They just counted less in Oakdale because there were less of them. The scores are statistically no better than anyone else in the state. On English Learner math scores the failure rates are 98, 95, 100, 96, 93, & 100 percent.

Secondly, Oakdale district representative stated the SBAC Test is internationally benchmarked. That also is not correct. Common Core State Standards are NOT internationally benchmarked nor is the SBAC Test. The test and the standards were never empirically tested or even research based before implemented in our schools.

The pass/fail rates are tied to the U.S. NAEP test. Not even the most ardent supporters of Common Core standards claim the international benchmark anymore because it has been proven patently false.

Very poor reporting and it leaves a false impression, but it does prove that the test is regressive and will punish “At Risk” students. The fewer “At Risk” Students district has the better the district scores look.

Pat Bicknell